(a)Board, as used in this chapter, means the Board of Behavioral Sciences.

(b)Intern, as used in this chapter, means an unlicensed person who has earned his or her masters or doctoral degree qualifying him or her for licensure and is registered with the board.

(c)Trainee, as used in this chapter, means an unlicensed person who is currently enrolled in a masters or doctoral degree program, as specified in Sections 4980.36 and 4980.37, that is designed to qualify him or her for licensure under this chapter, and who has completed no less than 12 semester units or 18 quarter units of coursework in any qualifying degree program.

(d)Applicant, as used in this chapter, means an unlicensed person who has completed a masters or doctoral degree program, as specified in Sections 4980.36 and 4980.37, and whose application for registration as an intern is pending, or an unlicensed person who has completed the requirements for licensure as specified in this chapter, is no longer registered with the board as an intern, and is currently in the examination process.

(e)Advertise, as used in this chapter, includes, but is not limited to, any public communication, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 651, the issuance of any card, sign, or device to any person, or the causing, permitting, or allowing of any sign or marking on, or in, any building or structure, or in any newspaper or magazine or in any directory, or any printed matter whatsoever, with or without any limiting qualification. Signs within religious buildings or notices in church bulletins mailed to a congregation shall not be construed as advertising within the meaning of this chapter.

(f)Experience, as used in this chapter, means experience in interpersonal relationships, psychotherapy, marriage and family therapy, direct counseling, and nonclinical practice that satisfies the requirements for licensure as a marriage and family therapist pursuant to Section 4980.40.

(g)Supervisor, as used in this chapter, means an individual who meets all of the following requirements:

(1)Has been licensed by a state regulatory agency for at least two years as a marriage and family therapist, licensed clinical social worker, licensed professional clinical counselor, licensed psychologist, or licensed physician certified in psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

(2)If a licensed professional clinical counselor, the individual shall meet the additional training and education requirements specified in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 4999.20.

(3)Has not provided therapeutic services to the trainee or intern.

(4)Has a current and valid license that is not under suspension or probation.

(5)Complies with supervision requirements established by this chapter and by board regulations.

(h)Client centered advocacy, as used in this chapter, includes, but is not limited to, researching, identifying, and accessing resources, or other activities, related to obtaining or providing services and supports for clients or groups of clients receiving psychotherapy or counseling services.

(a)Trainees performing services in any work setting specified in subdivision (e) of Section 4980.43 may perform those activities and services as a trainee, provided that the activities and services constitute part of the trainees supervised course of study and that the person is designated by the title trainee.

(b)Trainees subject to Section 4980.37 may gain hours of experience and counsel clients outside of the required practicum. This subdivision shall apply to hours of experience gained and client counseling provided on and after January 1, 2012.

(c)Trainees subject to Section 4980.36 may gain hours of experience outside of the required practicum but must be enrolled in a practicum course to counsel clients. Trainees subject to Section 4980.36 may counsel clients while not enrolled in a practicum course if the period of lapsed enrollment is less than 90 calendar days, and if that period is immediately preceded by enrollment in a practicum course and immediately followed by enrollment in a practicum course or completion of the degree program.

(d)All hours of experience gained pursuant to subdivisions (b) and (c) shall be subject to the other requirements of this chapter.

(e)All hours of experience gained as a trainee shall be coordinated between the school and the site where the hours are being accrued. The school shall approve each site and shall have a written agreement with each site that details each partys responsibilities, including the methods by which supervision shall be provided. The agreement shall provide for regular progress reports and evaluations of the students performance at the site. If an applicant has gained hours of experience while enrolled in an institution other than the one that confers the qualifying degree, it shall be the applicants responsibility to provide to the board satisfactory evidence that those hours of trainee experience were gained in compliance with this section.

(a)To qualify for licensure as specified in Section 4980.40, each applicant shall complete experience related to the practice of marriage and family therapy under a supervisor who meets the qualifications set forth in Section 4980.03. The experience shall comply with the following:

(1)A minimum of 3,000 hours of supervised experience completed during a period of at least 104 weeks.

(2)A maximum of 40 hours in any seven consecutive days.

(3)A minimum of 1,700 hours obtained after the qualifying masters or doctoral degree was awarded.

(4)A maximum of 1,300 hours obtained prior to the award date of the qualifying masters or doctoral degree.

(5)A maximum of 750 hours of counseling and direct supervisor contact prior to the award date of the qualifying masters or doctoral degree.

(6)No hours of experience may be gained prior to completing either 12 semester units or 18 quarter units of graduate instruction.

(7)No hours of experience may be gained more than six years prior to the date the application for examination eligibility was filed, except that up to 500 hours of clinical experience gained in the supervised practicum required by subdivision (c) of Section 4980.37 and subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of Section 4980.36 shall be exempt from this six-year requirement.

(8)A minimum of 1,750 hours of direct counseling with individuals, groups, couples, or families, that includes not less than 500 total hours of experience in diagnosing and treating couples, families, and children.

(9)A maximum of 1,250 hours of nonclinical practice, consisting of direct supervisor contact, administering and evaluating psychological tests, writing clinical reports, writing progress or process notes, client centered advocacy, and workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences directly related to marriage and family therapy that have been approved by the applicants supervisor.

(10)It is anticipated and encouraged that hours of experience will include working with elders and dependent adults who have physical or mental limitations that restrict their ability to carry out normal activities or protect their rights.

This subdivision shall only apply to hours gained on and after January 1, 2010.

(b)An individual who submits an application for examination eligibility between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2020, may alternatively qualify under the experience requirements that were in place on January 1, 2015.

(c)All applicants, trainees, and registrants shall be at all times under the supervision of a supervisor who shall be responsible for ensuring that the extent, kind, and quality of counseling performed is consistent with the training and experience of the person being supervised, and who shall be responsible to the board for compliance with all laws, rules, and regulations governing the practice of marriage and family therapy. Supervised experience shall be gained by an intern or trainee only as an employee or as a volunteer. The requirements of this chapter regarding gaining hours of experience and supervision are applicable equally to employees and volunteers. Experience shall not be gained by an intern or trainee as an independent contractor.

(1)If employed, an intern shall provide the board with copies of the corresponding W-2 tax forms for each year of experience claimed upon application for licensure.

(2)If volunteering, an intern shall provide the board with a letter from his or her employer verifying the interns employment as a volunteer upon application for licensure.

(d)Except for experience gained by attending workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences as described in paragraph (9) of subdivision (a), supervision shall include at least one hour of direct supervisor contact in each week for which experience is credited in each work setting, as specified:

(1)A trainee shall receive an average of at least one hour of direct supervisor contact for every five hours of client contact in each setting. No more than six hours of supervision, whether individual or group, shall be credited during any single week.

(2)An individual supervised after being granted a qualifying degree shall receive at least one additional hour of direct supervisor contact for every week in which more than 10 hours of client contact is gained in each setting. No more than six hours of supervision, whether individual or group, shall be credited during any single week.

(3)For purposes of this section, one hour of direct supervisor contact means one hour per week of face-to-face contact on an individual basis or two hours per week of face-to-face contact in a group.

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

(5)Direct supervisor contact provided in a group shall be provided in a group of not more than eight supervisees and in segments lasting no less than one continuous hour.

(6)Notwithstanding paragraph (3), an intern working in a governmental entity, a school, a college, or a university, or an institution that is both nonprofit and charitable may obtain the required weekly direct supervisor contact via two-way, real-time videoconferencing. The supervisor shall be responsible for ensuring that client confidentiality is upheld.

(7)All experience gained by a trainee shall be monitored by the supervisor as specified by regulation.

(8)The six hours of supervision that may be credited during any single week pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2) shall apply to supervision hours gained on or after January 1, 2009.

(e)(1)A trainee may be credited with supervised experience completed in any setting that meets all of the following:

(A)Lawfully and regularly provides mental health counseling or psychotherapy.

(B)Provides oversight to ensure that the trainees work at the setting meets the experience and supervision requirements set forth in this chapter and is within the scope of practice for the profession as defined in Section 4980.02.

(C)Is not a private practice owned by a licensed marriage and family therapist, a licensed professional clinical counselor, a licensed psychologist, a licensed clinical social worker, a licensed physician and surgeon, or a professional corporation of any of those licensed professions.

(2)Experience may be gained by the trainee solely as part of the position for which the trainee volunteers or is employed.

(f)(1)An intern may be credited with supervised experience completed in any setting that meets both of the following:

(A)Lawfully and regularly provides mental health counseling or psychotherapy.

(B)Provides oversight to ensure that the interns work at the setting meets the experience and supervision requirements set forth in this chapter and is within the scope of practice for the profession as defined in Section 4980.02.

(2)An applicant shall not be employed or volunteer in a private practice, as defined in subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (e), until registered as an intern.

(3)While an intern may be either a paid employee or a volunteer, employers are encouraged to provide fair remuneration to interns.

(4)Except for periods of time during a supervisors vacation or sick leave, an intern who is employed or volunteering in private practice shall be under the direct supervision of a licensee that has satisfied the requirements of subdivision (g) of Section 4980.03. The supervising licensee shall either be employed by and practice at the same site as the interns employer, or shall be an owner or shareholder of the private practice. Alternative supervision may be arranged during a supervisors vacation or sick leave if the supervision meets the requirements of this section.

(5)Experience may be gained by the intern solely as part of the position for which the intern volunteers or is employed.

(g)Except as provided in subdivision (h), all persons shall register with the board as an intern in order to be credited for postdegree hours of supervised experience gained toward licensure.

(h)Except when employed in a private practice setting, all postdegree hours of experience shall be credited toward licensure so long as the applicant applies for the intern registration within 90 days of the granting of the qualifying masters or doctoral degree and is thereafter granted the intern registration by the board.

(i)Trainees, interns, and applicants shall not receive any remuneration from patients or clients, and shall only be paid by their employers.

(j)Trainees, interns, and applicants shall only perform services at the place where their employers regularly conduct business, which may include performing services at other locations, so long as the services are performed under the direction and control of their employer and supervisor, and in compliance with the laws and regulations pertaining to supervision. Trainees and interns shall have no proprietary interest in their employers businesses and shall not lease or rent space, pay for furnishings, equipment, or supplies, or in any other way pay for the obligations of their employers.

(k)Trainees, interns, or applicants who provide volunteered services or other services, and who receive no more than a total, from all work settings, of five hundred dollars ($500) per month as reimbursement for expenses actually incurred by those trainees, interns, or applicants for services rendered in any lawful work setting other than a private practice shall be considered employees and not independent contractors. The board may audit applicants who receive reimbursement for expenses, and the applicants shall have the burden of demonstrating that the payments received were for reimbursement of expenses actually incurred.

(l)Each educational institution preparing applicants for licensure pursuant to this chapter shall consider requiring, and shall encourage, its students to undergo individual, marital or conjoint, family, or group counseling or psychotherapy, as appropriate. Each supervisor shall consider, advise, and encourage his or her interns and trainees regarding the advisability of undertaking individual, marital or conjoint, family, or group counseling or psychotherapy, as appropriate. Insofar as it is deemed appropriate and is desired by the applicant, the educational institution and supervisors are encouraged to assist the applicant in locating that counseling or psychotherapy at a reasonable cost.

(a)To qualify for licensure as specified in Section 4980.40, each applicant shall complete experience related to the practice of marriage and family therapy under a supervisor who meets the qualifications set forth in Section 4980.03. The experience shall comply with the following:

(1)A minimum of 3,000 hours of supervised experience completed during a period of at least 104 weeks.

(2)A maximum of 40 hours in any seven consecutive days.

(3)A minimum of 1,700 hours obtained after the qualifying masters or doctoral degree was awarded.

(4)A maximum of 1,300 hours obtained prior to the award date of the qualifying masters or doctoral degree.

(5)A maximum of 750 hours of counseling and direct supervisor contact prior to the award date of the qualifying masters or doctoral degree.

(6)No hours of experience may be gained prior to completing either 12 semester units or 18 quarter units of graduate instruction.

(7)No hours of experience may be gained more than six years prior to the date the application for examination eligibility was filed, except that up to 500 hours of clinical experience gained in the supervised practicum required by subdivision (c) of Section 4980.37 and subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of Section 4980.36 shall be exempt from this six-year requirement.

(8)A minimum of 1,750 hours of direct counseling with individuals, groups, couples, or families, that includes not less than 500 total hours of experience in diagnosing and treating couples, families, and children.

(9)A maximum of 1,250 hours of nonclinical practice, consisting of direct supervisor contact, administering and evaluating psychological tests, writing clinical reports, writing progress or process notes, client centered advocacy, and workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences directly related to marriage and family therapy that have been approved by the applicants supervisor.

(10)It is anticipated and encouraged that hours of experience will include working with elders and dependent adults who have physical or mental limitations that restrict their ability to carry out normal activities or protect their rights.

This subdivision shall only apply to hours gained on and after January 1, 2010.

(b)An individual who submits an application for examination eligibility between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2020, may alternatively qualify under the experience requirements that were in place on January 1, 2015.

(c)All applicants, trainees, and registrants shall be at all times under the supervision of a supervisor who shall be responsible for ensuring that the extent, kind, and quality of counseling performed is consistent with the training and experience of the person being supervised, and who shall be responsible to the board for compliance with all laws, rules, and regulations governing the practice of marriage and family therapy. Supervised experience shall be gained by an intern or trainee only as an employee or as a volunteer. The requirements of this chapter regarding gaining hours of experience and supervision are applicable equally to employees and volunteers. Experience shall not be gained by an intern or trainee as an independent contractor.

(1)If employed, an intern shall provide the board with copies of the corresponding W-2 tax forms for each year of experience claimed upon application for licensure.

(2)If volunteering, an intern shall provide the board with a letter from his or her employer verifying the interns employment as a volunteer upon application for licensure.

(d)Except for experience gained by attending workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences as described in paragraph (9) of subdivision (a), supervision shall include at least one hour of direct supervisor contact in each week for which experience is credited in each work setting, as specified:

(1)A trainee shall receive an average of at least one hour of direct supervisor contact for every five hours of client contact in each setting. No more than six hours of supervision, whether individual or group, shall be credited during any single week.

(2)An individual supervised after being granted a qualifying degree shall receive at least one additional hour of direct supervisor contact for every week in which more than 10 hours of client contact is gained in each setting. No more than six hours of supervision, whether individual or group, shall be credited during any single week.

(3)For purposes of this section, one hour of direct supervisor contact means one hour per week of face-to-face contact on an individual basis or two hours per week of face-to-face contact in a group.

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

(5)Direct supervisor contact provided in a group shall be provided in a group of not more than eight supervisees and in segments lasting no less than one continuous hour.

(6)Notwithstanding paragraph (3), an intern working in a governmental entity, a school, a college, or a university, or an institution that is both nonprofit and charitable may obtain the required weekly direct supervisor contact via two-way, real-time videoconferencing. The supervisor shall be responsible for ensuring that client confidentiality is upheld.

(7)All experience gained by a trainee shall be monitored by the supervisor as specified by regulation.

(8)The six hours of supervision that may be credited during any single week pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2) shall apply to supervision hours gained on or after January 1, 2009.

(e)(1)A trainee may be credited with supervised experience completed in any setting that meets all of the following:

(A)Lawfully and regularly provides mental health counseling or psychotherapy.

(B)Provides oversight to ensure that the trainees work at the setting meets the experience and supervision requirements set forth in this chapter and is within the scope of practice for the profession as defined in Section 4980.02.

(C)Is not a private practice owned by a licensed marriage and family therapist, a licensed professional clinical counselor, a licensed psychologist, a licensed clinical social worker, a licensed physician and surgeon, or a professional corporation of any of those licensed professions.

(2)Experience may be gained by the trainee solely as part of the position for which the trainee volunteers or is employed.

(f)(1)An intern may be credited with supervised experience completed in any setting that meets both of the following:

(A)Lawfully and regularly provides mental health counseling or psychotherapy.

(B)Provides oversight to ensure that the interns work at the setting meets the experience and supervision requirements set forth in this chapter and is within the scope of practice for the profession as defined in Section 4980.02.

(2)An applicant shall not be employed or volunteer in a private practice, as defined in subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (e) until registered as an intern.

(3)While an intern may be either a paid employee or a volunteer, employers are encouraged to provide fair remuneration to interns.

(4)Except for periods of time during a supervisors vacation or sick leave, an intern who is employed or volunteering in private practice shall be under the direct supervision of a licensee that has satisfied the requirements of subdivision (g) of Section 4980.03. The supervising licensee shall either be employed by and practice at the same site as the interns employer, or shall be an owner or shareholder of the private practice. Alternative supervision may be arranged during a supervisors vacation or sick leave if the supervision meets the requirements of this section.

(5)Experience may be gained by the intern solely as part of the position for which the intern volunteers or is employed.

(g)Except as provided in subdivision (h), all persons shall register with the board as an intern in order to be credited for postdegree hours of supervised experience gained toward licensure.

(h)Except when employed in a private practice setting, all postdegree hours of experience shall be credited toward licensure so long as the applicant applies for the intern registration within 90 days of the granting of the qualifying masters or doctoral degree and is thereafter granted the intern registration by the board.

(i)Trainees, interns, and applicants shall not receive any remuneration from patients or clients, and shall only be paid by their employers.

(j)Trainees, interns, and applicants shall only perform services at the place where their employers regularly conduct business, which may include performing services at other locations, so long as the services are performed under the direction and control of their employer and supervisor, and in compliance with the laws and regulations pertaining to supervision. For purposes of paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 2290.5, interns and trainees working under licensed supervision, consistent with subdivision (b), may provide services via telehealth within the scope authorized by this chapter and in accordance with any regulations governing the use of telehealth promulgated by the board. Trainees and interns shall have no proprietary interest in their employers businesses and shall not lease or rent space, pay for furnishings, equipment, or supplies, or in any other way pay for the obligations of their employers.

(k)Trainees, interns, or applicants who provide volunteered services or other services, and who receive no more than a total, from all work settings, of five hundred dollars ($500) per month as reimbursement for expenses actually incurred by those trainees, interns, or applicants for services rendered in any lawful work setting other than a private practice shall be considered employees and not independent contractors. The board may audit applicants who receive reimbursement for expenses, and the applicants shall have the burden of demonstrating that the payments received were for reimbursement of expenses actually incurred.

(l)Each educational institution preparing applicants for licensure pursuant to this chapter shall consider requiring, and shall encourage, its students to undergo individual, marital or conjoint, family, or group counseling or psychotherapy, as appropriate. Each supervisor shall consider, advise, and encourage his or her interns and trainees regarding the advisability of undertaking individual, marital or conjoint, family, or group counseling or psychotherapy, as appropriate. Insofar as it is deemed appropriate and is desired by the applicant, the educational institution and supervisors are encouraged to assist the applicant in locating that counseling or psychotherapy at a reasonable cost.

An unlicensed marriage and family therapist intern employed under this chapter shall comply with the following requirements:

(a)Possess, at a minimum, a masters degree as specified in Section 4980.36 or 4980.37, as applicable.

(b)Register with the board prior to performing any duties, except as otherwise provided in subdivision (h) of Section 4980.43.

(c)Prior to performing any professional services, inform each client or patient that he or she is an unlicensed marriage and family therapist registered intern, provide his or her registration number and the name of his or her employer, and indicate whether he or she is under the supervision of a licensed marriage and family therapist, licensed clinical social worker, licensed professional clinical counselor, licensed psychologist, or a licensed physician and surgeon certified in psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

(d)(1)Any advertisement by or on behalf of a marriage and family therapist registered intern shall include, at a minimum, all of the following information:

(A)That he or she is a marriage and family therapist registered intern.

(B)The interns registration number.

(C)The name of his or her employer.

(D)That he or she is supervised by a licensed person.

(2)The abbreviation MFTI shall not be used in an advertisement unless the title marriage and family therapist registered intern appears in the advertisement.

(a)To qualify for licensure as specified in Section 4996.2, each applicant shall complete 3,200 hours of post-masters degree supervised experience related to the practice of clinical social work. The experience shall comply with the following:

(1)At least 1,700 hours shall be gained under the supervision of a licensed clinical social worker. The remaining required supervised experience may be gained under the supervision of a licensed mental health professional acceptable to the board as defined by a regulation adopted by the board.

(2)A minimum of 2,000 hours in clinical psychosocial diagnosis, assessment, and treatment, including psychotherapy or counseling.

