7712.1This section shall apply to the following:
(a) Students enrolled in recognized schools or colleges as candidates for a degree in marriage and family therapy, or enrolled in a college course pertaining to marriage and family therapy;(b) Applicants for a license whose application for a license in the District of Columbia is pending; and(c) Graduates of a master or doctoral program meeting the requirement of § 7702.1 who are meeting the supervised clinical experience requirements of Section 7703.7712.2A student, graduate, or applicant described in § 7712.1 may perform actions which require a license as a marriage and family therapist only in accordance with the Act and this section.
7712.3A student, graduate, or applicant described in § 7712.1 may practice marriage and family therapy in the District under supervision of a marriage and family therapist licensed in the District who is an AAMFT-approved supervisor or a marriage and family therapist, a professional counselor, a clinical psychologist, a psychiatrist, or an independent clinical social worker licensed in the District of Columbia, provided that a supervisor who is not an AAMFT-approved supervisor shall first obtain the Board's approval for supervision.
7712.4A first-time applicant practicing marriage and family therapy pursuant to Subsection 7712.1(b) who fails the national examination administered by the Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards shall cease practicing marriage and family therapy under supervision until such time as a marriage and family therapy license is duly issued to that individual.
7712.5A supervisor of a student, graduate, or applicant practicing under this section shall be responsible for the actions performed or care provided by the supervisee during the time of the supervision and is subject to disciplinary action for any violation of the Act or this chapter by the supervisee.
7712.6A supervisor shall review and co-sign any documentation relating to the cases and the practice written or produced by the supervisee.
7712.7The Board may deny an application for a license from an applicant who is found to have violated the Act or this chapter.
7712.8An unlicensed marriage and family therapist shall identify himself or herself as such at all times when practicing marriage and family therapy and shall provide a professional disclosure statement, as determined by the Board, to all clients and other individuals involved in such practice.
7712.9An unlicensed marriage and family therapist shall not receive compensation of any nature as a marriage and family therapist, either directly or indirectly from a client, except for a salary from an employer based on hours worked under supervision.
7712.10A licensed marriage and family therapist, a licensed professional counselor, a licensed clinical psychologist, a licensed psychiatrist, or a licensed independent clinical social worker may be approved to provide supervision only under these terms:
(a) The supervisor shall have been licensed in good standing in the District of Columbia and shall have a minimum of five (5) years of clinical experience providing services to couples and families;(b) The supervisor shall not have been subject to a disciplinary action in any jurisdiction within the 5 years prior to the initiation of the supervision;(c) Except as provided in § 7712.12 and § 7712.13, prior to the initiation of the supervision, the supervisor shall have completed a minimum of 6 hours of board-approved supervision course(s), a minimum of three (3) hours of which shall be obtained in a live, interactive, in-person, face-to-face setting;(d) Once approved to provide supervision, a supervisor may continue to be approved as a supervisor in subsequent licensure period(s) if, during each renewal period, he or she completes a minimum of 6 hours of board-approved supervision course(s), at least three (3) hours of which shall be obtained in a live, interactive, in-person, face-to-face setting;(e) The supervisor shall not supervise more than five (5) individuals at any given time;(f) If not a licensed marriage and family therapist, the supervisor shall agree to comply with all the statutory and regulatory requirements governing the practice of marriage and family therapy and ensure that the supervisee receive adequate education, training, and mentoring to understand the legal and ethical obligations in the practice of marriage and family therapy; and7712.11A supervisor for supervised clinical experience shall provide supervision in accordance with § 7703.3 and shall comply with all supervision documentation as required by the Board.
7712.12A supervisor who has been approved by the Board during any licensure period may supervise additional students, graduates, or applicants under this section without having to submit a new request for approval, provided that he or she continues to meet the requirements of § 7712.10.
7712.13A supervisor approved by the Board during any licensure period may continue to be approved as supervisor for the next licensure period by submitting a request with an attestation or documentation as required by the Board.
7712.14A supervisor may not supervise an individual with whom he or she has a familial, social, or financial relationship that may create a conflict of interests.
7712.15A supervisor shall provide supervision, training, and mentoring as appropriate to the supervisee's level of competence and ability and shall periodically observe the supervisee's performance providing services to clients.
7712.16A supervisor shall:
(a) Establish a written contract for supervision initiated before beginning supervision;(b) Determine the skill level at which the supervisee may practice;(c) Focus on raw data from the supervisee's practice;(d) Maintain documentation of supervisory sessions for at least three (3) years, including dates, duration, and focus of the supervisory sessions;(e) Ensure that a supervisee has read and is knowledgeable about the District's laws and regulations governing the practice of marriage and family therapy;(f) Be responsible for the clinical professional practices of supervisees;(g) Provide for emergency supervision and direction to a supervisee by a Board-approved supervisor, in the event the supervisor is not available;(h) Provide a written evaluation of the supervisee's progress to the supervisee every 3 months;(i) Inform the Board in writing when there is any material change in the supervision or the supervisory relationship no later than ten (10) days following such a change; and(j) Provide a copy of the documentation of supervision:(1) On request, by the supervisee; or(2) On request, by the Board or its authorized agent.7712.17A supervisee shall:
(a) Verify, through the exercise of due diligence prior to the initiation of the supervision, that: (1) The supervisee's supervisor has been approved by the Board; and(2) There is a written contract for supervision;(b) Attend and participate in supervision as agreed in the written contract for supervision;(c) Prepare for supervision using case materials related to the supervisee's clinical counseling practice; and(d) Maintain documentation of supervisory sessions for at least three (3) years, including dates, duration, and focus of the supervision, to be available for verification to the Board, on request by the Board or its authorized agent.(e) Not engage in the practice of clinical marriage and family therapy independent of supervision.(f) Provide the client with a copy of a professional disclosure statement that:(1) Clearly states the counseling services are provided under clinical supervision; and(2) Provides the name of the supervisor with address and contact information;(g) Inform the Board in writing when there is any material change in the supervision or the supervisory relationship no later than ten (10) days following such a change; and(h) Obtain a signed release of information and informed consent for treatment form from the client which indicates that the client:(1) Is aware that counseling services are being provided under clinical supervision;(2) Consents to the recording of counseling sessions with the knowledge that the recording may be shared with and be limited to the supervisor; and(3) Consents to the sharing of client information between the unlicensed marriage and family therapist and the named clinical supervisor.7712.18The Board may, at its discretion, waive certain requirements of § 7703.3 and § 7712.11 where an applicant started his or her supervised clinical practice prior to June 30, 2014.
D.C. Mun. Regs. Tit. 17, § 7712
Final Rulemaking published at 53 DCR 7845 (September 29, 2006); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 54 DCR 8247 (August 24, 2007); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 61 DCR 1288 (February 14, 2014)Authority: Section 302(14) of the District of Columbia Health Occupations Revision Act of 1985 ("Act"), effective March 25, 1986 (D.C. Law 6-99; D.C. Official Code § 3-1203.02(14) (2012 Repl.)), and Mayor's Order 98-140, dated August 20, 1998.