(a) On or after January 1, 2021, an applicant for licensure as a marriage and family therapist shall show, as part of the application, that they have completed a minimum of six hours of coursework or applied experience under supervision in suicide risk assessment and intervention. This requirement shall be met in one of the following ways:

(1) Obtained as part of their qualifying graduate degree program. To satisfy this requirement, the applicant shall submit to the board a written certification from the registrar or training director of the educational institution or program from which the applicant graduated stating that the coursework required by this section is included within the institution’s curriculum required for graduation at the time the applicant graduated, or within the coursework that was completed by the applicant.

Terms Used In California Business and Professions Code 4980.396

  • Applicant for licensure: as used in this chapter , means an unlicensed person who has completed the required education and required hours of supervised experience for licensure. See California Business and Professions Code 4980.03
  • Board: as used in this chapter , means the Board of Behavioral Sciences. See California Business and Professions Code 4980.03
  • Experience: as used in this chapter , means experience in interpersonal relationships, psychotherapy, marriage and family therapy, direct clinical counseling, and nonclinical practice that satisfies the requirements for licensure as a marriage and family therapist. See California Business and Professions Code 4980.03
  • license: means license, certificate, registration, or other means to engage in a business or profession regulated by this code or referred to in Section 1000 or 3600. See California Business and Professions Code 23.7
  • Licensee: means any person authorized by a license, certificate, registration, or other means to engage in a business or profession regulated by this code or referred to in Sections 1000 and 3600. See California Business and Professions Code 23.8
  • Subdivision: means a subdivision of the section in which that term occurs, unless some other section is expressly mentioned. See California Business and Professions Code 15
  • supervision: means responsibility for, and control of, the quality of mental health and related services provided by the supervisee. See California Business and Professions Code 4980.43.1
  • Supervisor: as used in this chapter , means an individual who meets all of the following requirements:

    California Business and Professions Code 4980.03

(2) Obtained as part of their applied experience. Applied experience can be met in any of the following settings: practicum or associateship that meets the requirement of this chapter, formal postdoctoral placement that meets the requirements of Section 2911, or other qualifying supervised experience. To satisfy this requirement, the applicant shall submit to the board a written certification from the director of training for the program or primary supervisor where the qualifying experience has occurred stating that the training required by this section is included within the applied experience.

(3) By taking a continuing education course that meets the requirements of Section 4980.54. To satisfy this requirement, the applicant shall submit to the board a certification of completion.

(b) As a one-time requirement, a licensee prior to the time of their first renewal after January 1, 2021, or an applicant for reactivation or reinstatement to an active license status on or after January 1, 2021, shall have completed a minimum of six hours of coursework or applied experience under supervision in suicide risk assessment and intervention, using one of the methods specified in subdivision (a).

Proof of compliance with this section shall be certified under penalty of perjury that they are in compliance with this section and shall be retained for submission to the board upon request.

(Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 511, Sec. 28. (SB 1495) Effective January 1, 2023.)

  Previous section
Next section  
 Article 1 Contents