Requirements for the Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) credential in NJ
Individuals who plan to apply for a three-year temporary permit, the first step on the way to licensure, should carefully consult New Jersey State Board of Marriage and Family Therapy Examiners Regulations and their designated supervisor prior to completing the application forms (http://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/mft/index.htm). The information below is based on our understanding of the current regulations governing marriage and family therapy licensure but cannot legally represent the current laws and regulations of the licensing board. Here after, the New Jersey State Board of Marriage and Family Therapy Examiners is referred to as the “Board”.
Summary of Requirements for LMFT
1. Educational Requirements
A minimum of a Master’s degree in MFT, social work with family therapy courses or a related field is required. Our Educational Specialist Degree (Ed.S.) in MFT is recognized by the Board indicating that the coursework satisfies the educational requirements of licensure (Ed.S. candidates whose master’s degree is not in counseling from a CACREP accredited program may be required to take additional courses to satisfy the educational requirements of LMFT).
Note: If an applicant is a graduate of a related field, she/he must demonstrate to the Board that the degree work satisfies the educational requirements set forth in N.J.A.C. 13:34-4.2(b).
2. Experiential Requirements
a) A minimum of two calendar years (3,000 hours) of post-masters supervised hours in marriage and family therapy under an approved supervisor. Each calendar year (1,500 hours) in supervised MFT hours should consist of:
- A minimum of 20 hours / week providing marriage and family therapy. At least one hour of supervision per five hours of client contact should be provided.
- A minimum of four (4) hours of supervision/week, at least two hours of which must be face-face individual supervision.
- A least six (6) hours / week in other related activities
(In summary, breakdown of the hours for one calendar year (50 wks) is; 1,000 hours of client contact, 200 hours in supervision, and 300 hours in other work related activities).
Note: If an applicant is a post-master’s or doctoral degree holder, he/she must complete one of the two calendar years of marriage and family therapy experience after the granting of their terminal degree.
AND
One calendar year (1,500 hours) of supervised general counseling experience (either counseling or marriage and family therapy or both)
Master’s level, post-Master’s level and Doctoral level may be able to count all the hours in the terminal year of their respective programs toward the required number of hours needed to sit for licensure.
Note: Read NJAC 13:34-4.1 for more details
Note: The Board proposed the following amendments to N.J.A.C. 13:34-4.3 (b) on October 15th, 2012. These changes have not been instituted into the regulations as of March, 2013. A student applying for a three-year temporary permit in MFT should consult the current LMFT regulations to obtain the most up-to-date information before submitting the application.
“The proposed amendments to N.J.A.C. 13:34-4.3(b) provide that supervised marriage and family therapy experience for each calendar year must consist of: a minimum of 50 hours of face-to-face supervision, at the rate of one hour per week; a maximum of 1,150 hours of actual marriage and family therapy client contact; and a maximum of 300 hours of other work-related activities. The proposed amendments to the supervision requirement further provide that no more than 25 hours of the required supervision may be in group supervision, ensuring that up to one-half of an applicant’s hours are obtained in an intensive, one-on-one individual supervision setting. The proposed amendment to subsection (a) defines “group supervision” as supervision by a qualified supervisor of between two and six interns and/or permit holders at one time.”
3. Examination Requirement:
Passing score on National Marriage and Family Therapy Examination
Note: Upon successful completion of the requirements set forth in NJAC 13:34-4.1 (a), the Board will authorize an applicant to take the exam.
Summary of Requirements for Three-Year Temporary Permit in MFT
Upon the completion of a Master’s degree in MCFCT or Educational Specialist degree in MFT from The College of New Jersey, students can apply for a three-year temporary permit prior to accruing qualified post-masters supervised hours. Interested students should carefully read the Subchapter 5: Temporary permit holders and qualified supervisors. A summary of the requirements is provided below.
Requirements for Three-Year Temporary Permit in MFT
An applicant must satisfy the educational requirements of LMFT set forth in N.J.A.C. 13:34-4.2 and submit a supervision plan along with the proposed supervisor’s resume / curriculum vita to the Board.
A qualified supervisor must: a) have a minimum of five full-time years of professional marriage and family therapy practice or equivalent; and b) hold current and active LMFT in New Jersey or meet one of the following as stated in N.J.A.C. 13:34-4.3(a) 2:
Obtained from an accredited institution a minimum of:
i. A master’s degree in marriage and family therapy;
ii. A master’s degree in social work;
iii. A graduate degree in a related field and has demonstrated to the Board that he or
she has completed course work content and training substantially equivalent to a
master’s degree in marriage and family therapy; or
iv. A graduate degree in a related field which does not provide training and course
work substantially equivalent in content to a master’s degree in marriage and
family therapy, and is either a post graduate degree recognized by the Board, or a
program of training and course work at an institute or training program accredited
by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education.
Contact Information for State Board of Marriage and Family Therapy Examiners
New Jersey Office of the Attorney General
Division of Consumer Affairs
State Board of Marriage and Family Therapy Examiners
P.O. Box 45007 (124 Halsey Street, 6th Floor)
Newark, NJ 07101
Phone Number: (973) 504-6415
Complaints and inquiries may be forwarded to:
Milagros Collazo, Executive Director, State Board of Marriage and Family Therapy Examiners, PO Box 45007, Newark, NJ 07101, (973) 504-6582.
03/2013