N.J. Admin. Code § 13:34-5.2

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 21, November 4, 2024

Section 13:34-5.2 - Contact hour requirement for licensed marriage and family therapists

(a) Through and including the biennial renewal period ending on June 30, 2020, a marriage and family therapist shall not be required to obtain continuing education contact hours during the period of initial licensure prior to the marriage and family therapist's first biennial renewal period, but shall be subject to the requirements of N.J.A.C. 13:34-5.1for all subsequent biennial renewal periods.

(b) A marriage and family therapist applying for licensure renewal shall have completed a minimum of 40 contact hours of continuing education directly related to the profession of marriage and family therapy during the biennial renewal period. At least 20 of the 40 contact hours of continuing education shall be obtained by a licensee through face-to-face instruction

(c) A marriage and family therapist shall complete at least five of the 40 contact hours of continuing education as required by N.J.A.C. 13:34-5.1in ethical and legal standards related to marriage and family therapy, regardless of the number of hours accrued during the biennial period.

(d) A marriage and family therapist shall complete at least three of the 40 contact hours of continuing education as required by N.J.A.C. 13:34-5.1in the subject area of social and cultural competence. For the purposes of this subsection, social and cultural competence includes, but is not limited to, an understanding of the cultural context of relationships; issues and trends in a diverse society related to such factors as culture, ethnicity, nationality, age, gender, sexual orientation, mental and physical characteristics, education, family values, religious and spiritual values, and socioeconomic status; and unique characteristics of individuals, couples, families, and ethnic groups and communities, including any of the following:

1. Multicultural and pluralistic trends, including characteristics and concerns between and within diverse groups nationally and internationally;

2. Attitudes, beliefs, understandings, and acculturative experiences, including specific experiential learning activities;

3. Individual, couple, family, group, and community strategies for working with diverse populations and ethnic groups;

4. Marriage and family therapists' roles in social justice, advocacy and conflict resolution, cultural self-awareness, the nature of biases, prejudices, process of intentional and unintentional oppression and discrimination and other culturally supported behaviors that are detrimental to the growth of the human spirit, mind or body;

5. Theories of multicultural counseling, theories of identity development and multicultural competencies; and

6. Ethical and legal considerations relating to issues of diversity.

(e) If a marriage and family therapist earns more than 40 contact hours of continuing education during a biennial period, the licensee may carry those extra hours, up to a maximum of 10 contact hours, into the next succeeding biennial period, as long as those contact hours were earned within the last six months of the biennial period.

(f) Commencing with the biennial renewal period beginning on December 1, 2018, at least one of the 40 contact hours of continuing education shall, pursuant to P.L. 2017, c. 341, be in educational programs or topics concerning prescription opioid drugs, including the risks and signs of opioid abuse, addiction, and diversion. This one credit shall not be eligible for carry-over as described in (e) above.

N.J. Admin. Code § 13:34-5.2

Amended by 49 N.J.R. 655(a), effective 4/3/2017

Amended by 52 N.J.R. 529(a), effective 3/16/2020