(3)A maximum of 1,200 hours in client centered advocacy, consultation, evaluation, research, direct supervisor contact, and workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences directly related to clinical social work that have been approved by the applicants supervisor.

(4)Of the 2,000 clinical hours required in paragraph (2), no less than 750 hours shall be face-to-face individual or group psychotherapy provided to clients in the context of clinical social work services.

(5)A minimum of two years of supervised experience is required to be obtained over a period of not less than 104 weeks and shall have been gained within the six years immediately preceding the date on which the application for licensure was filed.

(6)Experience shall not be credited for more than 40 hours in any week.

(b)An individual who submits an application for examination eligibility between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2020, may alternatively qualify under the experience requirements that were in place on January 1, 2015.

(c)Supervision means responsibility for, and control of, the quality of clinical social work services being provided. Consultation or peer discussion shall not be considered to be supervision.

(d)(1)Prior to the commencement of supervision, a supervisor shall comply with all requirements enumerated in Section 1870 of Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations and shall sign under penalty of perjury the Responsibility Statement for Supervisors of an Associate Clinical Social Worker form.

(2)Supervised experience shall include at least one hour of direct supervisor contact for a minimum of 104 weeks. For purposes of this subdivision, one hour of direct supervisor contact means one hour per week of face-to-face contact on an individual basis or two hours of face-to-face contact in a group conducted within the same week as the hours claimed.

(3)An associate shall receive at least one additional hour of direct supervisor contact for every week in which more than 10 hours of face-to-face psychotherapy is performed in each setting in which experience is gained. No more than six hours of supervision, whether individual or group, shall be credited during any single week.

(4)Supervision shall include at least one hour of direct supervisor contact during each week for which experience is gained in each work setting. Supervision is not required for experience gained attending workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences as described in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a).

(5)The six hours of supervision that may be credited during any single week pursuant to paragraph (3) shall apply only to supervision hours gained on or after January 1, 2010.

(6)Group supervision shall be provided in a group of not more than eight supervisees and shall be provided in segments lasting no less than one continuous hour.

(7)Of the 104 weeks of required supervision, 52 weeks shall be individual supervision, and of the 52 weeks of required individual supervision, not less than 13 weeks shall be supervised by a licensed clinical social worker.

(8)Notwithstanding paragraph (2), an associate clinical social worker working for a governmental entity, school, college, or university, or an institution that is both a nonprofit and charitable institution, may obtain the required weekly direct supervisor contact via live two-way videoconferencing. The supervisor shall be responsible for ensuring that client confidentiality is preserved.

(e)The supervisor and the associate shall develop a supervisory plan that describes the goals and objectives of supervision. These goals shall include the ongoing assessment of strengths and limitations and the assurance of practice in accordance with the laws and regulations. The associate shall submit to the board the initial original supervisory plan upon application for licensure.

(f)Experience shall only be gained in a setting that meets both of the following:

(1)Lawfully and regularly provides clinical social work, mental health counseling, or psychotherapy.

(2)Provides oversight to ensure that the associates work at the setting meets the experience and supervision requirements set forth in this chapter and is within the scope of practice for the profession as defined in Section 4996.9.

(g)Experience shall not be gained until the applicant has been registered as an associate clinical social worker.

(h)Employment in a private practice as defined in subdivision (i) shall not commence until the applicant has been registered as an associate clinical social worker.

(i)A private practice setting is a setting that is owned by a licensed clinical social worker, a licensed marriage and family therapist, a licensed psychologist, a licensed professional clinical counselor, a licensed physician and surgeon, or a professional corporation of any of those licensed professions.

(j)If volunteering, the associate shall provide the board with a letter from his or her employer verifying his or her voluntary status upon application for licensure.

(k)If employed, the associate shall provide the board with copies of his or her W-2 tax forms for each year of experience claimed upon application for licensure.

(l)While an associate may be either a paid employee or volunteer, employers are encouraged to provide fair remuneration to associates.

(m)An associate shall not do the following:

(1)Receive any remuneration from patients or clients and shall only be paid by his or her employer.

(2)Have any proprietary interest in the employers business.

(3)Lease or rent space, pay for furnishings, equipment, or supplies, or in any other way pay for the obligations of his or her employer.

(n)An associate, whether employed or volunteering, may obtain supervision from a person not employed by the associates employer if that person has signed a written agreement with the employer to take supervisory responsibility for the associates social work services.

(o)Notwithstanding any other provision of law, associates and applicants for examination shall receive a minimum of one hour of supervision per week for each setting in which he or she is working.

(a)To qualify for licensure as specified in Section 4999.50, applicants shall complete experience related to the practice of professional clinical counseling under an approved supervisor. The experience shall comply with the following:

(1)A minimum of 3,000 postdegree hours of supervised experience performed over a period of not less than two years (104 weeks).

(2)Not more than 40 hours in any seven consecutive days.

(3)Not less than 1,750 hours of direct counseling with individuals, groups, couples, or families in a setting described in Section 4999.44 using a variety of psychotherapeutic techniques and recognized counseling interventions within the scope of practice of licensed professional clinical counselors.

(4)Not less than 150 hours of clinical experience in a hospital or community mental health setting, as defined in Section 1820 of Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations.

(5)A maximum of 1,250 hours of nonclinical practice, consisting of direct supervisor contact, administering and evaluating psychological tests, writing clinical reports, writing progress or process notes, client centered advocacy, and workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences directly related to professional clinical counseling that have been approved by the applicants supervisor.

(b)An individual who submits an application for examination eligibility between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2020, may alternatively qualify under the experience requirements that were in place on January 1, 2015.

(c)No hours of clinical mental health experience may be gained more than six years prior to the date the application for examination eligibility was filed.

(d)An applicant shall register with the board as an intern in order to be credited for postdegree hours of experience toward licensure. Postdegree hours of experience shall be credited toward licensure, provided that the applicant applies for intern registration within 90 days of the granting of the qualifying degree and is registered as an intern by the board.

(e)All applicants and interns shall be at all times under the supervision of a supervisor who shall be responsible for ensuring that the extent, kind, and quality of counseling performed is consistent with the training and experience of the person being supervised, and who shall be responsible to the board for compliance with all laws, rules, and regulations governing the practice of professional clinical counseling.

(f)Experience obtained under the supervision of a spouse or relative by blood or marriage shall not be credited toward the required hours of supervised experience. Experience obtained under the supervision of a supervisor with whom the applicant has had or currently has a personal, professional, or business relationship that undermines the authority or effectiveness of the supervision shall not be credited toward the required hours of supervised experience.

(g)Except for experience gained by attending workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences as described in paragraph (5) of subdivision (a), supervision shall include at least one hour of direct supervisor contact in each week for which experience is credited in each work setting.

(1)No more than six hours of supervision, whether individual or group, shall be credited during any single week. This paragraph shall apply to supervision hours gained on or after January 1, 2009.

(2)An intern shall receive at least one additional hour of direct supervisor contact for every week in which more than 10 hours of face-to-face psychotherapy is performed in each setting in which experience is gained.

(3)For purposes of this section, one hour of direct supervisor contact means one hour of face-to-face contact on an individual basis or two hours of face-to-face contact in a group of not more than eight persons in segments lasting no less than one continuous hour.

(4)Notwithstanding paragraph (3), an intern working in a governmental entity, a school, a college, or a university, or an institution that is both nonprofit and charitable, may obtain the required weekly direct supervisor contact via two-way, real-time videoconferencing. The supervisor shall be responsible for ensuring that client confidentiality is upheld.

(h)This section shall become operative on January 1, 2016.

(a)Board, as used in this chapter, means the Board of Behavioral Sciences.

(b)Intern, as used in this chapter, means an unlicensed person who has earned his or her masters or doctoral degree qualifying him or her for licensure and is registered with the board.

(c)Trainee, as used in this chapter, means an unlicensed person who is currently enrolled in a masters or doctoral degree program, as specified in Sections 4980.36 and 4980.37, that is designed to qualify him or her for licensure under this chapter, and who has completed no less than 12 semester units or 18 quarter units of coursework in any qualifying degree program.

(d)Applicant, as used in this chapter, means an unlicensed person who has completed a masters or doctoral degree program, as specified in Sections 4980.36 and 4980.37, and whose application for registration as an intern is pending, or an unlicensed person who has completed the requirements for licensure as specified in this chapter, is no longer registered with the board as an intern, and is currently in the examination process.

(e)Advertise, as used in this chapter, includes, but is not limited to, any public communication, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 651, the issuance of any card, sign, or device to any person, or the causing, permitting, or allowing of any sign or marking on, or in, any building or structure, or in any newspaper or magazine or in any directory, or any printed matter whatsoever, with or without any limiting qualification. Signs within religious buildings or notices in church bulletins mailed to a congregation shall not be construed as advertising within the meaning of this chapter.

(f)Experience, as used in this chapter, means experience in interpersonal relationships, psychotherapy, marriage and family therapy, direct counseling, and nonclinical practice that satisfies the requirements for licensure as a marriage and family therapist pursuant to Section 4980.40.

(g)Supervisor, as used in this chapter, means an individual who meets all of the following requirements:

(1)Has been licensed by a state regulatory agency for at least two years as a marriage and family therapist, licensed clinical social worker, licensed professional clinical counselor, licensed psychologist, or licensed physician certified in psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

(2)If a licensed professional clinical counselor, the individual shall meet the additional training and education requirements specified in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 4999.20.

(3)Has not provided therapeutic services to the trainee or intern.

(4)Has a current and valid license that is not under suspension or probation.

(5)Complies with supervision requirements established by this chapter and by board regulations.

(h)Client centered advocacy, as used in this chapter, includes, but is not limited to, researching, identifying, and accessing resources, or other activities, related to obtaining or providing services and supports for clients or groups of clients receiving psychotherapy or counseling services.

(a)Trainees performing services in any work setting specified in subdivision (e) of Section 4980.43 may perform those activities and services as a trainee, provided that the activities and services constitute part of the trainees supervised course of study and that the person is designated by the title trainee.

(b)Trainees subject to Section 4980.37 may gain hours of experience and counsel clients outside of the required practicum. This subdivision shall apply to hours of experience gained and client counseling provided on and after January 1, 2012.

(c)Trainees subject to Section 4980.36 may gain hours of experience outside of the required practicum but must be enrolled in a practicum course to counsel clients. Trainees subject to Section 4980.36 may counsel clients while not enrolled in a practicum course if the period of lapsed enrollment is less than 90 calendar days, and if that period is immediately preceded by enrollment in a practicum course and immediately followed by enrollment in a practicum course or completion of the degree program.

(d)All hours of experience gained pursuant to subdivisions (b) and (c) shall be subject to the other requirements of this chapter.

(e)All hours of experience gained as a trainee shall be coordinated between the school and the site where the hours are being accrued. The school shall approve each site and shall have a written agreement with each site that details each partys responsibilities, including the methods by which supervision shall be provided. The agreement shall provide for regular progress reports and evaluations of the students performance at the site. If an applicant has gained hours of experience while enrolled in an institution other than the one that confers the qualifying degree, it shall be the applicants responsibility to provide to the board satisfactory evidence that those hours of trainee experience were gained in compliance with this section.

(a)To qualify for licensure as specified in Section 4980.40, each applicant shall complete experience related to the practice of marriage and family therapy under a supervisor who meets the qualifications set forth in Section 4980.03. The experience shall comply with the following:

(1)A minimum of 3,000 hours of supervised experience completed during a period of at least 104 weeks.

(2)A maximum of 40 hours in any seven consecutive days.

(3)A minimum of 1,700 hours obtained after the qualifying masters or doctoral degree was awarded.

(4)A maximum of 1,300 hours obtained prior to the award date of the qualifying masters or doctoral degree.

(5)A maximum of 750 hours of counseling and direct supervisor contact prior to the award date of the qualifying masters or doctoral degree.

(6)No hours of experience may be gained prior to completing either 12 semester units or 18 quarter units of graduate instruction.

(7)No hours of experience may be gained more than six years prior to the date the application for examination eligibility was filed, except that up to 500 hours of clinical experience gained in the supervised practicum required by subdivision (c) of Section 4980.37 and subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of Section 4980.36 shall be exempt from this six-year requirement.

(8)A minimum of 1,750 hours of direct counseling with individuals, groups, couples, or families, that includes not less than 500 total hours of experience in diagnosing and treating couples, families, and children.

(9)A maximum of 1,250 hours of nonclinical practice, consisting of direct supervisor contact, administering and evaluating psychological tests, writing clinical reports, writing progress or process notes, client centered advocacy, and workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences directly related to marriage and family therapy that have been approved by the applicants supervisor.

(10)It is anticipated and encouraged that hours of experience will include working with elders and dependent adults who have physical or mental limitations that restrict their ability to carry out normal activities or protect their rights.

This subdivision shall only apply to hours gained on and after January 1, 2010.

(b)An individual who submits an application for examination eligibility between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2020, may alternatively qualify under the experience requirements that were in place on January 1, 2015.

(c)All applicants, trainees, and registrants shall be at all times under the supervision of a supervisor who shall be responsible for ensuring that the extent, kind, and quality of counseling performed is consistent with the training and experience of the person being supervised, and who shall be responsible to the board for compliance with all laws, rules, and regulations governing the practice of marriage and family therapy. Supervised experience shall be gained by an intern or trainee only as an employee or as a volunteer. The requirements of this chapter regarding gaining hours of experience and supervision are applicable equally to employees and volunteers. Experience shall not be gained by an intern or trainee as an independent contractor.

(1)If employed, an intern shall provide the board with copies of the corresponding W-2 tax forms for each year of experience claimed upon application for licensure.

(2)If volunteering, an intern shall provide the board with a letter from his or her employer verifying the interns employment as a volunteer upon application for licensure.

(d)Except for experience gained by attending workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences as described in paragraph (9) of subdivision (a), supervision shall include at least one hour of direct supervisor contact in each week for which experience is credited in each work setting, as specified:

(1)A trainee shall receive an average of at least one hour of direct supervisor contact for every five hours of client contact in each setting. No more than six hours of supervision, whether individual or group, shall be credited during any single week.

(2)An individual supervised after being granted a qualifying degree shall receive at least one additional hour of direct supervisor contact for every week in which more than 10 hours of client contact is gained in each setting. No more than six hours of supervision, whether individual or group, shall be credited during any single week.

(3)For purposes of this section, one hour of direct supervisor contact means one hour per week of face-to-face contact on an individual basis or two hours per week of face-to-face contact in a group.

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

(5)Direct supervisor contact provided in a group shall be provided in a group of not more than eight supervisees and in segments lasting no less than one continuous hour.

(6)Notwithstanding paragraph (3), an intern working in a governmental entity, a school, a college, or a university, or an institution that is both nonprofit and charitable may obtain the required weekly direct supervisor contact via two-way, real-time videoconferencing. The supervisor shall be responsible for ensuring that client confidentiality is upheld.

(7)All experience gained by a trainee shall be monitored by the supervisor as specified by regulation.

(8)The six hours of supervision that may be credited during any single week pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2) shall apply to supervision hours gained on or after January 1, 2009.

(e)(1)A trainee may be credited with supervised experience completed in any setting that meets all of the following:

(A)Lawfully and regularly provides mental health counseling or psychotherapy.

(B)Provides oversight to ensure that the trainees work at the setting meets the experience and supervision requirements set forth in this chapter and is within the scope of practice for the profession as defined in Section 4980.02.

(C)Is not a private practice owned by a licensed marriage and family therapist, a licensed professional clinical counselor, a licensed psychologist, a licensed clinical social worker, a licensed physician and surgeon, or a professional corporation of any of those licensed professions.

(2)Experience may be gained by the trainee solely as part of the position for which the trainee volunteers or is employed.

(f)(1)An intern may be credited with supervised experience completed in any setting that meets both of the following:

(A)Lawfully and regularly provides mental health counseling or psychotherapy.

(B)Provides oversight to ensure that the interns work at the setting meets the experience and supervision requirements set forth in this chapter and is within the scope of practice for the profession as defined in Section 4980.02.

(2)An applicant shall not be employed or volunteer in a private practice, as defined in subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (e), until registered as an intern.

(3)While an intern may be either a paid employee or a volunteer, employers are encouraged to provide fair remuneration to interns.

(4)Except for periods of time during a supervisors vacation or sick leave, an intern who is employed or volunteering in private practice shall be under the direct supervision of a licensee that has satisfied the requirements of subdivision (g) of Section 4980.03. The supervising licensee shall either be employed by and practice at the same site as the interns employer, or shall be an owner or shareholder of the private practice. Alternative supervision may be arranged during a supervisors vacation or sick leave if the supervision meets the requirements of this section.

(5)Experience may be gained by the intern solely as part of the position for which the intern volunteers or is employed.

(g)Except as provided in subdivision (h), all persons shall register with the board as an intern in order to be credited for postdegree hours of supervised experience gained toward licensure.

(h)Except when employed in a private practice setting, all postdegree hours of experience shall be credited toward licensure so long as the applicant applies for the intern registration within 90 days of the granting of the qualifying masters or doctoral degree and is thereafter granted the intern registration by the board.

(i)Trainees, interns, and applicants shall not receive any remuneration from patients or clients, and shall only be paid by their employers.

(j)Trainees, interns, and applicants shall only perform services at the place where their employers regularly conduct business, which may include performing services at other locations, so long as the services are performed under the direction and control of their employer and supervisor, and in compliance with the laws and regulations pertaining to supervision. Trainees and interns shall have no proprietary interest in their employers businesses and shall not lease or rent space, pay for furnishings, equipment, or supplies, or in any other way pay for the obligations of their employers.

(k)Trainees, interns, or applicants who provide volunteered services or other services, and who receive no more than a total, from all work settings, of five hundred dollars ($500) per month as reimbursement for expenses actually incurred by those trainees, interns, or applicants for services rendered in any lawful work setting other than a private practice shall be considered employees and not independent contractors. The board may audit applicants who receive reimbursement for expenses, and the applicants shall have the burden of demonstrating that the payments received were for reimbursement of expenses actually incurred.

(l)Each educational institution preparing applicants for licensure pursuant to this chapter shall consider requiring, and shall encourage, its students to undergo individual, marital or conjoint, family, or group counseling or psychotherapy, as appropriate. Each supervisor shall consider, advise, and encourage his or her interns and trainees regarding the advisability of undertaking individual, marital or conjoint, family, or group counseling or psychotherapy, as appropriate. Insofar as it is deemed appropriate and is desired by the applicant, the educational institution and supervisors are encouraged to assist the applicant in locating that counseling or psychotherapy at a reasonable cost.

(a)To qualify for licensure as specified in Section 4980.40, each applicant shall complete experience related to the practice of marriage and family therapy under a supervisor who meets the qualifications set forth in Section 4980.03. The experience shall comply with the following:

(1)A minimum of 3,000 hours of supervised experience completed during a period of at least 104 weeks.

(2)A maximum of 40 hours in any seven consecutive days.

(3)A minimum of 1,700 hours obtained after the qualifying masters or doctoral degree was awarded.

(4)A maximum of 1,300 hours obtained prior to the award date of the qualifying masters or doctoral degree.

(5)A maximum of 750 hours of counseling and direct supervisor contact prior to the award date of the qualifying masters or doctoral degree.

(6)No hours of experience may be gained prior to completing either 12 semester units or 18 quarter units of graduate instruction.

(7)No hours of experience may be gained more than six years prior to the date the application for examination eligibility was filed, except that up to 500 hours of clinical experience gained in the supervised practicum required by subdivision (c) of Section 4980.37 and subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of Section 4980.36 shall be exempt from this six-year requirement.

(8)A minimum of 1,750 hours of direct counseling with individuals, groups, couples, or families, that includes not less than 500 total hours of experience in diagnosing and treating couples, families, and children.

(9)A maximum of 1,250 hours of nonclinical practice, consisting of direct supervisor contact, administering and evaluating psychological tests, writing clinical reports, writing progress or process notes, client centered advocacy, and workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences directly related to marriage and family therapy that have been approved by the applicants supervisor.

(10)It is anticipated and encouraged that hours of experience will include working with elders and dependent adults who have physical or mental limitations that restrict their ability to carry out normal activities or protect their rights.

This subdivision shall only apply to hours gained on and after January 1, 2010.

(b)An individual who submits an application for examination eligibility between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2020, may alternatively qualify under the experience requirements that were in place on January 1, 2015.

