(a) Except for experience gained by attending workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences, as described in paragraph (10) of subdivision (c) of Section 4980.43, direct supervisor contact shall occur as follows:

(1) Supervision shall include at least one hour of direct supervisor contact in each week for which experience is credited in each work setting.

(2) A trainee shall receive an average of at least one hour of direct supervisor contact for every five hours of direct clinical counseling performed each week in each setting. For experience gained on or after January 1, 2009, no more than six hours of supervision, whether individual, triadic, or group, shall be credited during any single week.

(3) An associate gaining experience who performs more than 10 hours of direct clinical counseling in a week in any setting shall receive at least one additional hour of direct supervisor contact for that setting. For experience gained on or after January 1, 2009, no more than six hours of supervision, whether individual, triadic, or group, shall be credited during any single week.

(4) Of the 104 weeks of required supervision, 52 weeks shall be individual supervision, triadic supervision, or a combination of both.

(b) (1) For purposes of this chapter, “one hour of direct supervisor contact” means any of the following:

(A) Individual supervision, which means one hour of face-to-face contact between one supervisor and one supervisee.

(B) Triadic supervision, which means one hour of face-to-face contact between one supervisor and two supervisees.

(C) Group supervision, which means two hours of face-to-face contact between one supervisor and no more than eight supervisees. Segments of group supervision may be split into no less than one continuous hour. A supervisor shall ensure that the amount and degree of supervision is appropriate for each supervisee.

(2) For purposes of this subdivision, “face-to-face contact” means in-person contact, contact via two-way, real-time videoconferencing, or some combination of these.

(c) The supervisor shall be responsible for ensuring compliance with federal and state laws relating to confidentiality of patient health information.

(d) (1) Within 60 days of the commencement of supervision, a supervisor shall conduct a meeting with the supervisee during which the supervisor shall assess the appropriateness of allowing the supervisee to receive supervision via two-way, real-time videoconferencing. This assessment of appropriateness shall include, but is not limited to, the abilities of the supervisee, the preferences of both the supervisee and supervisor, and the privacy of the locations of the supervisee and supervisor while supervision is conducted.

(2) The supervisor shall document the results of the assessment made pursuant to paragraph (1), and shall not utilize supervision via two-way, real-time videoconferencing if their assessment finds it is not appropriate.

(e) Direct supervisor contact shall occur within the same week as the hours claimed.

(f) Alternative supervision may be arranged during a supervisor’s vacation or sick leave if the alternative supervision meets the requirements of this chapter.

(g) Notwithstanding any other law, once the required number of experience hours are gained, associates and applicants for licensure shall receive a minimum of one hour of direct supervisor contact per week for each practice setting in which direct clinical counseling is performed. Once the required number of experience hours are gained, further supervision for nonclinical practice, as defined in paragraph (10) of subdivision (c) of Section 4980.43, shall be at the supervisor’s discretion.

(h) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2026, and as of that date is repealed.

(Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 204, Sec. 1. (AB 1758) Effective August 29, 2022. Repealed as of January 1, 2026, by its own provisions. See later operative version added by Sec. 2 of Stats. 2022, Ch. 204.)