California Association of Marriage and Family

Therapists

Your key to success June 2015

Who are we?

Largest state representative of the interests of marriage and family therapists- YOUR professional trade association

28 regional chapters

Over 31,000 members statewide ◦ Licensed clinical members ◦ Prelicensed members

Students Interns

What do we do?

Advocate for LMFTs and MFT students and interns

in Sacramento and DC

Provide educational resources

Provide networking opportunities

Promote professional development of LMFTs

They administer all your licensing exams

They grant your license

They establish all of your educational

requirements

They establish all your clinical experience requirements (trainee/internee)

They establish all your continuing educations requirements (LMFT)

They act as a regulatory and disciplinary body, with the authority to process legal and ethical claims against MFT interns and LMFTs.

We help you stay in compliance

with your profession’s licensure,

legal, and ethical requirements as

laid out by the BBS

We recommend improvements to

BBS procedures and decision-

making strategies,

We petition state and federal

legislators to pass laws for YOU!

The Benefits of Membership

Representation and Advocacy

Professional resources

Professional development

Free legal consultation

Networking

Marketing

Representation and Advocacy

Medi-Cal

Medicare

Additional BBS exam graders

SB 1012 and supervision

Veteran’s Affairs

Professional Resources

FREE student liability insurance

Subscription to The Therapist magazine

EBSCOhost

Online articles

CAMFT website www.camft.org

Job board

Clinical and Prelicensee member newsletters

‘Trackyourhours’ discount

Certified Supervisor Program

Professional development

Continuing Education (CEs) ◦ Legal/Ethical seminars

◦ Annual Conference

◦ Fall & Winter Workshops

◦ Fall Symposium

◦ Webinars

◦ Self-study

Certified Supervisor Program

Scholarships and Grants

Networking

Live Events

◦ Annual Conference

◦ CAMFT Connects

CAMFT Community online

Volunteer with CAMFT

◦ Committee service

◦ Chapter Board service

Legal Consultation

FREE unlimited access to CAMFT call center attorneys Advice on all legal, ethical, business related matters pertaining to practice

◦ Advertising ◦ Confidentiality ◦ Consent issues ◦ Dangerous Patients ◦ Ethics (including Dual Relationships) ◦ Insurance ◦ Interns ◦ Managed Care ◦ Record Keeping ◦ Reporting ◦ Scope of practice and scope of competance ◦ Supervision

Get Connected with YOUR local Chapter!

Get Connected with YOUR local Chapter!

Regular support groups, including: ◦ licensing exam preparation, ◦ how to evaluate internships, ◦ how to deal with problems related to being a trainee or intern

Networking opportunities Free mentor program for support and guidance ‘3000 Club’ Training and professional development Leadership opportunities on board of directors Access to local practicum/internship job directories Much more!

Marketing

Job board

Counseling California

Recap….Why Join as a Prelicensee?

FREE Student liability insurance

Scholarships

Access to educational materials and EBSCO research database

Certified Supervisor Program ‘Trackyourhours’ discount

Internship opportunities on our job board Mentorship and local support via chapter membership and ‘3000 Clubs’

Leadership opportunities: Become a voice for MFT student, trainee, and intern

issues!

BBS Changes to Licensure Requirements - 2016

Effective January 1, 2016 – New Exam Structure for MFT Applicants

All Interns will be required to take 2 exams: 1. The California Law and Ethics Exam (replaces Standard Written Exam)

2. The California Clinical Exam (replaces the Clinical Vignette Exam)

If an applicant has taken and passed the Standard Written Exam before January 1, 2016, he or she must only take and pass the new Clinical Exam ◦ No need to take the California Law and Ethics Exam!

The Exam Restructure 2016

The California Law and Ethics Exam

An intern must take the law and ethics exam at least once during a renewal period ◦ Note that in 2016, the exam must be attempted, not passed,

in order to renew the intern registration! After January 1, 2017, the exam must be passed every renewal period in order for the registration to be renewed.

If an intern does not pass the exam, he/she may retake it, but must wait 90 days before doing so

The Exam Restructure -2016

The California Law and Ethics Exam (cont.) If an intern does not pass the exam in a renewal period, the

intern must take a 12-hour CE course in CA law and ethics ◦ If you do not attempt the exam in a renewal period, or fail to take the 12

hour course if required, your registration will NOT be renewed

Effective January 1, 2017, interns cannot be issued a

subsequent intern registration without first passing the Law and Ethics Exam

The Exam Restructure 2016

The California Law and Ethics Exam (cont.)

6 Month Grace Period: If an intern’s renewal is between January 1, 2016 and June 30, 2016, the intern can wait until the next renewal period to take the Law and Ethics Exam

For those who do not have a registration (maybe working in an exempt setting that does not require registration, or not working at all) – must still take the law and ethics exam (unless have already passed the SWE) wait 90 days if fail, but do not have to take the 12 hour course.

Remember- if you pass the Standard Written Exam before January 1, 2016, you do NOT need to take the CA Law and Ethics Exam!

BBS Proposed Legislation on MFT Experience

SB620 (Block) Major overhaul of the experience requirements

What the overhaul will look like:

Minimum of 1,750 direct counseling hours (individual, group, couples, families, and children) with a minimum requirement of 500 hours in couples, families and children

Maximum of 1,250 non-clinical experience hours ◦ In any of the following categories: direct supervisor contact,

administering and evaluating psychological tests, writing clinical reports, writing progress/process notes, client-centered advocacy, and workshops, training and conferences

BBS Proposed Legislation on MFT Experience

No limitation on telehealth hours

Removal of incentive for double-counting hours performed providing conjoint treatment of couples or families towards the total hours required in category of diagnosing and treating couples, families, and children

Can no longer count personal psychotherapy hours

BBS Proposed Legislation on MFT Experience

Grace Period: if passed, these experience regulations

will go into effect January 1, 2016. HOWEVER, there

will be a 5 year grace period- meaning that if you apply

for your exam eligibility between January 1, 2016 and

December 31, 2020, you can choose to apply either the

old, or the new experience requirements!

◦ As of January 1, 2021, everyone must follow the new experience

structure

Do not confuse grace periods!

Exam restructure overhaul 6 month grace period: applies if your intern renewal date is between January 1, 2016 and June 30, 2016… allows you to wait until the next renewal period to take the Law and Ethics Exam.

Experience requirement overhaul 5 year grace period: applies to everyone. Between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2020, you can chose to follow the old or the new experience requirements when applying for exam eligibility.

Questions? We can help!

CAMFT member legal, ethical, licensure

consultation hotline:

◦ 888-892-2638

◦ M-F 8:30am-12:30pm; 1:30pm-4:30pm

FAQ on exam restructure (BBS website)

◦ Stay tuned for a BBS webinar on the new exam restructure

regulations!

Join CAMFT Today and…