(c)All applicants, trainees, and registrants shall be at all times under the supervision of a supervisor who shall be responsible for ensuring that the extent, kind, and quality of counseling performed is consistent with the training and experience of the person being supervised, and who shall be responsible to the board for compliance with all laws, rules, and regulations governing the practice of marriage and family therapy. Supervised experience shall be gained by an intern or trainee only as an employee or as a volunteer. The requirements of this chapter regarding gaining hours of experience and supervision are applicable equally to employees and volunteers. Experience shall not be gained by an intern or trainee as an independent contractor.

(1)If employed, an intern shall provide the board with copies of the corresponding W-2 tax forms for each year of experience claimed upon application for licensure.

(2)If volunteering, an intern shall provide the board with a letter from his or her employer verifying the interns employment as a volunteer upon application for licensure.

(d)Except for experience gained by attending workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences as described in paragraph (9) of subdivision (a), supervision shall include at least one hour of direct supervisor contact in each week for which experience is credited in each work setting, as specified:

(1)A trainee shall receive an average of at least one hour of direct supervisor contact for every five hours of client contact in each setting. No more than six hours of supervision, whether individual or group, shall be credited during any single week.

(2)An individual supervised after being granted a qualifying degree shall receive at least one additional hour of direct supervisor contact for every week in which more than 10 hours of client contact is gained in each setting. No more than six hours of supervision, whether individual or group, shall be credited during any single week.

(3)For purposes of this section, one hour of direct supervisor contact means one hour per week of face-to-face contact on an individual basis or two hours per week of face-to-face contact in a group.

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

(5)Direct supervisor contact provided in a group shall be provided in a group of not more than eight supervisees and in segments lasting no less than one continuous hour.

(6)Notwithstanding paragraph (3), an intern working in a governmental entity, a school, a college, or a university, or an institution that is both nonprofit and charitable may obtain the required weekly direct supervisor contact via two-way, real-time videoconferencing. The supervisor shall be responsible for ensuring that client confidentiality is upheld.

(7)All experience gained by a trainee shall be monitored by the supervisor as specified by regulation.

(8)The six hours of supervision that may be credited during any single week pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2) shall apply to supervision hours gained on or after January 1, 2009.

(e)(1)A trainee may be credited with supervised experience completed in any setting that meets all of the following:

(A)Lawfully and regularly provides mental health counseling or psychotherapy.

(B)Provides oversight to ensure that the trainees work at the setting meets the experience and supervision requirements set forth in this chapter and is within the scope of practice for the profession as defined in Section 4980.02.

(C)Is not a private practice owned by a licensed marriage and family therapist, a licensed professional clinical counselor, a licensed psychologist, a licensed clinical social worker, a licensed physician and surgeon, or a professional corporation of any of those licensed professions.

(2)Experience may be gained by the trainee solely as part of the position for which the trainee volunteers or is employed.

(f)(1)An intern may be credited with supervised experience completed in any setting that meets both of the following:

(A)Lawfully and regularly provides mental health counseling or psychotherapy.

(B)Provides oversight to ensure that the interns work at the setting meets the experience and supervision requirements set forth in this chapter and is within the scope of practice for the profession as defined in Section 4980.02.

(2)An applicant shall not be employed or volunteer in a private practice, as defined in subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (e) until registered as an intern.

(3)While an intern may be either a paid employee or a volunteer, employers are encouraged to provide fair remuneration to interns.

(4)Except for periods of time during a supervisors vacation or sick leave, an intern who is employed or volunteering in private practice shall be under the direct supervision of a licensee that has satisfied the requirements of subdivision (g) of Section 4980.03. The supervising licensee shall either be employed by and practice at the same site as the interns employer, or shall be an owner or shareholder of the private practice. Alternative supervision may be arranged during a supervisors vacation or sick leave if the supervision meets the requirements of this section.

(5)Experience may be gained by the intern solely as part of the position for which the intern volunteers or is employed.

(g)Except as provided in subdivision (h), all persons shall register with the board as an intern in order to be credited for postdegree hours of supervised experience gained toward licensure.

(h)Except when employed in a private practice setting, all postdegree hours of experience shall be credited toward licensure so long as the applicant applies for the intern registration within 90 days of the granting of the qualifying masters or doctoral degree and is thereafter granted the intern registration by the board.

(i)Trainees, interns, and applicants shall not receive any remuneration from patients or clients, and shall only be paid by their employers.

(j)Trainees, interns, and applicants shall only perform services at the place where their employers regularly conduct business, which may include performing services at other locations, so long as the services are performed under the direction and control of their employer and supervisor, and in compliance with the laws and regulations pertaining to supervision. For purposes of paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 2290.5, interns and trainees working under licensed supervision, consistent with subdivision (b), may provide services via telehealth within the scope authorized by this chapter and in accordance with any regulations governing the use of telehealth promulgated by the board. Trainees and interns shall have no proprietary interest in their employers businesses and shall not lease or rent space, pay for furnishings, equipment, or supplies, or in any other way pay for the obligations of their employers.

(k)Trainees, interns, or applicants who provide volunteered services or other services, and who receive no more than a total, from all work settings, of five hundred dollars ($500) per month as reimbursement for expenses actually incurred by those trainees, interns, or applicants for services rendered in any lawful work setting other than a private practice shall be considered employees and not independent contractors. The board may audit applicants who receive reimbursement for expenses, and the applicants shall have the burden of demonstrating that the payments received were for reimbursement of expenses actually incurred.

(l)Each educational institution preparing applicants for licensure pursuant to this chapter shall consider requiring, and shall encourage, its students to undergo individual, marital or conjoint, family, or group counseling or psychotherapy, as appropriate. Each supervisor shall consider, advise, and encourage his or her interns and trainees regarding the advisability of undertaking individual, marital or conjoint, family, or group counseling or psychotherapy, as appropriate. Insofar as it is deemed appropriate and is desired by the applicant, the educational institution and supervisors are encouraged to assist the applicant in locating that counseling or psychotherapy at a reasonable cost.

An unlicensed marriage and family therapist intern employed under this chapter shall comply with the following requirements:

(a)Possess, at a minimum, a masters degree as specified in Section 4980.36 or 4980.37, as applicable.

(b)Register with the board prior to performing any duties, except as otherwise provided in subdivision (h) of Section 4980.43.

(c)Prior to performing any professional services, inform each client or patient that he or she is an unlicensed marriage and family therapist registered intern, provide his or her registration number and the name of his or her employer, and indicate whether he or she is under the supervision of a licensed marriage and family therapist, licensed clinical social worker, licensed professional clinical counselor, licensed psychologist, or a licensed physician and surgeon certified in psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

(d)(1)Any advertisement by or on behalf of a marriage and family therapist registered intern shall include, at a minimum, all of the following information:

(A)That he or she is a marriage and family therapist registered intern.

(B)The interns registration number.

(C)The name of his or her employer.

(D)That he or she is supervised by a licensed person.

(2)The abbreviation MFTI shall not be used in an advertisement unless the title marriage and family therapist registered intern appears in the advertisement.

(a)To qualify for licensure as specified in Section 4996.2, each applicant shall complete 3,200 hours of post-masters degree supervised experience related to the practice of clinical social work. The experience shall comply with the following:

(1)At least 1,700 hours shall be gained under the supervision of a licensed clinical social worker. The remaining required supervised experience may be gained under the supervision of a licensed mental health professional acceptable to the board as defined by a regulation adopted by the board.

(2)A minimum of 2,000 hours in clinical psychosocial diagnosis, assessment, and treatment, including psychotherapy or counseling.

(3)A maximum of 1,200 hours in client centered advocacy, consultation, evaluation, research, direct supervisor contact, and workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences directly related to clinical social work that have been approved by the applicants supervisor.

(4)Of the 2,000 clinical hours required in paragraph (2), no less than 750 hours shall be face-to-face individual or group psychotherapy provided to clients in the context of clinical social work services.

(5)A minimum of two years of supervised experience is required to be obtained over a period of not less than 104 weeks and shall have been gained within the six years immediately preceding the date on which the application for licensure was filed.

(6)Experience shall not be credited for more than 40 hours in any week.

(b)An individual who submits an application for examination eligibility between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2020, may alternatively qualify under the experience requirements that were in place on January 1, 2015.

(c)Supervision means responsibility for, and control of, the quality of clinical social work services being provided. Consultation or peer discussion shall not be considered to be supervision.

(d)(1)Prior to the commencement of supervision, a supervisor shall comply with all requirements enumerated in Section 1870 of Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations and shall sign under penalty of perjury the Responsibility Statement for Supervisors of an Associate Clinical Social Worker form.

(2)Supervised experience shall include at least one hour of direct supervisor contact for a minimum of 104 weeks. For purposes of this subdivision, one hour of direct supervisor contact means one hour per week of face-to-face contact on an individual basis or two hours of face-to-face contact in a group conducted within the same week as the hours claimed.

(3)An associate shall receive at least one additional hour of direct supervisor contact for every week in which more than 10 hours of face-to-face psychotherapy is performed in each setting in which experience is gained. No more than six hours of supervision, whether individual or group, shall be credited during any single week.

(4)Supervision shall include at least one hour of direct supervisor contact during each week for which experience is gained in each work setting. Supervision is not required for experience gained attending workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences as described in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a).

(5)The six hours of supervision that may be credited during any single week pursuant to paragraph (3) shall apply only to supervision hours gained on or after January 1, 2010.

(6)Group supervision shall be provided in a group of not more than eight supervisees and shall be provided in segments lasting no less than one continuous hour.

(7)Of the 104 weeks of required supervision, 52 weeks shall be individual supervision, and of the 52 weeks of required individual supervision, not less than 13 weeks shall be supervised by a licensed clinical social worker.

(8)Notwithstanding paragraph (2), an associate clinical social worker working for a governmental entity, school, college, or university, or an institution that is both a nonprofit and charitable institution, may obtain the required weekly direct supervisor contact via live two-way videoconferencing. The supervisor shall be responsible for ensuring that client confidentiality is preserved.

(e)The supervisor and the associate shall develop a supervisory plan that describes the goals and objectives of supervision. These goals shall include the ongoing assessment of strengths and limitations and the assurance of practice in accordance with the laws and regulations. The associate shall submit to the board the initial original supervisory plan upon application for licensure.

(f)Experience shall only be gained in a setting that meets both of the following:

(1)Lawfully and regularly provides clinical social work, mental health counseling, or psychotherapy.

(2)Provides oversight to ensure that the associates work at the setting meets the experience and supervision requirements set forth in this chapter and is within the scope of practice for the profession as defined in Section 4996.9.

(g)Experience shall not be gained until the applicant has been registered as an associate clinical social worker.

(h)Employment in a private practice as defined in subdivision (i) shall not commence until the applicant has been registered as an associate clinical social worker.

(i)A private practice setting is a setting that is owned by a licensed clinical social worker, a licensed marriage and family therapist, a licensed psychologist, a licensed professional clinical counselor, a licensed physician and surgeon, or a professional corporation of any of those licensed professions.

(j)If volunteering, the associate shall provide the board with a letter from his or her employer verifying his or her voluntary status upon application for licensure.

(k)If employed, the associate shall provide the board with copies of his or her W-2 tax forms for each year of experience claimed upon application for licensure.

(l)While an associate may be either a paid employee or volunteer, employers are encouraged to provide fair remuneration to associates.

(m)An associate shall not do the following:

(1)Receive any remuneration from patients or clients and shall only be paid by his or her employer.

(2)Have any proprietary interest in the employers business.

(3)Lease or rent space, pay for furnishings, equipment, or supplies, or in any other way pay for the obligations of his or her employer.

(n)An associate, whether employed or volunteering, may obtain supervision from a person not employed by the associates employer if that person has signed a written agreement with the employer to take supervisory responsibility for the associates social work services.

(o)Notwithstanding any other provision of law, associates and applicants for examination shall receive a minimum of one hour of supervision per week for each setting in which he or she is working.

(a)To qualify for licensure as specified in Section 4999.50, applicants shall complete experience related to the practice of professional clinical counseling under an approved supervisor. The experience shall comply with the following:

(1)A minimum of 3,000 postdegree hours of supervised experience performed over a period of not less than two years (104 weeks).

(2)Not more than 40 hours in any seven consecutive days.

(3)Not less than 1,750 hours of direct counseling with individuals, groups, couples, or families in a setting described in Section 4999.44 using a variety of psychotherapeutic techniques and recognized counseling interventions within the scope of practice of licensed professional clinical counselors.

(4)Not less than 150 hours of clinical experience in a hospital or community mental health setting, as defined in Section 1820 of Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations.

(5)A maximum of 1,250 hours of nonclinical practice, consisting of direct supervisor contact, administering and evaluating psychological tests, writing clinical reports, writing progress or process notes, client centered advocacy, and workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences directly related to professional clinical counseling that have been approved by the applicants supervisor.

(b)An individual who submits an application for examination eligibility between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2020, may alternatively qualify under the experience requirements that were in place on January 1, 2015.

(c)No hours of clinical mental health experience may be gained more than six years prior to the date the application for examination eligibility was filed.

(d)An applicant shall register with the board as an intern in order to be credited for postdegree hours of experience toward licensure. Postdegree hours of experience shall be credited toward licensure, provided that the applicant applies for intern registration within 90 days of the granting of the qualifying degree and is registered as an intern by the board.

(e)All applicants and interns shall be at all times under the supervision of a supervisor who shall be responsible for ensuring that the extent, kind, and quality of counseling performed is consistent with the training and experience of the person being supervised, and who shall be responsible to the board for compliance with all laws, rules, and regulations governing the practice of professional clinical counseling.

(f)Experience obtained under the supervision of a spouse or relative by blood or marriage shall not be credited toward the required hours of supervised experience. Experience obtained under the supervision of a supervisor with whom the applicant has had or currently has a personal, professional, or business relationship that undermines the authority or effectiveness of the supervision shall not be credited toward the required hours of supervised experience.

(g)Except for experience gained by attending workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences as described in paragraph (5) of subdivision (a), supervision shall include at least one hour of direct supervisor contact in each week for which experience is credited in each work setting.

(1)No more than six hours of supervision, whether individual or group, shall be credited during any single week. This paragraph shall apply to supervision hours gained on or after January 1, 2009.

(2)An intern shall receive at least one additional hour of direct supervisor contact for every week in which more than 10 hours of face-to-face psychotherapy is performed in each setting in which experience is gained.

(3)For purposes of this section, one hour of direct supervisor contact means one hour of face-to-face contact on an individual basis or two hours of face-to-face contact in a group of not more than eight persons in segments lasting no less than one continuous hour.

(4)Notwithstanding paragraph (3), an intern working in a governmental entity, a school, a college, or a university, or an institution that is both nonprofit and charitable, may obtain the required weekly direct supervisor contact via two-way, real-time videoconferencing. The supervisor shall be responsible for ensuring that client confidentiality is upheld.

(h)This section shall become operative on January 1, 2016.

(a)Board, as used in this chapter, means the Board of Behavioral Sciences.

(b)Intern, as used in this chapter, means an unlicensed person who has earned his or her masters or doctoral degree qualifying him or her for licensure and is registered with the board.

(c)Trainee, as used in this chapter, means an unlicensed person who is currently enrolled in a masters or doctoral degree program, as specified in Sections 4980.36 and 4980.37, that is designed to qualify him or her for licensure under this chapter, and who has completed no less than 12 semester units or 18 quarter units of coursework in any qualifying degree program.

(d)Applicant, as used in this chapter, means an unlicensed person who has completed a masters or doctoral degree program, as specified in Sections 4980.36 and 4980.37, and whose application for registration as an intern is pending, or an unlicensed person who has completed the requirements for licensure as specified in this chapter, is no longer registered with the board as an intern, and is currently in the examination process.

(e)Advertise, as used in this chapter, includes, but is not limited to, any public communication, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 651, the issuance of any card, sign, or device to any person, or the causing, permitting, or allowing of any sign or marking on, or in, any building or structure, or in any newspaper or magazine or in any directory, or any printed matter whatsoever, with or without any limiting qualification. Signs within religious buildings or notices in church bulletins mailed to a congregation shall not be construed as advertising within the meaning of this chapter.

(f)Experience, as used in this chapter, means experience in interpersonal relationships, psychotherapy, marriage and family therapy, direct counseling, and nonclinical practice that satisfies the requirements for licensure as a marriage and family therapist pursuant to Section 4980.40.

(g)Supervisor, as used in this chapter, means an individual who meets all of the following requirements:

(1)Has been licensed by a state regulatory agency for at least two years as a marriage and family therapist, licensed clinical social worker, licensed professional clinical counselor, licensed psychologist, or licensed physician certified in psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

(2)If a licensed professional clinical counselor, the individual shall meet the additional training and education requirements specified in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 4999.20.

(3)Has not provided therapeutic services to the trainee or intern.

(4)Has a current and valid license that is not under suspension or probation.

(5)Complies with supervision requirements established by this chapter and by board regulations.

(h)Client centered advocacy, as used in this chapter, includes, but is not limited to, researching, identifying, and accessing resources, or other activities, related to obtaining or providing services and supports for clients or groups of clients receiving psychotherapy or counseling services.

(a)Trainees performing services in any work setting specified in subdivision (e) of Section 4980.43 may perform those activities and services as a trainee, provided that the activities and services constitute part of the trainees supervised course of study and that the person is designated by the title trainee.

(b)Trainees subject to Section 4980.37 may gain hours of experience and counsel clients outside of the required practicum. This subdivision shall apply to hours of experience gained and client counseling provided on and after January 1, 2012.

(c)Trainees subject to Section 4980.36 may gain hours of experience outside of the required practicum but must be enrolled in a practicum course to counsel clients. Trainees subject to Section 4980.36 may counsel clients while not enrolled in a practicum course if the period of lapsed enrollment is less than 90 calendar days, and if that period is immediately preceded by enrollment in a practicum course and immediately followed by enrollment in a practicum course or completion of the degree program.

(d)All hours of experience gained pursuant to subdivisions (b) and (c) shall be subject to the other requirements of this chapter.

(e)All hours of experience gained as a trainee shall be coordinated between the school and the site where the hours are being accrued. The school shall approve each site and shall have a written agreement with each site that details each partys responsibilities, including the methods by which supervision shall be provided. The agreement shall provide for regular progress reports and evaluations of the students performance at the site. If an applicant has gained hours of experience while enrolled in an institution other than the one that confers the qualifying degree, it shall be the applicants responsibility to provide to the board satisfactory evidence that those hours of trainee experience were gained in compliance with this section.

(a)To qualify for licensure as specified in Section 4980.40, each applicant shall complete experience related to the practice of marriage and family therapy under a supervisor who meets the qualifications set forth in Section 4980.03. The experience shall comply with the following:

(1)A minimum of 3,000 hours of supervised experience completed during a period of at least 104 weeks.

(2)A maximum of 40 hours in any seven consecutive days.

(3)A minimum of 1,700 hours obtained after the qualifying masters or doctoral degree was awarded.

(4)A maximum of 1,300 hours obtained prior to the award date of the qualifying masters or doctoral degree.

(5)A maximum of 750 hours of counseling and direct supervisor contact prior to the award date of the qualifying masters or doctoral degree.

(6)No hours of experience may be gained prior to completing either 12 semester units or 18 quarter units of graduate instruction.

(7)No hours of experience may be gained more than six years prior to the date the application for examination eligibility was filed, except that up to 500 hours of clinical experience gained in the supervised practicum required by subdivision (c) of Section 4980.37 and subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of Section 4980.36 shall be exempt from this six-year requirement.

(8)A minimum of 1,750 hours of direct counseling with individuals, groups, couples, or families, that includes not less than 500 total hours of experience in diagnosing and treating couples, families, and children.

(9)A maximum of 1,250 hours of nonclinical practice, consisting of direct supervisor contact, administering and evaluating psychological tests, writing clinical reports, writing progress or process notes, client-centered advocacy, and workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences directly related to marriage and family therapy that have been approved by the applicants supervisor.

(10)It is anticipated and encouraged that hours of experience will include working with elders and dependent adults who have physical or mental limitations that restrict their ability to carry out normal activities or protect their rights.

This subdivision shall only apply to hours gained on and after January 1, 2010.

(b)An individual who submits an application for examination eligibility between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2020, may alternately alternatively qualify under the experience requirements that were in place on January 1, 2015.

