The experience requirement changes have been approved and will be implemented on January 1, 2016. We will update the MFT, LCSW and LPCC versions of TrackYourHours on December 1, 2015.. The updates will allow you to see how many hours you can claim under both the old and new requirements making it very easy for you to determine how many hours you can claim based on the date you will be submitting your application. Applicants who submit between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2020 have the option of being evaluated under the old or new requirements; from January 1, 2021 forward the new requirements would apply to all applicants. Below is a summary of the new requirements.
MFT
- The category of non-counseling experience is renamed non-clinical practice, the category maximum is increased from 1,000 to 1,250 and the sub-categories of administering and evaluating psychological tests, writing clinical reports, writing progress or process notes and client-centered advocacy are added to the category.
- The category maximum (500) for administering and evaluating psych tests, writing clinical reports, progress or process notes and client-centered advocacy is eliminated.
- The category maximum (500) for group therapy is eliminated.
- The category maximum (375) for telehealth is eliminated.
- Personal psychotherapy hours can no longer be claimed.
- Conjoint couples/family hours can no longer be double counted.
- Under the current requirements applicants must log a minimum of 1,500 hours of direct counseling with individuals, groups, couples or families. Under the proposed requirements this increases to 1,750 hours.
LCSW
- Permits hours of direct supervisor contact (individual and group supervision) to count toward the 3,200 hour requirement.
- Permits workshops, seminars, training sessions or conferences directly related to clinical social work to count toward the 3,200 hour requirement. Consistent with the MFT and LPCC regulations, workshops, seminars, training sessions and conferences need to be approved by a supervisor but supervision is not required in a given week to claim the hours.
- Increases the hours of supervision, whether individual or group, which can be credited during a single week from five to six. This only applies to supervision hours gained on or after January 1, 2010.
LPCC
- Eliminates category maximum (250) for workshops, training and conferences
- Eliminates category maximum (500) for group therapy
- Eliminates category maximum (250) for telehealth counseling
- Eliminates category maximum (250) for administering and evaluating psych tests, writing clinical reports, progress or process notes