24 Del. Admin. Code § 3000-6.0

Current through Register Vol. 28, No. 5, November 1, 2024

Section 3000-6.0 - Licensure for Associate Marriage and Family Therapists (LAMFT)

6.1 Examination. Successful LAMFT applicants must pass the Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards (AMFTRB) exam. No LAMFT applicant may take the exam without prior approval of the Board. Board approval is based on fulfillment of the requirements in regulation 6.2 (proof of acceptable education) and regulation 6.3 (submission of a plan to acquire the requisite experience). LAMFT applicants must fulfill those requirements to receive permission to take the exam. If approved to take the exam, an applicant will receive an LAMFT once the Board receives proof that the applicant has passed the exam. A score equal to or greater than the pass point set by the AMFTRB is required to pass the exam.

6.2 Education. An applicant's education must be documented by an official transcript submitted directly to the Board by the degree-granting institution.

6.2.1 All successful applicants must possess either:

6.2.1.1 A graduate degree in marriage and family therapy (MFT) from a graduate program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE),

6.2.1.2 A graduate degree in marriage and family therapy from a non-COAMFTE accredited graduate program acceptable to the Board, or

6.2.1.3 A graduate degree from a nationally accredited college or university in an allied field which is acceptable to the Board. Acceptable allied fields are limited to: counseling, social work, psychology, and psychiatry.

6.2.2 To be acceptable to the Board, a graduate degree under regulations 6.2.1.2 or 6.2.1.3 above must be based on at least 45 credit hours which must include the following:

6.2.2.1 Applicants who do not graduate from a COAMFTE Accredited MFT program should have coursework that matches the following coursework, content, and credit hours.

6.2.2.1.1 Foundations of Relational/Systemic Practice, Theories & Models (Minimum of 6 semester credits/8 quarter credits/90 clock hours) These courses facilitate students developing competencies in the foundations and critical epistemological issues of MFTs. It includes the historical development of the relational/systemic perspective and contemporary conceptual foundations of MFTs, and early and contemporary models of MFT, including evidence-based practice and the biopsychosocial perspective.

6.2.2.1.2 Systemic/Relational Assessment & Mental Health Diagnosis and Treatment (Minimum of 3 Credits/4 quarter credits/45 clock hours) This course facilitates students developing competencies in traditional psycho-diagnostic categories, psychopharmacology, the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of major mental health issues as well as a wide variety of common presenting problems including addiction, suicide, trauma, abuse, intra-familial violence, and therapy for individuals, couples, and families managing acute chronic medical conditions, utilizing a relational/systemic philosophy.

6.2.2.1.3 Biopsychosocial Health & Development Across the Life Span (Minimum of 3 Credits/4 quarter credits/45 clock hours) This course addresses individual and family development, human sexuality, and biopsychosocial health across the lifespan.

6.2.2.1.4 Diverse, Multicultural and/or Underserved Communities (Minimum of 3 Credits/4 quarter credits/45 clock hours) This course facilitates students developing competencies in understanding and applying knowledge of diversity, power, privilege and oppression as these relate to race, age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, socioeconomic status, disability, health status, religious, spiritual and/or beliefs, nation of origin or other relevant social categories throughout the curriculum. It includes practice with diverse, international, multicultural, marginalized, and/or underserved communities, including developing competencies in working with sexual and gender minorities and their families as well as anti-racist practices.

6.2.2.1.5 Clinical Treatment with Individuals, Couples and Families (Minimum of 6 Credits/8 quarter credits/90 clock hours) These courses facilitates students developing competencies in treatment approaches specifically designed for use with a wide range of diverse individuals, couples, and families, including sex therapy, same-sex couples, working with young children, adolescents and elderly, interfaith couples, and includes a focus on evidence-based practice. Programs must include content on crisis intervention.

6.2.2.1.6 Professional Identity, Law, Ethics & Social Responsibility (Minimum of 3 Credits/4 quarter credits/45 clock hours) This course addresses the development of a MFT Identity and socialization, and facilitates students developing competencies in ethics in MFT practice, including understanding and applying the AAMFT Code of Ethics and understanding legal responsibilities.

6.2.2.1.7 Research & Evaluation (Minimum of 3 Credits/4 quarter credits/45 clock hours) This course facilitates students developing competencies in MFT research and evaluation methods, and in evidence-based practice, including becoming an informed consumer of couple, marriage, and family therapy research. If the program's mission, goals, and outcomes include preparing students for doctoral degree programs, the program must include an increased emphasis on research.

6.2.2.1.8 Contemporary Issues (Must be covered in curriculum, but there is no minimum credit requirement). These courses facilitate students developing competencies in practice within defined contexts (e.g., healthcare settings, schools, military settings, private practice) and/or nontraditional MFT professional practice using therapeutic competencies congruent with the program's mission, goals, and outcomes (e.g., community advocacy, psycho-educational groups). It also addresses developing competency in multidisciplinary collaboration.

6.2.2.1.9 Community Intersections & Collaboration (Must be covered in curriculum, but there is no minimum credit requirement). These courses area facilitate students developing competencies in emerging and evolving contemporary challenges, problems, and/or recent developments at the interface of Couple or Marriage and Family Therapy knowledge and practice, and the broader local, regional, and global context. This includes such issues as immigration, technology, same-sex marriage, violence in schools, etc.

6.2.2.1.10 Clinical Supervised Experience in marriage and family therapy (minimum of 9 credit hours/12 quarter hours/105 clock hours)

6.2.2.2 Nine (9) credit hours earned by serving an internship. The internship must have included at least 300 hours of direct client counseling, 150 hours of which must have been spent on couples and family therapy.

6.2.2.3 Six (6) credit hours in electives.

6.3 Experience. LAMFT applicants must provide a written plan for acquiring the LMFT experience requirements contained in subsection 5.1 .2 above. The plan must be signed by the applicant's proposed supervisor. Supervisors must be acceptable to the Board.

6.3.1 To be acceptable to the Board, a supervisor must be either:

6.3.1.1 a Delaware-licensed marriage and family therapist,

6.3.1.2 an individual holding the "approved supervisor" designation from the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT),

6.3.1.3 a candidate for the AAMFT "approved supervisor" designation who is acceptable to the Board,

6.3.1.4 a licensed marriage and family therapist from another state who has held a license in good standing for a minimum of five (5) years in that state and has passed the AMFTRB exam, or

6.3.1.5 Supervision by a non-LMFT may be approved by the Board if the applicant can establish that the supervision was provided by a licensed behavioral health professional with a specialty or expertise in a clinical competency essential to the applicant's training. The applicant must provide the Board a compelling clinical reason fur utilizing a non-LMFT supervisor. Examples of potentially acceptable licensed behavioral health professionals include licensed marriage and family therapists, psychologists, licensed clinical social workers, physicians, and advanced practice registered nurses.

6.3.2 Licensees must notify the Board in writing, on the Board-approved form, within 30 days if their supervisor changes. Any supervisor must meet the requirements in 6.3.1. All changes are subject to Board approval. Contact the Board office or website for the proper form.

24 Del. Admin. Code § 3000-6.0

11 DE Reg. 225 (08/01/07)
11 DE Reg. 1066 (02/01/08)
15 DE Reg. 1510 (04/01/12)
18 DE Reg. 902 (5/1/2015)
22 DE Reg. 78 (7/1/2018) (Final)