(c)All applicants, trainees, and registrants shall be at all times under the supervision of a supervisor who shall be responsible for ensuring that the extent, kind, and quality of counseling performed is consistent with the training and experience of the person being supervised, and who shall be responsible to the board for compliance with all laws, rules, and regulations governing the practice of marriage and family therapy. Supervised experience shall be gained by an intern or trainee only as an employee or as a volunteer. The requirements of this chapter regarding gaining hours of experience and supervision are applicable equally to employees and volunteers. Experience shall not be gained by an intern or trainee as an independent contractor.

(1)If employed, an intern shall provide the board with copies of the corresponding W-2 tax forms for each year of experience claimed upon application for licensure.

(2)If volunteering, an intern shall provide the board with a letter from his or her employer verifying the interns employment as a volunteer upon application for licensure.

(d)Except for experience gained by attending workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences as described in paragraph (9) of subdivision (a), supervision shall include at least one hour of direct supervisor contact in each week for which experience is credited in each work setting, as specified:

(1)A trainee shall receive an average of at least one hour of direct supervisor contact for every five hours of client contact in each setting. No more than six hours of supervision, whether individual or group, shall be credited during any single week.

(2)An individual supervised after being granted a qualifying degree shall receive at least one additional hour of direct supervisor contact for every week in which more than 10 hours of client contact is gained in each setting. No more than six hours of supervision, whether individual or group, shall be credited during any single week.

(3)For purposes of this section, one hour of direct supervisor contact means one hour per week of face-to-face contact on an individual basis or two hours per week of face-to-face contact in a group.

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

(5)Direct supervisor contact provided in a group shall be provided in a group of not more than eight supervisees and in segments lasting no less than one continuous hour.

(6)Notwithstanding paragraph (3), an intern working in a governmental entity, a school, a college, or a university, or an institution that is both nonprofit and charitable may obtain the required weekly direct supervisor contact via two-way, real-time videoconferencing. The supervisor shall be responsible for ensuring that client confidentiality is upheld.

(7)All experience gained by a trainee shall be monitored by the supervisor as specified by regulation.

(8)The six hours of supervision that may be credited during any single week pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2) shall apply to supervision hours gained on or after January 1, 2009.

(e)(1)A trainee may be credited with supervised experience completed in any setting that meets all of the following:

(A)Lawfully and regularly provides mental health counseling or psychotherapy.

(B)Provides oversight to ensure that the trainees work at the setting meets the experience and supervision requirements set forth in this chapter and is within the scope of practice for the profession as defined in Section 4980.02.

(C)Is not a private practice owned by a licensed marriage and family therapist, a licensed professional clinical counselor, a licensed psychologist, a licensed clinical social worker, a licensed physician and surgeon, or a professional corporation of any of those licensed professions.

(2)Experience may be gained by the trainee solely as part of the position for which the trainee volunteers or is employed.

(f)(1)An intern may be credited with supervised experience completed in any setting that meets both of the following:

(A)Lawfully and regularly provides mental health counseling or psychotherapy.

(B)Provides oversight to ensure that the interns work at the setting meets the experience and supervision requirements set forth in this chapter and is within the scope of practice for the profession as defined in Section 4980.02.

(2)An applicant shall not be employed or volunteer in a private practice, as defined in subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (e), until registered as an intern.

(3)While an intern may be either a paid employee or a volunteer, employers are encouraged to provide fair remuneration to interns.

(4)Except for periods of time during a supervisors vacation or sick leave, an intern who is employed or volunteering in private practice shall be under the direct supervision of a licensee that has satisfied the requirements of subdivision (g) of Section 4980.03. The supervising licensee shall either be employed by and practice at the same site as the interns employer, or shall be an owner or shareholder of the private practice. Alternative supervision may be arranged during a supervisors vacation or sick leave if the supervision meets the requirements of this section.

(5)Experience may be gained by the intern solely as part of the position for which the intern volunteers or is employed.

(g)Except as provided in subdivision (h), all persons shall register with the board as an intern in order to be credited for postdegree hours of supervised experience gained toward licensure.

(h)Except when employed in a private practice setting, all postdegree hours of experience shall be credited toward licensure so long as the applicant applies for the intern registration within 90 days of the granting of the qualifying masters or doctoral degree and is thereafter granted the intern registration by the board.

(i)Trainees, interns, and applicants shall not receive any remuneration from patients or clients, and shall only be paid by their employers.

(j)Trainees, interns, and applicants shall only perform services at the place where their employers regularly conduct business, which may include performing services at other locations, so long as the services are performed under the direction and control of their employer and supervisor, and in compliance with the laws and regulations pertaining to supervision. Trainees and interns shall have no proprietary interest in their employers businesses and shall not lease or rent space, pay for furnishings, equipment, or supplies, or in any other way pay for the obligations of their employers.

(k)Trainees, interns, or applicants who provide volunteered services or other services, and who receive no more than a total, from all work settings, of five hundred dollars ($500) per month as reimbursement for expenses actually incurred by those trainees, interns, or applicants for services rendered in any lawful work setting other than a private practice shall be considered employees and not independent contractors. The board may audit applicants who receive reimbursement for expenses, and the applicants shall have the burden of demonstrating that the payments received were for reimbursement of expenses actually incurred.

(l)Each educational institution preparing applicants for licensure pursuant to this chapter shall consider requiring, and shall encourage, its students to undergo individual, marital or conjoint, family, or group counseling or psychotherapy, as appropriate. Each supervisor shall consider, advise, and encourage his or her interns and trainees regarding the advisability of undertaking individual, marital or conjoint, family, or group counseling or psychotherapy, as appropriate. Insofar as it is deemed appropriate and is desired by the applicant, the educational institution and supervisors are encouraged to assist the applicant in locating that counseling or psychotherapy at a reasonable cost.

(a)Prior to applying for licensure examinations, To qualify for licensure as specified in Section 4980.40, each applicant shall complete experience that related to the practice of marriage and family therapy under a supervisor who meets the qualifications set forth in Section 4980.03. The experience shall comply with the following:

(1)A minimum of 3,000 hours of supervised experience completed during a period of at least 104 weeks.

(2)Not more than A maximum of 40 hours in any seven consecutive days.

(3)Not less than 1,700 hours of supervised experience completed subsequent to the granting of the A minimum of 1,700 hours obtained after the qualifying masters or doctoral degree. degree was awarded.

(4)Not more than A maximum of 1,300 hours of supervised experience obtained prior to completing a the award date of the qualifying masters or doctoral degree.

(5)A maximum of 750 hours of counseling and direct supervisor contact prior to completing the award date of the qualifying masters or doctoral degree.

(6)No hours of experience may be gained prior to completing either 12 semester units or 18 quarter units of graduate instruction and becoming a trainee except for personal psychotherapy. instruction.

(7)No hours of experience may be gained more than six years prior to the date the application for examination eligibility was filed, except that up to 500 hours of clinical experience gained in the supervised practicum required by subdivision (c) of Section 4980.37 and subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of Section 4980.36 shall be exempt from this six-year requirement.

(10)It is anticipated and encouraged that hours of experience will include working with elders and dependent adults who have physical or mental limitations that restrict their ability to carry out normal activities or protect their rights.

This subdivision shall only apply to hours gained on and after January 1, 2010.

(c)All applicants, trainees, and registrants shall be at all times under the supervision of a supervisor who shall be responsible for ensuring that the extent, kind, and quality of counseling performed is consistent with the training and experience of the person being supervised, and who shall be responsible to the board for compliance with all laws, rules, and regulations governing the practice of marriage and family therapy. Supervised experience shall be gained by interns and trainees an intern or trainee only as an employee or as a volunteer. The requirements of this chapter regarding gaining hours of experience and supervision are applicable equally to employees and volunteers. Experience shall not be gained by interns or trainees an intern or trainee as an independent contractor.

(1)If employed, an intern shall provide the board with copies of the corresponding W-2 tax forms for each year of experience claimed upon application for licensure.

(2)If volunteering, an intern shall provide the board with a letter from his or her employer verifying the interns employment as a volunteer upon application for licensure.

(d)Except for experience gained pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (7) by attending workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences as described in paragraph (9) of subdivision (a), supervision shall include at least one hour of direct supervisor contact in each week for which experience is credited in each work setting, as specified:

(1)A trainee shall receive an average of at least one hour of direct supervisor contact for every five hours of client contact in each setting. No more than six hours of supervision, whether individual or group, shall be credited during any single week.

(2)An individual supervised after being granted a qualifying degree shall receive at least one additional hour of direct supervisor contact for every week in which more than 10 hours of client contact is gained in each setting. No more than six hours of supervision, whether individual or group, shall be credited during any single week.

(3)For purposes of this section, one hour of direct supervisor contact means one hour per week of face-to-face contact on an individual basis or two hours per week of face-to-face contact in a group.

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

(5)Direct supervisor contact provided in a group shall be provided in a group of not more than eight supervisees and in segments lasting no less than one continuous hour.

(6)Notwithstanding paragraph (3), an intern working in a governmental entity, a school, a college, or a university, or an institution that is both nonprofit and charitable may obtain the required weekly direct supervisor contact via two-way, real-time videoconferencing. The supervisor shall be responsible for ensuring that client confidentiality is upheld.

(7)All experience gained by a trainee shall be monitored by the supervisor as specified by regulation.

(8)The six hours of supervision that may be credited during any single week pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2) shall apply to supervision hours gained on or after January 1, 2009.

(e)(1)A trainee may be credited with supervised experience completed in any setting that meets all of the following:

(A)Lawfully and regularly provides mental health counseling or psychotherapy.

(B)Provides oversight to ensure that the trainees work at the setting meets the experience and supervision requirements set forth in this chapter and is within the scope of practice for the profession as defined in Section 4980.02.

(C)Is not a private practice owned by a licensed marriage and family therapist, a licensed professional clinical counselor, a licensed psychologist, a licensed clinical social worker, a licensed physician and surgeon, or a professional corporation of any of those licensed professions.

(2)Experience may be gained by the trainee solely as part of the position for which the trainee volunteers or is employed.

(f)(1)An intern may be credited with supervised experience completed in any setting that meets both of the following:

(A)Lawfully and regularly provides mental health counseling or psychotherapy.

(B)Provides oversight to ensure that the interns work at the setting meets the experience and supervision requirements set forth in this chapter and is within the scope of practice for the profession as defined in Section 4980.02.

(2)An applicant shall not be employed or volunteer in a private practice, as defined in subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (d), (e) until registered as an intern.

(3)While an intern may be either a paid employee or a volunteer, employers are encouraged to provide fair remuneration to interns.

(4)Except for periods of time during a supervisors vacation or sick leave, an intern who is employed or volunteering in private practice shall be under the direct supervision of a licensee that has satisfied the requirements of subdivision (g) of Section 4980.03. The supervising licensee shall either be employed by and practice at the same site as the interns employer, or shall be an owner or shareholder of the private practice. Alternative supervision may be arranged during a supervisors vacation or sick leave if the supervision meets the requirements of this section.

(5)Experience may be gained by the intern solely as part of the position for which the intern volunteers or is employed.

(g)Except as provided in subdivision (g), (h), all persons shall register with the board as an intern in order to be credited for postdegree hours of supervised experience gained toward licensure.

(h)Except when employed in a private practice setting, all postdegree hours of experience shall be credited toward licensure so long as the applicant applies for the intern registration within 90 days of the granting of the qualifying masters or doctoral degree and is thereafter granted the intern registration by the board.

(i)Trainees, interns, and applicants shall not receive any remuneration from patients or clients, and shall only be paid by their employers.

(j)Trainees, interns, and applicants shall only perform services at the place where their employers regularly conduct business, which may include performing services at other locations, so long as the services are performed under the direction and control of their employer and supervisor, and in compliance with the laws and regulations pertaining to supervision. For purposes of paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 2290.5, interns and trainees working under licensed supervision, consistent with subdivision (b), may provide services via telehealth within the scope authorized by this chapter and in accordance with any regulations governing the use of telehealth promulgated by the board. Trainees and interns shall have no proprietary interest in their employers businesses and shall not lease or rent space, pay for furnishings, equipment, or supplies, or in any other way pay for the obligations of their employers.

(k)Trainees, interns, or applicants who provide volunteered services or other services, and who receive no more than a total, from all work settings, of five hundred dollars ($500) per month as reimbursement for expenses actually incurred by those trainees, interns, or applicants for services rendered in any lawful work setting other than a private practice shall be considered an employee and not an independent contractor. employees and not independent contractors. The board may audit applicants who receive reimbursement for expenses, and the applicants shall have the burden of demonstrating that the payments received were for reimbursement of expenses actually incurred.

(l)Each educational institution preparing applicants for licensure pursuant to this chapter shall consider requiring, and shall encourage, its students to undergo individual, marital or conjoint, family, or group counseling or psychotherapy, as appropriate. Each supervisor shall consider, advise, and encourage his or her interns and trainees regarding the advisability of undertaking individual, marital or conjoint, family, or group counseling or psychotherapy, as appropriate. Insofar as it is deemed appropriate and is desired by the applicant, the educational institution and supervisors are encouraged to assist the applicant in locating that counseling or psychotherapy at a reasonable cost.

An unlicensed marriage and family therapist intern employed under this chapter shall comply with the following requirements:

(a)Possess, at a minimum, a masters degree as specified in Section 4980.36 or 4980.37, as applicable.

(b)Register with the board prior to performing any duties, except as otherwise provided in subdivision (h) of Section 4980.43.

(c)Prior to performing any professional services, inform each client or patient that he or she is an unlicensed marriage and family therapist registered intern, provide his or her registration number and the name of his or her employer, and indicate whether he or she is under the supervision of a licensed marriage and family therapist, licensed clinical social worker, licensed professional clinical counselor, licensed psychologist, or a licensed physician and surgeon certified in psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

(d)(1)Any advertisement by or on behalf of a marriage and family therapist registered intern shall include, at a minimum, all of the following information:

(A)That he or she is a marriage and family therapist registered intern.

(B)The interns registration number.

(C)The name of his or her employer.

(D)That he or she is supervised by a licensed person.

(2)The abbreviation MFTI shall not be used in an advertisement unless the title marriage and family therapist registered intern appears in the advertisement.

(a)To qualify for licensure as specified in Section 4996.2, each applicant shall complete 3,200 hours of post-masters degree supervised experience related to the practice of clinical social work. The experience shall comply with the following:

(1)At least 1,700 hours shall be gained under the supervision of a licensed clinical social worker. The remaining required supervised experience may be gained under the supervision of a licensed mental health professional acceptable to the board as defined by a regulation adopted by the board.

(2)A minimum of 2,000 hours in clinical psychosocial diagnosis, assessment, and treatment, including psychotherapy or counseling.

(3)A maximum of 1,200 hours in client-centered advocacy, consultation, evaluation, research, direct supervisor contact, and workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences directly related to clinical social work that have been approved by the applicants supervisor.

(4)Of the 2,000 clinical hours required in paragraph (2), no less than 750 hours shall be face-to-face individual or group psychotherapy provided to clients in the context of clinical social work services.

(5)A minimum of two years of supervised experience is required to be obtained over a period of not less than 104 weeks and shall have been gained within the six years immediately preceding the date on which the application for licensure was filed.

(6)Experience shall not be credited for more than 40 hours in any week.

(b)An individual who submits an application for examination eligibility between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2020, may alternatively qualify under the experience requirements that were in place on January 1, 2015.

(c)Supervision means responsibility for, and control of, the quality of clinical social work services being provided. Consultation or peer discussion shall not be considered to be supervision.

(d)(1)Prior to the commencement of supervision, a supervisor shall comply with all requirements enumerated in Section 1870 of Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations and shall sign under penalty of perjury the Responsibility Statement for Supervisors of an Associate Clinical Social Worker form.

(2)Supervised experience shall include at least one hour of direct supervisor contact for a minimum of 104 weeks. For purposes of this subdivision, one hour of direct supervisor contact means one hour per week of face-to-face contact on an individual basis or two hours of face-to-face contact in a group conducted within the same week as the hours claimed.

(3)An associate shall receive at least one additional hour of direct supervisor contact for every week in which more than 10 hours of face-to-face psychotherapy is performed in each setting in which experience is gained. No more than six hours of supervision, whether individual or group, shall be credited during any single week.

(4)Supervision shall include at least one hour of direct supervisor contact during each week for which experience is gained in each work setting. Supervision is not required for experience gained attending workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences as described in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a).

(5)The six hours of supervision that may be credited during any single week pursuant to paragraph (3) shall apply only to supervision hours gained on or after January 1, 2010.

(6)Group supervision shall be provided in a group of not more than eight supervisees and shall be provided in segments lasting no less than one continuous hour.

(7)Of the 104 weeks of required supervision, 52 weeks shall be individual supervision, and of the 52 weeks of required individual supervision, not less than 13 weeks shall be supervised by a licensed clinical social worker.

(8)Notwithstanding paragraph (2), an associate clinical social worker working for a governmental entity, school, college, or university, or an institution that is both a nonprofit and charitable institution, may obtain the required weekly direct supervisor contact via live two-way videoconferencing. The supervisor shall be responsible for ensuring that client confidentiality is preserved.

(e)The supervisor and the associate shall develop a supervisory plan that describes the goals and objectives of supervision. These goals shall include the ongoing assessment of strengths and limitations and the assurance of practice in accordance with the laws and regulations. The associate shall submit to the board the initial original supervisory plan upon application for licensure.

(f)Experience shall only be gained in a setting that meets both of the following:

(1)Lawfully and regularly provides clinical social work, mental health counseling, or psychotherapy.

(2)Provides oversight to ensure that the associates work at the setting meets the experience and supervision requirements set forth in this chapter and is within the scope of practice for the profession as defined in Section 4996.9.

(g)Experience shall not be gained until the applicant has been registered as an associate clinical social worker.

(h)Employment in a private practice as defined in subdivision (i) shall not commence until the applicant has been registered as an associate clinical social worker.

(i)A private practice setting is a setting that is owned by a licensed clinical social worker, a licensed marriage and family therapist, a licensed psychologist, a licensed professional clinical counselor, a licensed physician and surgeon, or a professional corporation of any of those licensed professions.

(j)If volunteering, the associate shall provide the board with a letter from his or her employer verifying his or her voluntary status upon application for licensure.

(k)If employed, the associate shall provide the board with copies of his or her W-2 tax forms for each year of experience claimed upon application for licensure.

(l)While an associate may be either a paid employee or volunteer, employers are encouraged to provide fair remuneration to associates.

(m)An associate shall not do the following:

(1)Receive any remuneration from patients or clients and shall only be paid by his or her employer.

(2)Have any proprietary interest in the employers business.

(3)Lease or rent space, pay for furnishings, equipment, or supplies, or in any other way pay for the obligations of his or her employer.

(n)An associate, whether employed or volunteering, may obtain supervision from a person not employed by the associates employer if that person has signed a written agreement with the employer to take supervisory responsibility for the associates social work services.

(o)Notwithstanding any other provision of law, associates and applicants for examination shall receive a minimum of one hour of supervision per week for each setting in which he or she is working.

(a)To qualify for licensure as specified in Section 4999.50, applicants shall complete experience related to the practice of professional clinical counseling under an approved supervisor. The experience shall comply with the following:

(1)A minimum of 3,000 postdegree hours of supervised experience performed over a period of not less than two years (104 weeks).

(2)Not more than 40 hours in any seven consecutive days.

(3)Not less than 1,750 hours of direct counseling with individuals, groups, couples, or families in a setting described in Section 4999.44 using a variety of psychotherapeutic techniques and recognized counseling interventions within the scope of practice of licensed professional clinical counselors.

(4)Not less than 150 hours of clinical experience in a hospital or community mental health setting, as defined in Section 1820 of Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations.

(5)A maximum of 1,250 hours of nonclinical practice, consisting of direct supervisor contact, administering and evaluating psychological tests, writing clinical reports, writing progress or process notes, client-centered advocacy, and workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences directly related to professional clinical counseling that have been approved by the applicants supervisor.

(b)An individual who submits an application for examination eligibility between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2020, may alternatively qualify under the experience requirements that were in place on January 1, 2015.

(c)No hours of clinical mental health experience may be gained more than six years prior to the date the application for examination eligibility was filed.

(d)An applicant shall register with the board as an intern in order to be credited for postdegree hours of experience toward licensure. Postdegree hours of experience shall be credited toward licensure, provided that the applicant applies for intern registration within 90 days of the granting of the qualifying degree and is registered as an intern by the board.

