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2013 SESSION

13102792D
HOUSE BILL NO. 1902
Offered January 9, 2013
Prefiled January 8, 2013
A BILL to require the Board of Counseling to issue a license as a marriage and family therapist to individuals who meet certain criteria.
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Patrons-- Carr, Bell, Richard P., Dance, O'Bannon and Spruill
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Referred to Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions
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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.  § 1. That, notwithstanding the provisions of Article 1 (§§ 54.1-3500 et seq.) of Chapter 35 of Title 54.1, the Board of Counseling shall license as a marriage and family therapist any individual who, prior to July 1, 2013, (i) has completed undergraduate or graduate coursework in the social sciences, (ii) received a bachelor's degree from the University of Chicago in 1994, (iii) was  enrolled in a graduate program in sociology, any of the social sciences, family systems theory, marriage and family therapy, conflict transformation, trauma healing and peace-building or reconciliation, conflict analysis, conflict resolution, or any related field for the purpose of pursuing licensure as a marriage and family therapist upon completion of such graduate program; (iv) has become a member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy upon completion of the graduate program or been recognized by the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy, the Journal for Marriage and Family Therapy, Family Therapy Resources, or any other direct affiliate of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy as evidenced by the inclusion of a graduate thesis or dissertation of which he is the authority, any paper of which he is a coauthor, or any other graduate research of any type of which he is an author in any electronic or written materials distributed to marriage and family therapists; (v) has registered a residency in marriage and family therapy with direct supervision by at least two clinical supervisors with the Board; (vi) has completed the 4,000 hours of supervised experience for a residency in marriage and family therapy, and (vii) can provide documentation (a) that he has discussed structural and strategic family systems theory with at least one supervisor, (b) of work experience as a treatment provider providing services for children or adolescents, including intensive in-home services, in an office setting, school, residential treatment facility, hospital, the child or adolescent's home, or other community-based setting during the course of employment with a provider requiring at least one criminal history background check, (c) of work experience as a clinician communicating on a regular basis with licensed treatment providers and psychiatrists about symptoms, diagnoses, symptom changes, and medical interventions, (d) of additional continuing education and training obtained during the course of his work experience as a treatment provider for the purpose of providing or improving treatment; and (e) indicating at least 1,200 hours of direct treatment exclusive of hours included in the total number of supervised hours required for satisfaction of the residency requirement provided during the course of at least 10,000 hours of employment with an agency or agencies during such time as the individual was enrolled in a graduate program described in clause (ii).