Section 25-23.6-8-2.7 - Examination; clinical experience requirement(a) For purposes of this section, "virtual supervision" means supervision of an applicant for a license as a marriage and family therapist by a qualified supervisor through an electronic platform that provides for synchronous visual and audio interaction in real time, and which is compliant with the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Virtual supervision does not include telephone calls, electronic mail, or text messages.(b) As used in this section, "first available examination" means the first examination: (1) after the date of an individual's: (B) moving into Indiana; that has an application deadline that is at least thirty (30) days after the date of graduation or the date of moving into Indiana, unless the individual chooses to meet a deadline that is less than thirty (30) days after either of those events; or(2) during the individual's last academic semester, trimester, or quarter, if the individual is eligible to take the exam pursuant to section 3 of this chapter.(c) An applicant for a license as a marriage and family therapist under section 1 of this chapter must have at least two (2) years of postdegree clinical experience, during which at least fifty percent (50%) of the applicant's clients were receiving marriage and family therapy services. The applicant's clinical experience must include one thousand (1,000) hours of postdegree clinical experience and two hundred (200) hours of postdegree clinical supervision, of which one hundred (100) hours must be individual supervision, under the supervision of a licensed marriage and family therapist who has at least five (5) years of experience or an equivalent supervisor, as determined by the board.(d) If an individual applies for, takes, and passes the first available examination, the individual may not count more than five hundred (500) hours of the postdegree clinical experience that is:(1) required under subsection (c); and(2) accumulated before taking the examination toward licensure as a marriage and family therapist.(e) If an individual does not pass the first available examination, the individual may: (1) retain the hours accumulated before taking the examination;(2) continue working; and(3) not accumulate any additional hours toward licensure as a marriage and family therapist until passing the examination.(f) If an individual does not take the first available examination, the individual may not begin accumulating any postdegree clinical experience hours toward licensure as a marriage and family therapist until the individual passes the examination.(g) When obtaining the clinical experience required under subsection (c), the applicant must provide direct individual, group, and family therapy and counseling to the following categories of cases: (1) Unmarried romantic relationships and relational systems.(3) Separating or divorcing couples.(4) Family systems and groupings, including children and minors.(h) A doctoral internship may be applied toward the supervised work experience requirement.(i) Except as provided in subsection (j), the experience requirement may be met by work performed at or away from the premises of the supervising marriage and family therapist.(j) Except as provided in subsection (k), the work requirement may not be performed away from the supervising marriage and family therapist's premises if: (1) the work is the independent private practice of marriage and family therapy; and(2) the work is not performed at a place that has the supervision of a licensed marriage and family therapist or an equivalent supervisor, as determined by the board.(k) Up to one hundred percent (100%) of the supervised postdegree clinical experience hours required under subsection (c) may be accounted for through virtual supervision by a licensed marriage and family therapist or equivalent supervisor described in subsection (c).Amended by P.L. 83-2024,SEC. 18, eff. 7/1/2024.Amended by P.L. 160-2018,SEC. 3, eff. 7/1/2018.Amended by P.L. 28-2012, SEC. 24, eff. 7/1/2012.As added by P.L. 147-1997, SEC.64. Amended by P.L. 197-2007, SEC.85; P.L. 134-2008, SEC.43; P.L. 177-2009, SEC.48.