(e)All applicants and interns shall be at all times under the supervision of a supervisor who shall be responsible for ensuring that the extent, kind, and quality of counseling performed is consistent with the training and experience of the person being supervised, and who shall be responsible to the board for compliance with all laws, rules, and regulations governing the practice of professional clinical counseling.

(f)Experience obtained under the supervision of a spouse or relative by blood or marriage shall not be credited toward the required hours of supervised experience. Experience obtained under the supervision of a supervisor with whom the applicant has had or currently has a personal, professional, or business relationship that undermines the authority or effectiveness of the supervision shall not be credited toward the required hours of supervised experience.

(g)Except for experience gained by attending workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences as described in paragraph (5) of subdivision (a), supervision shall include at least one hour of direct supervisor contact in each week for which experience is credited in each work setting.

(1)No more than six hours of supervision, whether individual or group, shall be credited during any single week. This paragraph shall apply to supervision hours gained on or after January 1, 2009.

(2)An intern shall receive at least one additional hour of direct supervisor contact for every week in which more than 10 hours of face-to-face psychotherapy is performed in each setting in which experience is gained.

(3)For purposes of this section, one hour of direct supervisor contact means one hour of face-to-face contact on an individual basis or two hours of face-to-face contact in a group of not more than eight persons in segments lasting no less than one continuous hour.

(4)Notwithstanding paragraph (3), an intern working in a governmental entity, a school, a college, or a university, or an institution that is both nonprofit and charitable, may obtain the required weekly direct supervisor contact via two-way, real-time videoconferencing. The supervisor shall be responsible for ensuring that client confidentiality is upheld.

(h)This section shall become operative on January 1, 2016.

(a)Board, as used in this chapter, means the Board of Behavioral Sciences.

(b)Intern, as used in this chapter, means an unlicensed person who has earned his or her masters or doctoral degree qualifying him or her for licensure and is registered with the board.

(c)Trainee, as used in this chapter, means an unlicensed person who is currently enrolled in a masters or doctoral degree program, as specified in Sections 4980.36 and 4980.37, that is designed to qualify him or her for licensure under this chapter, and who has completed no less than 12 semester units or 18 quarter units of coursework in any qualifying degree program.

(d)Applicant, as used in this chapter, means an unlicensed person who has completed a masters or doctoral degree program, as specified in Sections 4980.36 and 4980.37, and whose application for registration as an intern is pending, or an unlicensed person who has completed the requirements for licensure as specified in this chapter, is no longer registered with the board as an intern, and is currently in the examination process.

(e)Advertise, as used in this chapter, includes, but is not limited to, any public communication, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 651, the issuance of any card, sign, or device to any person, or the causing, permitting, or allowing of any sign or marking on, or in, any building or structure, or in any newspaper or magazine or in any directory, or any printed matter whatsoever, with or without any limiting qualification. Signs within religious buildings or notices in church bulletins mailed to a congregation shall not be construed as advertising within the meaning of this chapter.

(f)Experience, as used in this chapter, means experience in interpersonal relationships, psychotherapy, marriage and family therapy, direct counseling, and nonclinical practice that satisfies the requirements for licensure as a marriage and family therapist pursuant to Section 4980.40.

(g)Supervisor, as used in this chapter, means an individual who meets all of the following requirements:

(1)Has been licensed by a state regulatory agency for at least two years as a marriage and family therapist, licensed clinical social worker, licensed professional clinical counselor, licensed psychologist, or licensed physician certified in psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

(2)If a licensed professional clinical counselor, the individual shall meet the additional training and education requirements specified in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 4999.20.

(3)Has not provided therapeutic services to the trainee or intern.

(4)Has a current and valid license that is not under suspension or probation.

(5)Complies with supervision requirements established by this chapter and by board regulations.

(h)Client centered advocacy, as used in this chapter, includes, but is not limited to, researching, identifying, and accessing resources, or other activities, related to obtaining or providing services and supports for clients or groups of clients receiving psychotherapy or counseling services.

(a)Trainees performing services in any work setting specified in subdivision (e) of Section 4980.43 may perform those activities and services as a trainee, provided that the activities and services constitute part of the trainees supervised course of study and that the person is designated by the title trainee.

(b)Trainees subject to Section 4980.37 may gain hours of experience and counsel clients outside of the required practicum. This subdivision shall apply to hours of experience gained and client counseling provided on and after January 1, 2012.

(c)Trainees subject to Section 4980.36 may gain hours of experience outside of the required practicum but must be enrolled in a practicum course to counsel clients. Trainees subject to Section 4980.36 may counsel clients while not enrolled in a practicum course if the period of lapsed enrollment is less than 90 calendar days, and if that period is immediately preceded by enrollment in a practicum course and immediately followed by enrollment in a practicum course or completion of the degree program.

(d)All hours of experience gained pursuant to subdivisions (b) and (c) shall be subject to the other requirements of this chapter.

(e)All hours of experience gained as a trainee shall be coordinated between the school and the site where the hours are being accrued. The school shall approve each site and shall have a written agreement with each site that details each partys responsibilities, including the methods by which supervision shall be provided. The agreement shall provide for regular progress reports and evaluations of the students performance at the site. If an applicant has gained hours of experience while enrolled in an institution other than the one that confers the qualifying degree, it shall be the applicants responsibility to provide to the board satisfactory evidence that those hours of trainee experience were gained in compliance with this section.

(a)To qualify for licensure as specified in Section 4980.40, each applicant shall complete experience related to the practice of marriage and family therapy under a supervisor who meets the qualifications set forth in Section 4980.03. The experience shall comply with the following:

(1)A minimum of 3,000 hours of supervised experience completed during a period of at least 104 weeks.

(2)A maximum of 40 hours in any seven consecutive days.

(3)A minimum of 1,700 hours obtained after the qualifying masters or doctoral degree was awarded.

(4)A maximum of 1,300 hours obtained prior to the award date of the qualifying masters or doctoral degree.

(5)A maximum of 750 hours of counseling and direct supervisor contact prior to the award date of the qualifying masters or doctoral degree.

(6)No hours of experience may be gained prior to completing either 12 semester units or 18 quarter units of graduate instruction.

(7)No hours of experience may be gained more than six years prior to the date the application for examination eligibility was filed, except that up to 500 hours of clinical experience gained in the supervised practicum required by subdivision (c) of Section 4980.37 and subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of Section 4980.36 shall be exempt from this six-year requirement.

(8)A minimum of 1,750 hours of direct counseling with individuals, groups, couples, or families, that includes not less than 500 total hours of experience in diagnosing and treating couples, families, and children.

(9)A maximum of 1,250 hours of nonclinical practice, consisting of direct supervisor contact, administering and evaluating psychological tests, writing clinical reports, writing progress or process notes, client-centered advocacy, and workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences directly related to marriage and family therapy that have been approved by the applicants supervisor.

(10)It is anticipated and encouraged that hours of experience will include working with elders and dependent adults who have physical or mental limitations that restrict their ability to carry out normal activities or protect their rights.

This subdivision shall only apply to hours gained on and after January 1, 2010.

(b)An individual who submits an application for examination eligibility between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2020, may alternately qualify under the experience requirements that were in place on January 1, 2015.

(c)All applicants, trainees, and registrants shall be at all times under the supervision of a supervisor who shall be responsible for ensuring that the extent, kind, and quality of counseling performed is consistent with the training and experience of the person being supervised, and who shall be responsible to the board for compliance with all laws, rules, and regulations governing the practice of marriage and family therapy. Supervised experience shall be gained by an intern or trainee only as an employee or as a volunteer. The requirements of this chapter regarding gaining hours of experience and supervision are applicable equally to employees and volunteers. Experience shall not be gained by an intern or trainee as an independent contractor.

(1)If employed, an intern shall provide the board with copies of the corresponding W-2 tax forms for each year of experience claimed upon application for licensure.

(2)If volunteering, an intern shall provide the board with a letter from his or her employer verifying the interns employment as a volunteer upon application for licensure.

(d)Except for experience gained by attending workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences as described in paragraph (9) of subdivision (a), supervision shall include at least one hour of direct supervisor contact in each week for which experience is credited in each work setting, as specified:

(1)A trainee shall receive an average of at least one hour of direct supervisor contact for every five hours of client contact in each setting. No more than six hours of supervision, whether individual or group, shall be credited during any single week.

(2)An individual supervised after being granted a qualifying degree shall receive at least one additional hour of direct supervisor contact for every week in which more than 10 hours of client contact is gained in each setting. No more than six hours of supervision, whether individual or group, shall be credited during any single week.

(3)For purposes of this section, one hour of direct supervisor contact means one hour per week of face-to-face contact on an individual basis or two hours per week of face-to-face contact in a group.

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

(5)Direct supervisor contact provided in a group shall be provided in a group of not more than eight supervisees and in segments lasting no less than one continuous hour.

(6)Notwithstanding paragraph (3), an intern working in a governmental entity, a school, a college, or a university, or an institution that is both nonprofit and charitable may obtain the required weekly direct supervisor contact via two-way, real-time videoconferencing. The supervisor shall be responsible for ensuring that client confidentiality is upheld.

(7)All experience gained by a trainee shall be monitored by the supervisor as specified by regulation.

(8)The six hours of supervision that may be credited during any single week pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2) shall apply to supervision hours gained on or after January 1, 2009.

(e)(1)A trainee may be credited with supervised experience completed in any setting that meets all of the following:

(A)Lawfully and regularly provides mental health counseling or psychotherapy.

(B)Provides oversight to ensure that the trainees work at the setting meets the experience and supervision requirements set forth in this chapter and is within the scope of practice for the profession as defined in Section 4980.02.

(C)Is not a private practice owned by a licensed marriage and family therapist, a licensed professional clinical counselor, a licensed psychologist, a licensed clinical social worker, a licensed physician and surgeon, or a professional corporation of any of those licensed professions.

(2)Experience may be gained by the trainee solely as part of the position for which the trainee volunteers or is employed.

(f)(1)An intern may be credited with supervised experience completed in any setting that meets both of the following:

(A)Lawfully and regularly provides mental health counseling or psychotherapy.

(B)Provides oversight to ensure that the interns work at the setting meets the experience and supervision requirements set forth in this chapter and is within the scope of practice for the profession as defined in Section 4980.02.

(2)An applicant shall not be employed or volunteer in a private practice, as defined in subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (e), until registered as an intern.

(3)While an intern may be either a paid employee or a volunteer, employers are encouraged to provide fair remuneration to interns.

(4)Except for periods of time during a supervisors vacation or sick leave, an intern who is employed or volunteering in private practice shall be under the direct supervision of a licensee that has satisfied the requirements of subdivision (g) of Section 4980.03. The supervising licensee shall either be employed by and practice at the same site as the interns employer, or shall be an owner or shareholder of the private practice. Alternative supervision may be arranged during a supervisors vacation or sick leave if the supervision meets the requirements of this section.

(5)Experience may be gained by the intern solely as part of the position for which the intern volunteers or is employed.

(g)Except as provided in subdivision (h), all persons shall register with the board as an intern in order to be credited for postdegree hours of supervised experience gained toward licensure.

(h)Except when employed in a private practice setting, all postdegree hours of experience shall be credited toward licensure so long as the applicant applies for the intern registration within 90 days of the granting of the qualifying masters or doctoral degree and is thereafter granted the intern registration by the board.

(i)Trainees, interns, and applicants shall not receive any remuneration from patients or clients, and shall only be paid by their employers.

(j)Trainees, interns, and applicants shall only perform services at the place where their employers regularly conduct business, which may include performing services at other locations, so long as the services are performed under the direction and control of their employer and supervisor, and in compliance with the laws and regulations pertaining to supervision. Trainees and interns shall have no proprietary interest in their employers businesses and shall not lease or rent space, pay for furnishings, equipment, or supplies, or in any other way pay for the obligations of their employers.

(k)Trainees, interns, or applicants who provide volunteered services or other services, and who receive no more than a total, from all work settings, of five hundred dollars ($500) per month as reimbursement for expenses actually incurred by those trainees, interns, or applicants for services rendered in any lawful work setting other than a private practice shall be considered employees and not independent contractors. The board may audit applicants who receive reimbursement for expenses, and the applicants shall have the burden of demonstrating that the payments received were for reimbursement of expenses actually incurred.

(l)Each educational institution preparing applicants for licensure pursuant to this chapter shall consider requiring, and shall encourage, its students to undergo individual, marital or conjoint, family, or group counseling or psychotherapy, as appropriate. Each supervisor shall consider, advise, and encourage his or her interns and trainees regarding the advisability of undertaking individual, marital or conjoint, family, or group counseling or psychotherapy, as appropriate. Insofar as it is deemed appropriate and is desired by the applicant, the educational institution and supervisors are encouraged to assist the applicant in locating that counseling or psychotherapy at a reasonable cost.

An unlicensed marriage and family therapist intern employed under this chapter shall comply with the following requirements:

(a)Possess, at a minimum, a masters degree as specified in Section 4980.36 or 4980.37, as applicable.

(b)Register with the board prior to performing any duties, except as otherwise provided in subdivision (h) of Section 4980.43.

(c)Prior to performing any professional services, inform each client or patient that he or she is an unlicensed marriage and family therapist registered intern, provide his or her registration number and the name of his or her employer, and indicate whether he or she is under the supervision of a licensed marriage and family therapist, licensed clinical social worker, licensed professional clinical counselor, licensed psychologist, or a licensed physician and surgeon certified in psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

(d)(1)Any advertisement by or on behalf of a marriage and family therapist registered intern shall include, at a minimum, all of the following information:

(A)That he or she is a marriage and family therapist registered intern.

(B)The interns registration number.

(C)The name of his or her employer.

(D)That he or she is supervised by a licensed person.

(2)The abbreviation MFTI shall not be used in an advertisement unless the title marriage and family therapist registered intern appears in the advertisement.

(a)To qualify for licensure as specified in Section 4996.2, each applicant shall complete 3,200 hours of post-masters degree supervised experience related to the practice of clinical social work, under a supervisor. The experience shall comply with the following:

(1)At least 1,700 hours shall be gained under the supervision of a licensed clinical social worker. The remaining required supervised experience may be gained under the supervision of a licensed mental health professional acceptable to the board as defined by a regulation adopted by the board.

(2)A minimum of 2,000 hours in clinical psychosocial diagnosis, assessment, and treatment, including psychotherapy or counseling.

(3)A maximum of 1,200 hours in client-centered advocacy, consultation, evaluation, research, direct supervisor contact, and workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences directly related to clinical social work that have been approved by the applicants supervisor.

(4)Of the 2,000 clinical hours required in paragraph (2), no less than 750 hours shall be face-to-face individual or group psychotherapy provided to clients in the context of clinical social work services.

(5)A minimum of two years of supervised experience is required to be obtained over a period of not less than 104 weeks and shall have been gained within the six years immediately preceding the date on which the application for licensure was filed.

(6)Experience shall not be credited for more than 40 hours in any week.

(b)An individual who submits an application for examination eligibility between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2020, may alternately alternatively qualify under the experience requirements that were in place on January 1, 2015.

(c)Supervision means responsibility for, and control of, the quality of clinical social work services being provided. Consultation or peer discussion shall not be considered to be supervision.

(d)(1)Prior to the commencement of supervision, a supervisor shall comply with all requirements enumerated in Section 1870 of Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations and shall sign under penalty of perjury the Responsibility Statement for Supervisors of an Associate Clinical Social Worker form.

(2)Supervised experience shall include at least one hour of direct supervisor contact for a minimum of 104 weeks. For purposes of this subdivision, one hour of direct supervisor contact means one hour per week of face-to-face contact on an individual basis or two hours of face-to-face contact in a group conducted within the same week as the hours claimed.

(3)An associate shall receive at least one additional hour of direct supervisor contact for every week in which more than 10 hours of face-to-face psychotherapy is performed in each setting in which experience is gained. No more than six hours of supervision, whether individual or group, shall be credited during any single week.

(4)Supervision shall include at least one hour of direct supervisor contact during each week for which experience is gained in each work setting. Supervision is not required for experience gained attending workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences as described in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a).

(5)The six hours of supervision that may be credited during any single week pursuant to paragraph (3) shall apply only to supervision hours gained on or after January 1, 2010.

(6)Group supervision shall be provided in a group of not more than eight supervisees and shall be provided in segments lasting no less than one continuous hour.

(7)Of the 104 weeks of required supervision, 52 weeks shall be individual supervision, and of the 52 weeks of required individual supervision, not less than 13 weeks shall be supervised by a licensed clinical social worker.

(8)Notwithstanding paragraph (2), an associate clinical social worker working for a governmental entity, school, college, or university, or an institution that is both a nonprofit and charitable institution, may obtain the required weekly direct supervisor contact via live two-way videoconferencing. The supervisor shall be responsible for ensuring that client confidentiality is preserved.

(e)The supervisor and the associate shall develop a supervisory plan that describes the goals and objectives of supervision. These goals shall include the ongoing assessment of strengths and limitations and the assurance of practice in accordance with the laws and regulations. The associate shall submit to the board the initial original supervisory plan upon application for licensure.

(f)Experience shall only be gained in a setting that meets both of the following:

(1)Lawfully and regularly provides clinical social work, mental health counseling, or psychotherapy.

(2)Provides oversight to ensure that the associates work at the setting meets the experience and supervision requirements set forth in this chapter and is within the scope of practice for the profession as defined in Section 4996.9.

(g)Experience shall not be gained until the applicant has been registered as an associate clinical social worker.

(h)Employment in a private practice as defined in subdivision (i) shall not commence until the applicant has been registered as an associate clinical social worker.

(i)A private practice setting is a setting that is owned by a licensed clinical social worker, a licensed marriage and family therapist, a licensed psychologist, a licensed professional clinical counselor, a licensed physician and surgeon, or a professional corporation of any of those licensed professions.

(j)If volunteering, the associate shall provide the board with a letter from his or her employer verifying his or her voluntary status upon application for licensure.

(k)If employed, the associate shall provide the board with copies of his or her W-2 tax forms for each year of experience claimed upon application for licensure.

(l)While an associate may be either a paid employee or volunteer, employers are encouraged to provide fair remuneration to associates.

(m)An associate shall not do the following:

(1)Receive any remuneration from patients or clients and shall only be paid by his or her employer.

(2)Have any proprietary interest in the employers business.

(3)Lease or rent space, pay for furnishings, equipment, or supplies, or in any other way pay for the obligations of his or her employer.

(n)An associate, whether employed or volunteering, may obtain supervision from a person not employed by the associates employer if that person has signed a written agreement with the employer to take supervisory responsibility for the associates social work services.

(o)Notwithstanding any other provision of law, associates and applicants for examination shall receive a minimum of one hour of supervision per week for each setting in which he or she is working.

(a)To qualify for licensure as specified in Section 4999.50, applicants shall complete experience related to the practice of professional clinical counseling under an approved supervisor. The experience shall comply with the following:

(1)A minimum of 3,000 postdegree hours of supervised experience performed over a period of not less than two years (104 weeks).

(2)Not more than 40 hours in any seven consecutive days.

(3)Not less than 1,750 hours of direct counseling with individuals, groups, couples, or families in a setting described in Section 4999.44 using a variety of psychotherapeutic techniques and recognized counseling interventions within the scope of practice of licensed professional clinical counselors.

(4)Not less than 150 hours of clinical experience in a hospital or community mental health setting, as defined in Section 1820 of Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations.

(5)A maximum of 1,250 hours of nonclinical practice, consisting of direct supervisor contact, administering and evaluating psychological tests, writing clinical reports, writing progress or process notes, client-centered advocacy, and workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences directly related to professional clinical counseling that have been approved by the applicants supervisor.

(b)An individual who submits an application for examination eligibility between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2020, may alternately alternatively qualify under the experience requirements that were in place on January 1, 2015.

(c)No hours of clinical mental health experience may be gained more than six years prior to the date the application for examination eligibility was filed.

(d)An applicant shall register with the board as an intern in order to be credited for postdegree hours of experience toward licensure. Postdegree hours of experience shall be credited toward licensure, provided that the applicant applies for intern registration within 90 days of the granting of the qualifying degree and is registered as an intern by the board.

(e)All applicants and interns shall be at all times under the supervision of a supervisor who shall be responsible for ensuring that the extent, kind, and quality of counseling performed is consistent with the training and experience of the person being supervised, and who shall be responsible to the board for compliance with all laws, rules, and regulations governing the practice of professional clinical counseling.

(f)Experience obtained under the supervision of a spouse or relative by blood or marriage shall not be credited toward the required hours of supervised experience. Experience obtained under the supervision of a supervisor with whom the applicant has had or currently has a personal, professional, or business relationship that undermines the authority or effectiveness of the supervision shall not be credited toward the required hours of supervised experience.

(g)Except for experience gained by attending workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences as described in paragraph (5) of subdivision (a), supervision shall include at least one hour of direct supervisor contact in each week for which experience is credited in each work setting.

(1)No more than six hours of supervision, whether individual or group, shall be credited during any single week. This paragraph shall apply to supervision hours gained on or after January 1, 2009.

(2)An intern shall receive at least one additional hour of direct supervisor contact for every week in which more than 10 hours of face-to-face psychotherapy is performed in each setting in which experience is gained.

(3)For purposes of this section, one hour of direct supervisor contact means one hour of face-to-face contact on an individual basis or two hours of face-to-face contact in a group of not more than eight persons in segments lasting no less than one continuous hour.

(4)Notwithstanding paragraph (3), an intern working in a governmental entity, a school, a college, or a university, or an institution that is both nonprofit and charitable, may obtain the required weekly direct supervisor contact via two-way, real-time videoconferencing. The supervisor shall be responsible for ensuring that client confidentiality is upheld.

(h)This section shall become operative on January 1, 2016.

(a)Board, as used in this chapter, means the Board of Behavioral Sciences.

(b)Intern, as used in this chapter, means an unlicensed person who has earned his or her masters or doctors doctoral degree qualifying him or her for licensure and is registered with the board.

(c)Trainee, as used in this chapter, means an unlicensed person who is currently enrolled in a masters or doctors doctoral degree program, as specified in Sections 4980.36 and 4980.37, that is designed to qualify him or her for licensure under this chapter, and who has completed no less than 12 semester units or 18 quarter units of coursework in any qualifying degree program.

(d)Applicant, as used in this chapter, means an unlicensed person who has completed a masters or doctoral degree program, as specified in Sections 4980.36 and 4980.37, and whose application for registration as an intern is pending, or an unlicensed person who has completed the requirements for licensure as specified in this chapter, is no longer registered with the board as an intern, and is currently in the examination process.

(e)Advertise, as used in this chapter, includes, but is not limited to, any public communication, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 651, the issuance of any card, sign, or device to any person, or the causing, permitting, or allowing of any sign or marking on, or in, any building or structure, or in any newspaper or magazine or in any directory, or any printed matter whatsoever, with or without any limiting qualification. Signs within religious buildings or notices in church bulletins mailed to a congregation shall not be construed as advertising within the meaning of this chapter.

(f)Experience, as used in this chapter, means experience in interpersonal relationships, psychotherapy, marriage and family therapy, direct counseling, and nonclinical practice that satisfies the requirements for licensure as a marriage and family therapist pursuant to Section 4980.40.

(g)Supervisor, as used in this chapter, means an individual who meets all of the following requirements:

(1)Has been licensed by a state regulatory agency for at least two years as a marriage and family therapist, licensed clinical social worker, licensed professional clinical counselor, licensed psychologist, or licensed physician certified in psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

(2)If a licensed professional clinical counselor, the individual shall meet the additional training and education requirements specified in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 4999.20.

(3)Has not provided therapeutic services to the trainee or intern.

(4)Has a current and valid license that is not under suspension or probation.

(5)Complies with supervision requirements established by this chapter and by board regulations.

(h)Client centered advocacy, as used in this chapter, includes, but is not limited to, researching, identifying, and accessing resources, or other activities, related to obtaining or providing services and supports for clients or groups of clients receiving psychotherapy or counseling services.

(a)Trainees performing services in any work setting specified in subdivision (e) of Section 4980.43 may perform those activities and services as a trainee, provided that the activities and services constitute part of the trainees supervised course of study and that the person is designated by the title trainee.

(b)Trainees subject to Section 4980.37 may gain hours of experience and counsel clients outside of the required practicum. This subdivision shall apply to hours of experience gained and client counseling provided on and after January 1, 2012.

(c)Trainees subject to Section 4980.36 may gain hours of experience outside of the required practicum but must be enrolled in a practicum course to counsel clients. Trainees subject to Section 4980.36 may counsel clients while not enrolled in a practicum course if the period of lapsed enrollment is less than 90 calendar days, and if that period is immediately preceded by enrollment in a practicum course and immediately followed by enrollment in a practicum course or completion of the degree program.

(d)All hours of experience gained pursuant to subdivisions (b) and (c) shall be subject to the other requirements of this chapter.

(e)All hours of experience gained as a trainee shall be coordinated between the school and the site where the hours are being accrued. The school shall approve each site and shall have a written agreement with each site that details each partys responsibilities, including the methods by which supervision shall be provided. The agreement shall provide for regular progress reports and evaluations of the students performance at the site. If an applicant has gained hours of experience while enrolled in an institution other than the one that confers the qualifying degree, it shall be the applicants responsibility to provide to the board satisfactory evidence that those hours of trainee experience were gained in compliance with this section.

(a)To qualify for licensure as specified in Section 4980.40, each applicant shall complete experience related to the practice of marriage and family therapy under a qualified supervisor. supervisor who meets the qualifications set forth in Section 4980.03. The experience shall comply with the following:

(1)A minimum of 3,000 hours of supervised experience completed during a period of at least 104 weeks.

(2)A maximum of 40 hours in any seven consecutive days.

(3)A minimum of 1,700 hours obtained after the qualifying masters or doctoral degree was awarded.

(4)A maximum of 1,300 hours obtained prior to the award date of the qualifying masters or doctoral degree.

(5)A maximum of 750 hours of counseling and direct supervisor contact prior to the award date of the qualifying masters or doctoral degree.

(6)No hours of experience may be gained prior to completing either 12 semester units or 18 quarter units of graduate instruction.

(7)No hours of experience may be gained more than six years prior to the date the application for examination eligibility was filed, except that up to 500 hours of clinical experience gained in the supervised practicum required by subdivision (c) of Section 4980.37 and subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of Section 4980.36 shall be exempt from this six-year requirement.

(8)A minimum of 1,750 hours of direct counseling with individuals, groups, couples, or families, that includes not less than 500 total hours of experience in diagnosing and treating couples, families, and children.

(9)A maximum of 1,250 hours of nonclinical practice, including consisting of direct supervisor contact, administering and evaluating psychological tests, writing clinical reports, writing progress or process notes, client-centered advocacy, and workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences directly related to marriage and family therapy that have been approved by the applicants supervisor.

(10)It is anticipated and encouraged that hours of experience will include working with elders and dependent adults who have physical or mental limitations that restrict their ability to carry out normal activities or protect their rights.

This subdivision shall only apply to hours gained on and after January 1, 2010.

(b)An individual who submits an application for examination eligibility between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2020, may alternately qualify under the experience requirements that were in place on January 1, 2015.

(c)All applicants, trainees, and registrants shall be at all times under the supervision of a supervisor who shall be responsible for ensuring that the extent, kind, and quality of counseling performed is consistent with the training and experience of the person being supervised, and who shall be responsible to the board for compliance with all laws, rules, and regulations governing the practice of marriage and family therapy. Supervised experience shall be gained by interns and trainees an intern or trainee only as an employee or as a volunteer. The requirements of this chapter regarding gaining hours of experience and supervision are applicable equally to employees and volunteers. Experience shall not be gained by interns or trainees an intern or trainee as an independent contractor.

(1)If employed, an intern shall provide the board with copies of the corresponding W-2 tax forms for each year of experience claimed upon application for licensure.

(2)If volunteering, an intern shall provide the board with a letter from his or her employer verifying the interns employment as a volunteer upon application for licensure.

(d)Except for experience gained by attending workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences as described in paragraph (9) of subdivision (a), supervision shall include at least one hour of direct supervisor contact in each week for which experience is credited in each work setting, as specified:

(1)A trainee shall receive an average of at least one hour of direct supervisor contact for every five hours of client contact in each setting. No more than six hours of supervision, whether individual or group, shall be credited during any single week.

(2)An individual supervised after being granted a qualifying degree shall receive at least one additional hour of direct supervisor contact for every week in which more than 10 hours of client contact is gained in each setting. No more than six hours of supervision, whether individual or group, shall be credited during any single week.

(3)For purposes of this section, one hour of direct supervisor contact means one hour per week of face-to-face contact on an individual basis or two hours per week of face-to-face contact in a group.

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

(5)Direct supervisor contact provided in a group shall be provided in a group of not more than eight supervisees and in segments lasting no less than one continuous hour.

(6)Notwithstanding paragraph (3), an intern working in a governmental entity, a school, a college, or a university, or an institution that is both nonprofit and charitable may obtain the required weekly direct supervisor contact via two-way, real-time videoconferencing. The supervisor shall be responsible for ensuring that client confidentiality is upheld.

(7)All experience gained by a trainee shall be monitored by the supervisor as specified by regulation.

(8)The six hours of supervision that may be credited during any single week pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2) shall apply to supervision hours gained on or after January 1, 2009.

(e)(1)A trainee may be credited with supervised experience completed in any setting that meets all of the following:

(A)Lawfully and regularly provides mental health counseling or psychotherapy.

(B)Provides oversight to ensure that the trainees work at the setting meets the experience and supervision requirements set forth in this chapter and is within the scope of practice for the profession as defined in Section 4980.02.

(C)Is not a private practice owned by a licensed marriage and family therapist, a licensed professional clinical counselor, a licensed psychologist, a licensed clinical social worker, a licensed physician and surgeon, or a professional corporation of any of those licensed professions.

(2)Experience may be gained by the trainee solely as part of the position for which the trainee volunteers or is employed.

(f)(1)An intern may be credited with supervised experience completed in any setting that meets both of the following:

(A)Lawfully and regularly provides mental health counseling or psychotherapy.

(B)Provides oversight to ensure that the interns work at the setting meets the experience and supervision requirements set forth in this chapter and is within the scope of practice for the profession as defined in Section 4980.02.

(2)An applicant shall not be employed or volunteer in a private practice, as defined in subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (e), until registered as an intern.

(3)While an intern may be either a paid employee or a volunteer, employers are encouraged to provide fair remuneration to interns.

(4)Except for periods of time during a supervisors vacation or sick leave, an intern who is employed or volunteering in private practice shall be under the direct supervision of a licensee that has satisfied the requirements of subdivision (g) of Section 4980.03. The supervising licensee shall either be employed by and practice at the same site as the interns employer, or shall be an owner or shareholder of the private practice. Alternative supervision may be arranged during a supervisors vacation or sick leave if the supervision meets the requirements of this section.

(5)Experience may be gained by the intern solely as part of the position for which the intern volunteers or is employed.

(g)Except as provided in subdivision (h), all persons shall register with the board as an intern in order to be credited for postdegree hours of supervised experience gained toward licensure.

(h)Except when employed in a private practice setting, all postdegree hours of experience shall be credited toward licensure so long as the applicant applies for the intern registration within 90 days of the granting of the qualifying masters or doctoral degree and is thereafter granted the intern registration by the board.

(i)Trainees, interns, and applicants shall not receive any remuneration from patients or clients, and shall only be paid by their employers.

(j)Trainees, interns, and applicants shall only perform services at the place where their employers regularly conduct business, which may include performing services at other locations, so long as the services are performed under the direction and control of their employer and supervisor, and in compliance with the laws and regulations pertaining to supervision. Trainees and interns shall have no proprietary interest in their employers businesses and shall not lease or rent space, pay for furnishings, equipment, or supplies, or in any other way pay for the obligations of their employers.

(k)Trainees, interns, or applicants who provide volunteered services or other services, and who receive no more than a total, from all work settings, of five hundred dollars ($500) per month as reimbursement for expenses actually incurred by those trainees, interns, or applicants for services rendered in any lawful work setting other than a private practice shall be considered an employee employees and not an independent contractor. contractors. The board may audit applicants who receive reimbursement for expenses, and the applicants shall have the burden of demonstrating that the payments received were for reimbursement of expenses actually incurred.

(l)Each educational institution preparing applicants for licensure pursuant to this chapter shall consider requiring, and shall encourage, its students to undergo individual, marital or conjoint, family, or group counseling or psychotherapy, as appropriate. Each supervisor shall consider, advise, and encourage his or her interns and trainees regarding the advisability of undertaking individual, marital or conjoint, family, or group counseling or psychotherapy, as appropriate. Insofar as it is deemed appropriate and is desired by the applicant, the educational institution and supervisors are encouraged to assist the applicant in locating that counseling or psychotherapy at a reasonable cost.

An unlicensed marriage and family therapist intern employed under this chapter shall comply with the following requirements:

(a)Possess, at a minimum, a masters degree as specified in Section 4980.36 or 4980.37, as applicable.

(b)Register with the board prior to performing any duties, except as otherwise provided in subdivision (h) of Section 4980.43.

(c)Prior to performing any professional services, inform each client or patient that he or she is an unlicensed marriage and family therapist registered intern, provide his or her registration number and the name of his or her employer, and indicate whether he or she is under the supervision of a licensed marriage and family therapist, licensed clinical social worker, licensed professional clinical counselor, licensed psychologist, or a licensed physician and surgeon certified in psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

(d)(1)Any advertisement by or on behalf of a marriage and family therapist registered intern shall include, at a minimum, all of the following information:

(A)That he or she is a marriage and family therapist registered intern.

(B)The interns registration number.

(C)The name of his or her employer.

(D)That he or she is supervised by a licensed person.

(2)The abbreviation MFTI shall not be used in an advertisement unless the title marriage and family therapist registered intern appears in the advertisement.

(a)To qualify for licensure as specified in Section 4996.2, each applicant shall complete 3,200 hours of post-masters degree supervised experience related to the practice of clinical social work, under a qualified supervisor. The experience shall comply with the following:

(1)At least 1,700 hours shall be gained under the supervision of a licensed clinical social worker. The remaining required supervised experience may be gained under the supervision of a licensed mental health professional acceptable to the board as defined by a regulation adopted by the board.

(2)A minimum of 2,000 hours in clinical psychosocial diagnosis, assessment, and treatment, including psychotherapy or counseling.

(3)A maximum of 1,200 hours in client-centered advocacy, consultation, evaluation, research, direct supervisor contact, and workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences directly related to clinical social work that have been approved by the applicants supervisor.

(4)Of the 2,000 clinical hours required in paragraph (2), no less than 750 hours shall be face-to-face individual or group psychotherapy provided to clients in the context of clinical social work services.

(5)A minimum of two years of supervised experience is required to be obtained over a period of not less than 104 weeks and shall have been gained within the six years immediately preceding the date on which the application for licensure was filed.

(6)Experience shall not be credited for more than 40 hours in any week.

(b)An individual who submits an application for examination eligibility between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2020, may alternately qualify under the experience requirements that were in place on January 1, 2015.

(c)Supervision means responsibility for, and control of, the quality of clinical social work services being provided. Consultation or peer discussion shall not be considered to be supervision.

(d)(1)Prior to the commencement of supervision, a supervisor shall comply with all requirements enumerated in Section 1870 of Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations and shall sign under penalty of perjury the Responsibility Statement for Supervisors of an Associate Clinical Social Worker form.

(2)Supervised experience shall include at least one hour of direct supervisor contact for a minimum of 104 weeks. For purposes of this subdivision, one hour of direct supervisor contact means one hour per week of face-to-face contact on an individual basis or two hours of face-to-face contact in a group conducted within the same week as the hours claimed.

(3)An associate shall receive at least one additional hour of direct supervisor contact for every week in which more than 10 hours of face-to-face psychotherapy is performed in each setting in which experience is gained. No more than six hours of supervision, whether individual or group, shall be credited during any single week.

(4)Supervision shall include at least one hour of direct supervisor contact during each week for which experience is gained in each work setting. Supervision is not required for experience gained attending workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences as described in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a).

(5)The six hours of supervision that may be credited during any single week pursuant to paragraph (3) shall apply only to supervision hours gained on or after January 1, 2010.

(6)Group supervision shall be provided in a group of not more than eight supervisees and shall be provided in segments lasting no less than one continuous hour.

(7)Of the 104 weeks of required supervision, 52 weeks shall be individual supervision, and of the 52 weeks of required individual supervision, not less than 13 weeks shall be supervised by a licensed clinical social worker.

(8)Notwithstanding paragraph (2), an associate clinical social worker working for a governmental entity, school, college, or university, or an institution that is both a nonprofit and charitable institution, may obtain the required weekly direct supervisor contact via live two-way videoconferencing. The supervisor shall be responsible for ensuring that client confidentiality is preserved.

(e)The supervisor and the associate shall develop a supervisory plan that describes the goals and objectives of supervision. These goals shall include the ongoing assessment of strengths and limitations and the assurance of practice in accordance with the laws and regulations. The associate shall submit to the board the initial original supervisory plan upon application for licensure.

(f)Experience shall only be gained in a setting that meets both of the following:

(1)Lawfully and regularly provides clinical social work, mental health counseling, or psychotherapy.

(2)Provides oversight to ensure that the associates work at the setting meets the experience and supervision requirements set forth in this chapter and is within the scope of practice for the profession as defined in Section 4996.9.

(g)Experience shall not be gained until the applicant has been registered as an associate clinical social worker.

(h)Employment in a private practice as defined in subdivision (i) shall not commence until the applicant has been registered as an associate clinical social worker.

(i)A private practice setting is a setting that is owned by a licensed clinical social worker, a licensed marriage and family therapist, a licensed psychologist, a licensed professional clinical counselor, a licensed physician and surgeon, or a professional corporation of any of those licensed professions.

(j)If volunteering, the associate shall provide the board with a letter from his or her employer verifying his or her voluntary status upon application for licensure.

(k)If employed, the associate shall provide the board with copies of his or her W-2 tax forms for each year of experience claimed upon application for licensure.

(l)While an associate may be either a paid employee or volunteer, employers are encouraged to provide fair remuneration to associates.

(m)An associate shall not do the following:

(1)Receive any remuneration from patients or clients and shall only be paid by his or her employer.

(2)Have any proprietary interest in the employers business.

(3)Lease or rent space, pay for furnishings, equipment, or supplies, or in any other way pay for the obligations of his or her employer.

(n)An associate, whether employed or volunteering, may obtain supervision from a person not employed by the associates employer if that person has signed a written agreement with the employer to take supervisory responsibility for the associates social work services.

(o)Notwithstanding any other provision of law, associates and applicants for examination shall receive a minimum of one hour of supervision per week for each setting in which he or she is working.

(a)To qualify for licensure as specified in Section 4999.50, applicants shall complete experience related to the practice of professional clinical counseling under a qualified an approved supervisor. The experience shall comply with the following:

(1)A minimum of 3,000 postdegree hours of supervised experience performed over a period of not less than two years (104 weeks).

(2)Not more than 40 hours in any seven consecutive days.

(3)Not less than 1,750 hours of direct counseling with individuals, groups, couples, or families in a setting described in Section 4999.44 using a variety of psychotherapeutic techniques and recognized counseling interventions within the scope of practice of licensed professional clinical counselors.

(4)Not less than 150 hours of clinical experience in a hospital or community mental health setting, as defined in Section 1820 of Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations.

(5)A maximum of 1,250 hours of nonclinical practice, including consisting of direct supervisor contact, administering and evaluating psychological tests, writing clinical reports, writing progress or process notes, client-centered advocacy, and workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences directly related to professional clinical counseling that have been approved by the applicants supervisor.

(b)An individual who submits an application for examination eligibility between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2020, may alternately qualify under the experience requirements that were in place on January 1, 2015.

(c)No hours of clinical mental health experience may be gained more than six years prior to the date the application for examination eligibility was filed.

(d)An applicant shall register with the board as an intern in order to be credited for postdegree hours of experience toward licensure. Postdegree hours of experience shall be credited toward licensure, provided that the applicant applies for intern registration within 90 days of the granting of the qualifying degree and is registered as an intern by the board.

(e)All applicants and interns shall be at all times under the supervision of a supervisor who shall be responsible for ensuring that the extent, kind, and quality of counseling performed is consistent with the training and experience of the person being supervised, and who shall be responsible to the board for compliance with all laws, rules, and regulations governing the practice of professional clinical counseling.

(f)Experience obtained under the supervision of a spouse or relative by blood or marriage shall not be credited toward the required hours of supervised experience. Experience obtained under the supervision of a supervisor with whom the applicant has had or currently has a personal, professional, or business relationship that undermines the authority or effectiveness of the supervision shall not be credited toward the required hours of supervised experience.

(g)Except for experience gained by attending workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences as described in paragraph (5) of subdivision (a), supervision shall include at least one hour of direct supervisor contact in each week for which experience is credited in each work setting.

(1)No more than six hours of supervision, whether individual or group, shall be credited during any single week. This paragraph shall apply to supervision hours gained on or after January 1, 2009.

(2)An intern shall receive at least one additional hour of direct supervisor contact for every week in which more than 10 hours of face-to-face psychotherapy is performed in each setting in which experience is gained.

(3)For purposes of this section, one hour of direct supervisor contact means one hour of face-to-face contact on an individual basis or two hours of face-to-face contact in a group of not more than eight persons in segments lasting no less than one continuous hour.

(4)Notwithstanding paragraph (3), an intern working in a governmental entity, a school, a college, or a university, or an institution that is both nonprofit and charitable, may obtain the required weekly direct supervisor contact via two-way, real-time videoconferencing. The supervisor shall be responsible for ensuring that client confidentiality is upheld.

(h)This section shall become operative on January 1, 2016.

(a)Board, as used in this chapter, means the Board of Behavioral Sciences.

(b)Intern, as used in this chapter, means an unlicensed person who has earned his or her masters or doctors degree qualifying him or her for licensure and is registered with the board.

(c)Trainee, as used in this chapter, means an unlicensed person who is currently enrolled in a masters or doctors degree program, as specified in Sections 4980.36 and 4980.37, that is designed to qualify him or her for licensure under this chapter, and who has completed no less than 12 semester units or 18 quarter units of coursework in any qualifying degree program.

(d)Applicant, as used in this chapter, means an unlicensed person who has completed a masters or doctoral degree program, as specified in Sections 4980.36 and 4980.37, and whose application for registration as an intern is pending, or an unlicensed person who has completed the requirements for licensure as specified in this chapter, is no longer registered with the board as an intern, and is currently in the examination process.

(e)Advertise, as used in this chapter, includes, but is not limited to, any public communication, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 651, the issuance of any card, sign, or device to any person, or the causing, permitting, or allowing of any sign or marking on, or in, any building or structure, or in any newspaper or magazine or in any directory, or any printed matter whatsoever, with or without any limiting qualification. Signs within religious buildings or notices in church bulletins mailed to a congregation shall not be construed as advertising within the meaning of this chapter.

(f)Experience, as used in this chapter, means experience in interpersonal relationships, psychotherapy, marriage and family therapy, direct counseling, and nonclinical practice that satisfies the requirements for licensure as a marriage and family therapist pursuant to Section 4980.40.

(g)Supervisor, as used in this chapter, means an individual who meets all of the following requirements:

(1)Has been licensed by a state regulatory agency for at least two years as a marriage and family therapist, licensed clinical social worker, licensed professional clinical counselor, licensed psychologist, or licensed physician certified in psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

(2)If a licensed professional clinical counselor, the individual shall meet the additional training and education requirements specified in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 4999.20.

(3)Has not provided therapeutic services to the trainee or intern.

(4)Has a current and valid license that is not under suspension or probation.

(5)Complies with supervision requirements established by this chapter and by board regulations.

(h)Client centered advocacy, as used in this chapter, includes, but is not limited to, researching, identifying, and accessing resources, or other activities, related to obtaining or providing services and supports for clients or groups of clients receiving psychotherapy or counseling services.

(a)Trainees performing services in any work setting specified in subdivision (e) of Section 4980.43 may perform those activities and services as a trainee, provided that the activities and services constitute part of the trainees supervised course of study and that the person is designated by the title trainee.

(b)Trainees subject to Section 4980.37 may gain hours of experience and counsel clients outside of the required practicum. This subdivision shall apply to hours of experience gained and client counseling provided on and after January 1, 2012.

(c)Trainees subject to Section 4980.36 may gain hours of experience outside of the required practicum but must be enrolled in a practicum course to counsel clients. Trainees subject to Section 4980.36 may counsel clients while not enrolled in a practicum course if the period of lapsed enrollment is less than 90 calendar days, and if that period is immediately preceded by enrollment in a practicum course and immediately followed by enrollment in a practicum course or completion of the degree program.

(d)All hours of experience gained pursuant to subdivisions (b) and (c) shall be subject to the other requirements of this chapter.

(e)All hours of experience gained as a trainee shall be coordinated between the school and the site where the hours are being accrued. The school shall approve each site and shall have a written agreement with each site that details each partys responsibilities, including the methods by which supervision shall be provided. The agreement shall provide for regular progress reports and evaluations of the students performance at the site. If an applicant has gained hours of experience while enrolled in an institution other than the one that confers the qualifying degree, it shall be the applicants responsibility to provide to the board satisfactory evidence that those hours of trainee experience were gained in compliance with this section.

(a)To qualify for licensure as specified in Section 4980.40, each applicant shall complete experience related to the practice of marriage and family therapy under a qualified supervisor. The experience shall comply with the following:

(1)A minimum of 3,000 hours of supervised experience completed during a period of at least 104 weeks.

(2)A maximum of 40 hours in any seven consecutive days.

(3)A minimum of 1,700 hours obtained after the qualifying masters or doctoral degree was awarded.

(4)A maximum of 1,300 hours obtained prior to the award date of the qualifying masters or doctoral degree.

(5)A maximum of 750 hours of counseling and direct supervisor contact prior to the award date of the qualifying masters or doctoral degree.

(6)No hours of experience may be gained prior to completing either 12 semester units or 18 quarter units of graduate instruction.

(7)No hours of experience may be gained more than six years prior to the date the application for examination eligibility was filed, except that up to 500 hours of clinical experience gained in the supervised practicum required by subdivision (c) of Section 4980.37 and subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of Section 4980.36 shall be exempt from this six-year requirement.

(8)A minimum of 1,750 hours of direct counseling with individuals, groups, couples, or families, that includes not less than 500 total hours of experience in diagnosing and treating couples, families, and children.

(9)A maximum of 1,250 hours of nonclinical practice, including direct supervisor contact, administering and evaluating psychological tests, writing clinical reports, writing progress or process notes, client-centered advocacy, and workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences directly related to marriage and family therapy that have been approved by the applicants supervisor.

(10)It is anticipated and encouraged that hours of experience will include working with elders and dependent adults who have physical or mental limitations that restrict their ability to carry out normal activities or protect their rights.

This subdivision shall only apply to hours gained on and after January 1, 2010.

(b)An individual who submits an application for examination eligibility between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2017, 2020, may alternately qualify under the experience requirements that were in place on January 1, 2015.

(c)All applicants, trainees, and registrants shall be at all times under the supervision of a supervisor who shall be responsible for ensuring that the extent, kind, and quality of counseling performed is consistent with the training and experience of the person being supervised, and who shall be responsible to the board for compliance with all laws, rules, and regulations governing the practice of marriage and family therapy. Supervised experience shall be gained by interns and trainees only as an employee or as a volunteer. The requirements of this chapter regarding gaining hours of experience and supervision are applicable equally to employees and volunteers. Experience shall not be gained by interns or trainees as an independent contractor.

(1)If employed, an intern shall provide the board with copies of the corresponding W-2 tax forms for each year of experience claimed upon application for licensure.

(2)If volunteering, an intern shall provide the board with a letter from his or her employer verifying the interns employment as a volunteer upon application for licensure.

(d)Except for experience gained by attending workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences as described in paragraph (9) of subdivision (a), supervision shall include at least one hour of direct supervisor contact in each week for which experience is credited in each work setting, as specified:

(1)A trainee shall receive an average of at least one hour of direct supervisor contact for every five hours of client contact in each setting. No more than six hours of supervision, whether individual or group, shall be credited during any single week.

(2)An individual supervised after being granted a qualifying degree shall receive at least one additional hour of direct supervisor contact for every week in which more than 10 hours of client contact is gained in each setting. No more than six hours of supervision, whether individual or group, shall be credited during any single week.

(3)For purposes of this section, one hour of direct supervisor contact means one hour per week of face-to-face contact on an individual basis or two hours per week of face-to-face contact in a group.

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

(5)Direct supervisor contact provided in a group shall be provided in a group of not more than eight supervisees and in segments lasting no less than one continuous hour.

(6)Notwithstanding paragraph (3), an intern working in a governmental entity, a school, a college, or a university, or an institution that is both nonprofit and charitable may obtain the required weekly direct supervisor contact via two-way, real-time videoconferencing. The supervisor shall be responsible for ensuring that client confidentiality is upheld.

(7)All experience gained by a trainee shall be monitored by the supervisor as specified by regulation.

(8)The six hours of supervision that may be credited during any single week pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2) shall apply to supervision hours gained on or after January 1, 2009.

(e)(1)A trainee may be credited with supervised experience completed in any setting that meets all of the following:

(A)Lawfully and regularly provides mental health counseling or psychotherapy.

(B)Provides oversight to ensure that the trainees work at the setting meets the experience and supervision requirements set forth in this chapter and is within the scope of practice for the profession as defined in Section 4980.02.

(C)Is not a private practice owned by a licensed marriage and family therapist, a licensed professional clinical counselor, a licensed psychologist, a licensed clinical social worker, a licensed physician and surgeon, or a professional corporation of any of those licensed professions.

(2)Experience may be gained by the trainee solely as part of the position for which the trainee volunteers or is employed.

(f)(1)An intern may be credited with supervised experience completed in any setting that meets both of the following:

(A)Lawfully and regularly provides mental health counseling or psychotherapy.

(B)Provides oversight to ensure that the interns work at the setting meets the experience and supervision requirements set forth in this chapter and is within the scope of practice for the profession as defined in Section 4980.02.

(2)An applicant shall not be employed or volunteer in a private practice, as defined in subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (e), until registered as an intern.

(3)While an intern may be either a paid employee or a volunteer, employers are encouraged to provide fair remuneration to interns.

(4)Except for periods of time during a supervisors vacation or sick leave, an intern who is employed or volunteering in private practice shall be under the direct supervision of a licensee that has satisfied the requirements of subdivision (g) of Section 4980.03. The supervising licensee shall either be employed by and practice at the same site as the interns employer, or shall be an owner or shareholder of the private practice. Alternative supervision may be arranged during a supervisors vacation or sick leave if the supervision meets the requirements of this section.

(5)Experience may be gained by the intern solely as part of the position for which the intern volunteers or is employed.

(g)Except as provided in subdivision (h), all persons shall register with the board as an intern in order to be credited for postdegree hours of supervised experience gained toward licensure.

(h)Except when employed in a private practice setting, all postdegree hours of experience shall be credited toward licensure so long as the applicant applies for the intern registration within 90 days of the granting of the qualifying masters or doctoral degree and is thereafter granted the intern registration by the board.

(i)Trainees, interns, and applicants shall not receive any remuneration from patients or clients, and shall only be paid by their employers.

(j)Trainees, interns, and applicants shall only perform services at the place where their employers regularly conduct business, which may include performing services at other locations, so long as the services are performed under the direction and control of their employer and supervisor, and in compliance with the laws and regulations pertaining to supervision. Trainees and interns shall have no proprietary interest in their employers businesses and shall not lease or rent space, pay for furnishings, equipment, or supplies, or in any other way pay for the obligations of their employers.

(k)Trainees, interns, or applicants who provide volunteered services or other services, and who receive no more than a total, from all work settings, of five hundred dollars ($500) per month as reimbursement for expenses actually incurred by those trainees, interns, or applicants for services rendered in any lawful work setting other than a private practice shall be considered an employee and not an independent contractor. The board may audit applicants who receive reimbursement for expenses, and the applicants shall have the burden of demonstrating that the payments received were for reimbursement of expenses actually incurred.

(l)Each educational institution preparing applicants for licensure pursuant to this chapter shall consider requiring, and shall encourage, its students to undergo individual, marital or conjoint, family, or group counseling or psychotherapy, as appropriate. Each supervisor shall consider, advise, and encourage his or her interns and trainees regarding the advisability of undertaking individual, marital or conjoint, family, or group counseling or psychotherapy, as appropriate. Insofar as it is deemed appropriate and is desired by the applicant, the educational institution and supervisors are encouraged to assist the applicant in locating that counseling or psychotherapy at a reasonable cost.

An unlicensed marriage and family therapist intern employed under this chapter shall comply with the following requirements:

(a)Possess, at a minimum, a masters degree as specified in Section 4980.36 or 4980.37, as applicable.

(b)Register with the board prior to performing any duties, except as otherwise provided in subdivision (h) of Section 4980.43.

(c)Prior to performing any professional services, inform each client or patient that he or she is an unlicensed marriage and family therapist registered intern, provide his or her registration number and the name of his or her employer, and indicate whether he or she is under the supervision of a licensed marriage and family therapist, licensed clinical social worker, licensed professional clinical counselor, licensed psychologist, or a licensed physician and surgeon certified in psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

(d)(1)Any advertisement by or on behalf of a marriage and family therapist registered intern shall include, at a minimum, all of the following information:

(A)That he or she is a marriage and family therapist registered intern.

(B)The interns registration number.

(C)The name of his or her employer.

(D)That he or she is supervised by a licensed person.

(2)The abbreviation MFTI shall not be used in an advertisement unless the title marriage and family therapist registered intern appears in the advertisement.

(a)To qualify for licensure as specified in Section 4996.2, each applicant shall complete 3,200 hours of post-masters degree experience related to the practice of clinical social work, under a qualified supervisor. The experience shall comply with the following:

(1)At least 1,700 hours shall be gained under the supervision of a licensed clinical social worker. The remaining required supervised experience may be gained under the supervision of a licensed mental health professional acceptable to the board as defined by a regulation adopted by the board.

(2)A minimum of 2,000 hours in clinical psychosocial diagnosis, assessment, and treatment, including psychotherapy or counseling.

(3)A maximum of 1,200 hours in client-centered advocacy, consultation, evaluation, research, direct supervisor contact, and workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences directly related to clinical social work that have been approved by the applicants supervisor.

(4)Of the 2,000 clinical hours required in paragraph (2), no less than 750 hours shall be face-to-face individual or group psychotherapy provided to clients in the context of clinical social work services.

(5)A minimum of two years of supervised experience is required to be obtained over a period of not less than 104 weeks and shall have been gained within the six years immediately preceding the date on which the application for licensure was filed.

(6)Experience shall not be credited for more than 40 hours in any week.

(b)An individual who submits an application for examination eligibility between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2017, 2020, may alternately qualify under the experience requirements that were in place on January 1, 2015.

(c)Supervision means responsibility for, and control of, the quality of clinical social work services being provided. Consultation or peer discussion shall not be considered to be supervision.

(d)(1)Prior to the commencement of supervision, a supervisor shall comply with all requirements enumerated in Section 1870 of Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations and shall sign under penalty of perjury the Responsibility Statement for Supervisors of an Associate Clinical Social Worker form.

(2)Supervised experience shall include at least one hour of direct supervisor contact for a minimum of 104 weeks. For purposes of this subdivision, one hour of direct supervisor contact means one hour per week of face-to-face contact on an individual basis or two hours of face-to-face contact in a group conducted within the same week as the hours claimed.

(3)An associate shall receive at least one additional hour of direct supervisor contact for every week in which more than 10 hours of face-to-face psychotherapy is performed in each setting in which experience is gained. No more than six hours of supervision, whether individual or group, shall be credited during any single week.

(4)Supervision shall include at least one hour of direct supervisor contact during each week for which experience is gained in each work setting. Supervision is not required for experience gained attending workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences as described in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a).

(5)The six hours of supervision that may be credited during any single week pursuant to paragraph (3) shall apply only to supervision hours gained on or after January 1, 2010.

(6)Group supervision shall be provided in a group of not more than eight supervisees and shall be provided in segments lasting no less than one continuous hour.

(7)Of the 104 weeks of required supervision, 52 weeks shall be individual supervision, and of the 52 weeks of required individual supervision, not less than 13 weeks shall be supervised by a licensed clinical social worker.

(8)Notwithstanding paragraph (2), an associate clinical social worker working for a governmental entity, school, college, or university, or an institution that is both a nonprofit and charitable institution, may obtain the required weekly direct supervisor contact via live two-way videoconferencing. The supervisor shall be responsible for ensuring that client confidentiality is preserved.

(e)The supervisor and the associate shall develop a supervisory plan that describes the goals and objectives of supervision. These goals shall include the ongoing assessment of strengths and limitations and the assurance of practice in accordance with the laws and regulations. The associate shall submit to the board the initial original supervisory plan upon application for licensure.

(f)Experience shall only be gained in a setting that meets both of the following:

(1)Lawfully and regularly provides clinical social work, mental health counseling, or psychotherapy.

(2)Provides oversight to ensure that the associates work at the setting meets the experience and supervision requirements set forth in this chapter and is within the scope of practice for the profession as defined in Section 4996.9.

(g)Experience shall not be gained until the applicant has been registered as an associate clinical social worker.

(h)Employment in a private practice as defined in subdivision (i) shall not commence until the applicant has been registered as an associate clinical social worker.

(i)A private practice setting is a setting that is owned by a licensed clinical social worker, a licensed marriage and family therapist, a licensed psychologist, a licensed professional clinical counselor, a licensed physician and surgeon, or a professional corporation of any of those licensed professions.

(j)If volunteering, the associate shall provide the board with a letter from his or her employer verifying his or her voluntary status upon application for licensure.

(k)If employed, the associate shall provide the board with copies of his or her W-2 tax forms for each year of experience claimed upon application for licensure.

(l)While an associate may be either a paid employee or volunteer, employers are encouraged to provide fair remuneration to associates.

(m)An associate shall not do the following:

(1)Receive any remuneration from patients or clients and shall only be paid by his or her employer.

(2)Have any proprietary interest in the employers business.

(3)Lease or rent space, pay for furnishings, equipment, or supplies, or in any other way pay for the obligations of his or her employer.

(n)An associate, whether employed or volunteering, may obtain supervision from a person not employed by the associates employer if that person has signed a written agreement with the employer to take supervisory responsibility for the associates social work services.

(o)Notwithstanding any other provision of law, associates and applicants for examination shall receive a minimum of one hour of supervision per week for each setting in which he or she is working.

(a)To qualify for licensure as specified in Section 4999.50, applicants shall complete experience related to the practice of professional clinical counseling under a qualified supervisor. The experience shall comply with the following:

(1)A minimum of 3,000 postdegree hours of supervised experience performed over a period of not less than two years (104 weeks).

(2)Not more than 40 hours in any seven consecutive days.

(3)Not less than 1,750 hours of direct counseling with individuals, groups, couples, or families in a setting described in Section 4999.44 using a variety of psychotherapeutic techniques and recognized counseling interventions within the scope of practice of licensed professional clinical counselors.

(4)Not less than 150 hours of clinical experience in a hospital or community mental health setting, as defined in Section 1820 of Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations.

(5)A maximum of 1,250 hours of nonclinical practice, including direct supervisor contact, administering and evaluating psychological tests, writing clinical reports, writing progress or process notes, client-centered advocacy, and workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences directly related to professional clinical counseling that have been approved by the applicants supervisor.

(b)An individual who submits an application for examination eligibility between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2017, 2020, may alternately qualify under the experience requirements that were in place on January 1, 2015.

(c)No hours of clinical mental health experience may be gained more than six years prior to the date the application for examination eligibility was filed.

(d)An applicant shall register with the board as an intern in order to be credited for postdegree hours of experience toward licensure. Postdegree hours of experience shall be credited toward licensure, provided that the applicant applies for intern registration within 90 days of the granting of the qualifying degree and is registered as an intern by the board.

(e)All applicants and interns shall be at all times under the supervision of a supervisor who shall be responsible for ensuring that the extent, kind, and quality of counseling performed is consistent with the training and experience of the person being supervised, and who shall be responsible to the board for compliance with all laws, rules, and regulations governing the practice of professional clinical counseling.

(f)Experience obtained under the supervision of a spouse or relative by blood or marriage shall not be credited toward the required hours of supervised experience. Experience obtained under the supervision of a supervisor with whom the applicant has had or currently has a personal, professional, or business relationship that undermines the authority or effectiveness of the supervision shall not be credited toward the required hours of supervised experience.

(g)Except for experience gained by attending workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences as described in paragraph (5) of subdivision (a), supervision shall include at least one hour of direct supervisor contact in each week for which experience is credited in each work setting.

(1)No more than six hours of supervision, whether individual or group, shall be credited during any single week. This paragraph shall apply to supervision hours gained on or after January 1, 2009.

(2)An intern shall receive at least one additional hour of direct supervisor contact for every week in which more than 10 hours of face-to-face psychotherapy is performed in each setting in which experience is gained.

(3)For purposes of this section, one hour of direct supervisor contact means one hour of face-to-face contact on an individual basis or two hours of face-to-face contact in a group of not more than eight persons in segments lasting no less than one continuous hour.

(4)Notwithstanding paragraph (3), an intern working in a governmental entity, a school, a college, or a university, or an institution that is both nonprofit and charitable, may obtain the required weekly direct supervisor contact via two-way, real-time videoconferencing. The supervisor shall be responsible for ensuring that client confidentiality is upheld.

(h)This section shall become operative on January 1, 2016.

(a)Board, as used in this chapter, means the Board of Behavioral Sciences.

(b)Intern, as used in this chapter, means an unlicensed person who has earned his or her masters or doctors degree qualifying him or her for licensure and is registered with the board.

(c)Trainee, as used in this chapter, means an unlicensed person who is currently enrolled in a masters or doctors degree program, as specified in Sections 4980.36 and 4980.37, that is designed to qualify him or her for licensure under this chapter, and who has completed no less than 12 semester units or 18 quarter units of coursework in any qualifying degree program.

(d)Applicant, as used in this chapter, means an unlicensed person who has completed a masters or doctoral degree program, as specified in Sections 4980.36 and 4980.37, and whose application for registration as an intern is pending, or an unlicensed person who has completed the requirements for licensure as specified in this chapter, is no longer registered with the board as an intern, and is currently in the examination process.

(e)Advertise, as used in this chapter, includes, but is not limited to, any public communication, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 651, the issuance of any card, sign, or device to any person, or the causing, permitting, or allowing of any sign or marking on, or in, any building or structure, or in any newspaper or magazine or in any directory, or any printed matter whatsoever, with or without any limiting qualification. Signs within religious buildings or notices in church bulletins mailed to a congregation shall not be construed as advertising within the meaning of this chapter.

(f)Experience, as used in this chapter, means experience in interpersonal relationships, psychotherapy, marriage and family therapy, and professional enrichment activities direct counseling, and nonclinical practice that satisfies the requirement requirements for licensure as a marriage and family therapist pursuant to Section 4980.40.

(g)Supervisor, as used in this chapter, means an individual who meets all of the following requirements:

(1)Has been licensed by a state regulatory agency for at least two years as a marriage and family therapist, licensed clinical social worker, licensed professional clinical counselor, licensed psychologist, or licensed physician certified in psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

(2)If a licensed professional clinical counselor, the individual shall meet the additional training and education requirements specified in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 4999.20.

(3)Has not provided therapeutic services to the trainee or intern.

(4)Has a current and valid license that is not under suspension or probation.

(5)Complies with supervision requirements established by this chapter and by board regulations.

(h)Client centered advocacy, as used in this chapter, includes, but is not limited to, researching, identifying, and accessing resources, or other activities, related to obtaining or providing services and supports for clients or groups of clients receiving psychotherapy or counseling services.

(a)Trainees performing services in any work setting specified in subdivision (d) (e) of Section 4980.43 may perform those activities and services as a trainee, provided that the activities and services constitute part of the trainees supervised course of study and that the person is designated by the title trainee.

(b)Trainees subject to Section 4980.37 may gain hours of experience and counsel clients outside of the required practicum. This subdivision shall apply to hours of experience gained and client counseling provided on and after January 1, 2012.

(c)Trainees subject to Section 4980.36 may gain hours of experience outside of the required practicum but must be enrolled in a practicum course to counsel clients. Trainees subject to Section 4980.36 may counsel clients while not enrolled in a practicum course if the period of lapsed enrollment is less than 90 calendar days, and if that period is immediately preceded by enrollment in a practicum course and immediately followed by enrollment in a practicum course or completion of the degree program.

(d)All hours of experience gained pursuant to subdivisions (b) and (c) shall be subject to the other requirements of this chapter.

(e)All hours of experience gained as a trainee shall be coordinated between the school and the site where the hours are being accrued. The school shall approve each site and shall have a written agreement with each site that details each partys responsibilities, including the methods by which supervision shall be provided. The agreement shall provide for regular progress reports and evaluations of the students performance at the site. If an applicant has gained hours of experience while enrolled in an institution other than the one that confers the qualifying degree, it shall be the applicants responsibility to provide to the board satisfactory evidence that those hours of trainee experience were gained in compliance with this section.

(a)Prior to applying To qualify for licensure examinations, as specified in Section 4980.40, each applicant shall complete experience that related to the practice of marriage and family therapy under a qualified supervisor. The experience shall comply with the following:

(1)A minimum of 3,000 hours of supervised experience completed during a period of at least 104 weeks.

(2)Not more than A maximum of 40 hours in any seven consecutive days.

(3)Not less than A minimum of 1,700 hours of supervised experience completed subsequent to the granting of obtained after the qualifying masters or doctoral degree. degree was awarded.

(4)Not more than A maximum of 1,300 hours of supervised experience obtained prior to completing a the award date of the qualifying masters or doctoral degree.

(5)A maximum of 750 hours of counseling and direct supervisor contact prior to completing the award date of the qualifying masters or doctoral degree.

(6)No hours of experience may be gained prior to completing either 12 semester units or 18 quarter units of graduate instruction and becoming a trainee except for personal psychotherapy instruction.

(7)No hours of experience may be gained more than six years prior to the date the application for examination eligibility was filed, except that up to 500 hours of clinical experience gained in the supervised practicum required by subdivision (c) of Section 4980.37 and subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of Section 4980.36 shall be exempt from this six-year requirement.

(8)A minimum of 1,750 hours of direct counseling with individuals, groups, couples, or families, that includes not less than 500 total hours of experience in diagnosing and treating couples, families, and children. For up to 150 hours of treating couples and families in conjoint therapy, the applicant shall be credited with two hours of experience for each hour of therapy provided.

(10)It is anticipated and encouraged that hours of experience will include working with elders and dependent adults who have physical or mental limitations that restrict their ability to carry out normal activities or protect their rights.

This subdivision shall only apply to hours gained on and after January 1, 2010.

(c)All applicants, trainees, and registrants shall be at all times under the supervision of a supervisor who shall be responsible for ensuring that the extent, kind, and quality of counseling performed is consistent with the training and experience of the person being supervised, and who shall be responsible to the board for compliance with all laws, rules, and regulations governing the practice of marriage and family therapy. Supervised experience shall be gained by interns and trainees only as an employee or as a volunteer. The requirements of this chapter regarding gaining hours of experience and supervision are applicable equally to employees and volunteers. Experience shall not be gained by interns or trainees as an independent contractor.

(1)If employed, an intern shall provide the board with copies of the corresponding W-2 tax forms for each year of experience claimed upon application for licensure.

(2)If volunteering, an intern shall provide the board with a letter from his or her employer verifying the interns employment as a volunteer upon application for licensure.

(d)Except for experience gained pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (7) of subdivision (a), by attending workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences as described in paragraph (9) of subdivision (a), supervision shall include at least one hour of direct supervisor contact in each week for which experience is credited in each work setting, as specified:

(1)A trainee shall receive an average of at least one hour of direct supervisor contact for every five hours of client contact in each setting. No more than six hours of supervision, whether individual or group, shall be credited during any single week.

(2)An individual supervised after being granted a qualifying degree shall receive at least one additional hour of direct supervisor contact for every week in which more than 10 hours of client contact is gained in each setting. No more than six hours of supervision, whether individual or group, shall be credited during any single week.

(3)For purposes of this section, one hour of direct supervisor contact means one hour per week of face-to-face contact on an individual basis or two hours per week of face-to-face contact in a group.

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

(5)Direct supervisor contact provided in a group shall be provided in a group of not more than eight supervisees and in segments lasting no less than one continuous hour.

(6)Notwithstanding paragraph (3), an intern working in a governmental entity, a school, a college, or a university, or an institution that is both nonprofit and charitable may obtain the required weekly direct supervisor contact via two-way, real-time videoconferencing. The supervisor shall be responsible for ensuring that client confidentiality is upheld.

(7)All experience gained by a trainee shall be monitored by the supervisor as specified by regulation.

(8)The six hours of supervision that may be credited during any single week pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2) shall apply to supervision hours gained on or after January 1, 2009.

(e)(1)A trainee may be credited with supervised experience completed in any setting that meets all of the following:

(A)Lawfully and regularly provides mental health counseling or psychotherapy.

(B)Provides oversight to ensure that the trainees work at the setting meets the experience and supervision requirements set forth in this chapter and is within the scope of practice for the profession as defined in Section 4980.02.

(C)Is not a private practice owned by a licensed marriage and family therapist, a licensed professional clinical counselor, a licensed psychologist, a licensed clinical social worker, a licensed physician and surgeon, or a professional corporation of any of those licensed professions.

(2)Experience may be gained by the trainee solely as part of the position for which the trainee volunteers or is employed.

(f)(1)An intern may be credited with supervised experience completed in any setting that meets both of the following:

(A)Lawfully and regularly provides mental health counseling or psychotherapy.

(B)Provides oversight to ensure that the interns work at the setting meets the experience and supervision requirements set forth in this chapter and is within the scope of practice for the profession as defined in Section 4980.02.

(2)An applicant shall not be employed or volunteer in a private practice, as defined in subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (d), (e), until registered as an intern.

(3)While an intern may be either a paid employee or a volunteer, employers are encouraged to provide fair remuneration to interns.

(4)Except for periods of time during a supervisors vacation or sick leave, an intern who is employed or volunteering in private practice shall be under the direct supervision of a licensee that has satisfied the requirements of subdivision (g) of Section 4980.03. The supervising licensee shall either be employed by and practice at the same site as the interns employer, or shall be an owner or shareholder of the private practice. Alternative supervision may be arranged during a supervisors vacation or sick leave if the supervision meets the requirements of this section.

(5)Experience may be gained by the intern solely as part of the position for which the intern volunteers or is employed.

(g)Except as provided in subdivision (g), (h), all persons shall register with the board as an intern in order to be credited for postdegree hours of supervised experience gained toward licensure.

(h)Except when employed in a private practice setting, all postdegree hours of experience shall be credited toward licensure so long as the applicant applies for the intern registration within 90 days of the granting of the qualifying masters or doctoral degree and is thereafter granted the intern registration by the board.

(i)Trainees, interns, and applicants shall not receive any remuneration from patients or clients, and shall only be paid by their employers.

(j)Trainees, interns, and applicants shall only perform services at the place where their employers regularly conduct business, which may include performing services at other locations, so long as the services are performed under the direction and control of their employer and supervisor, and in compliance with the laws and regulations pertaining to supervision. Trainees and interns shall have no proprietary interest in their employers businesses and shall not lease or rent space, pay for furnishings, equipment, or supplies, or in any other way pay for the obligations of their employers.

(k)Trainees, interns, or applicants who provide volunteered services or other services, and who receive no more than a total, from all work settings, of five hundred dollars ($500) per month as reimbursement for expenses actually incurred by those trainees, interns, or applicants for services rendered in any lawful work setting other than a private practice shall be considered an employee and not an independent contractor. The board may audit applicants who receive reimbursement for expenses, and the applicants shall have the burden of demonstrating that the payments received were for reimbursement of expenses actually incurred.

(l)Each educational institution preparing applicants for licensure pursuant to this chapter shall consider requiring, and shall encourage, its students to undergo individual, marital or conjoint, family, or group counseling or psychotherapy, as appropriate. Each supervisor shall consider, advise, and encourage his or her interns and trainees regarding the advisability of undertaking individual, marital or conjoint, family, or group counseling or psychotherapy, as appropriate. Insofar as it is deemed appropriate and is desired by the applicant, the educational institution and supervisors are encouraged to assist the applicant in locating that counseling or psychotherapy at a reasonable cost.

An unlicensed marriage and family therapist intern employed under this chapter shall comply with the following requirements:

(a)Possess, at a minimum, a masters degree as specified in Section 4980.36 or 4980.37, as applicable.

(b)Register with the board prior to performing any duties, except as otherwise provided in subdivision (g) (h) of Section 4980.43.

(c)Prior to performing any professional services, inform each client or patient that he or she is an unlicensed marriage and family therapist registered intern, provide his or her registration number and the name of his or her employer, and indicate whether he or she is under the supervision of a licensed marriage and family therapist, licensed clinical social worker, licensed professional clinical counselor, licensed psychologist, or a licensed physician and surgeon certified in psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

(d)(1)Any advertisement by or on behalf of a marriage and family therapist registered intern shall include, at a minimum, all of the following information:

(A)That he or she is a marriage and family therapist registered intern.

(B)The interns registration number.

(C)The name of his or her employer.

(D)That he or she is supervised by a licensed person.

(2)The abbreviation MFTI shall not be used in an advertisement unless the title marriage and family therapist registered intern appears in the advertisement.

(a)To qualify for licensure as specified in Section 4996.2, each applicant shall complete 3,200 hours of post-masters degree experience related to the practice of clinical social work, under a qualified supervisor. The experience shall comply with the following:

(1)At least 1,700 hours shall be gained under the supervision of a licensed clinical social worker. The remaining required supervised experience may be gained under the supervision of a licensed mental health professional acceptable to the board as defined by a regulation adopted by the board. This experience shall consist of the following:

(2)A minimum of 2,000 hours in clinical psychosocial diagnosis, assessment, and treatment, including psychotherapy or counseling.

(3)A maximum of 1,200 hours in client-centered advocacy, consultation, evaluation, and research. research, direct supervisor contact, and workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences directly related to clinical social work that have been approved by the applicants supervisor.

(4)Of the 2,000 clinical hours required in paragraph (1), (2), no less than 750 hours shall be face-to-face individual or group psychotherapy provided to clients in the context of clinical social work services.

(5)A minimum of two years of supervised experience is required to be obtained over a period of not less than 104 weeks and shall have been gained within the six years immediately preceding the date on which the application for licensure was filed.

(6)Experience shall not be credited for more than 40 hours in any week.

(c)Supervision means responsibility for, and control of, the quality of clinical social work services being provided. Consultation or peer discussion shall not be considered to be supervision.

(d)(1)Prior to the commencement of supervision, a supervisor shall comply with all requirements enumerated in Section 1870 of Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations and shall sign under penalty of perjury the Responsibility Statement for Supervisors of an Associate Clinical Social Worker form.

(2)Supervised experience shall include at least one hour of direct supervisor contact for a minimum of 104 weeks. For purposes of this subdivision, one hour of direct supervisor contact means one hour per week of face-to-face contact on an individual basis or two hours of face-to-face contact in a group conducted within the same week as the hours claimed.

(3)An associate shall receive at least one additional hour of direct supervisor contact for every week in which more than 10 hours of face-to-face psychotherapy is performed in each setting in which experience is gained. No more than five six hours of supervision, whether individual or group, shall be credited during any single week.

(6)Group supervision shall be provided in a group of not more than eight supervisees and shall be provided in segments lasting no less than one continuous hour.

(7)Of the 104 weeks of required supervision, 52 weeks shall be individual supervision, and of the 52 weeks of required individual supervision, not less than 13 weeks shall be supervised by a licensed clinical social worker.

(8)Notwithstanding paragraph (2), an associate clinical social worker working for a governmental entity, school, college, or university, or an institution that is both a nonprofit and charitable institution, may obtain the required weekly direct supervisor contact via live two-way videoconferencing. The supervisor shall be responsible for ensuring that client confidentiality is preserved.

(e)The supervisor and the associate shall develop a supervisory plan that describes the goals and objectives of supervision. These goals shall include the ongoing assessment of strengths and limitations and the assurance of practice in accordance with the laws and regulations. The associate shall submit to the board the initial original supervisory plan upon application for licensure.

(f)Experience shall only be gained in a setting that meets both of the following:

(1)Lawfully and regularly provides clinical social work, mental health counseling, or psychotherapy.

(2)Provides oversight to ensure that the associates work at the setting meets the experience and supervision requirements set forth in this chapter and is within the scope of practice for the profession as defined in Section 4996.9.

(g)Experience shall not be gained until the applicant has been registered as an associate clinical social worker.

(h)Employment in a private practice as defined in subdivision (h) (i) shall not commence until the applicant has been registered as an associate clinical social worker.

(i)A private practice setting is a setting that is owned by a licensed clinical social worker, a licensed marriage and family therapist, a licensed psychologist, a licensed professional clinical counselor, a licensed physician and surgeon, or a professional corporation of any of those licensed professions.

(j)If volunteering, the associate shall provide the board with a letter from his or her employer verifying his or her voluntary status upon application for licensure.

(k)If employed, the associate shall provide the board with copies of his or her W-2 tax forms for each year of experience claimed upon application for licensure.

(l)While an associate may be either a paid employee or volunteer, employers are encouraged to provide fair remuneration to associates.

(m)An associate shall not do the following:

(1)Receive any remuneration from patients or clients and shall only be paid by his or her employer.

(2)Have any proprietary interest in the employers business.

(3)Lease or rent space, pay for furnishings, equipment, or supplies, or in any other way pay for the obligations of his or her employer.

(n)An associate, whether employed or volunteering, may obtain supervision from a person not employed by the associates employer if that person has signed a written agreement with the employer to take supervisory responsibility for the associates social work services.

(o)Notwithstanding any other provision of law, associates and applicants for examination shall receive a minimum of one hour of supervision per week for each setting in which he or she is working.

(a)To qualify for the licensure examination as specified by paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 4999.53, in Section 4999.50, applicants shall complete clinical mental health experience related to the practice of professional clinical counseling under the general supervision of an approved supervisor as defined in Section 4999.12. a qualified supervisor. The experience shall comply with the following:

(1)A minimum of 3,000 postdegree hours of supervised clinical mental health experience related to the practice of professional clinical counseling, performed over a period of not less than two years (104 weeks), which shall include: weeks).

(2)Not more than 40 hours in any seven consecutive days.

(3)Not less than 1,750 hours of direct counseling with individuals, groups, couples, or families in a setting described in Section 4999.44 using a variety of psychotherapeutic techniques and recognized counseling interventions within the scope of practice of licensed professional clinical counselors.

(4)Not less than 150 hours of clinical experience in a hospital or community mental health setting, as defined in Section 1820 of Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations.

(c)No hours of clinical mental health experience may be gained more than six years prior to the date the application for examination eligibility was filed.

(d)An applicant shall register with the board as an intern in order to be credited for postdegree hours of experience toward licensure. Postdegree hours of experience shall be credited toward licensure, provided that the applicant applies for intern registration within 90 days of the granting of the qualifying degree and is registered as an intern by the board.

(e)All applicants and interns shall be at all times under the supervision of a supervisor who shall be responsible for ensuring that the extent, kind, and quality of counseling performed is consistent with the training and experience of the person being supervised, and who shall be responsible to the board for compliance with all laws, rules, and regulations governing the practice of professional clinical counseling.

(f)Experience obtained under the supervision of a spouse or relative by blood or marriage shall not be credited toward the required hours of supervised experience. Experience obtained under the supervision of a supervisor with whom the applicant has had or currently has a personal, professional, or business relationship that undermines the authority or effectiveness of the supervision shall not be credited toward the required hours of supervised experience.

(g)Except for experience gained pursuant to subparagraph (D) of paragraph (6) of subdivision (b), by attending workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences as described in paragraph (5) of subdivision (a), supervision shall include at least one hour of direct supervisor contact in each week for which experience is credited in each work setting.

(1)No more than six hours of supervision, whether individual or group, shall be credited during any single week. This paragraph shall apply to supervision hours gained on or after January 1, 2009.

(2)An intern shall receive at least one additional hour of direct supervisor contact for every week in which more than 10 hours of face-to-face psychotherapy is performed in each setting in which experience is gained.

(3)For purposes of this section, one hour of direct supervisor contact means one hour of face-to-face contact on an individual basis or two hours of face-to-face contact in a group of not more than eight persons in segments lasting no less than one continuous hour.

(4)Notwithstanding paragraph (3), an intern working in a governmental entity, a school, a college, or a university, or an institution that is both nonprofit and charitable, may obtain the required weekly direct supervisor contact via two-way, real-time videoconferencing. The supervisor shall be responsible for ensuring that client confidentiality is upheld.

(h)This section shall become operative on January 1, 2016.