Mississippi Administrative Code › Title 30 - Professions and Occupations › Part 1903 - RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPISTS › Chapter 4 - Continuing Education and Licensure Renewal; Reinstatement › Rule 30-1903-4.1 - CONTINUING EDUCATION

Current through June 25, 2024
A. Purpose
The purpose of this section is to establish the continuing
				  education requirements for licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFT). The
				  LMFT license must be renewed biennially. Licensed marriage and family therapy
				  associates (LMFTA) are not required to participate in continuing education. The
				  continuing education offerings for each discipline (social workers and marriage
				  and family therapists) are approved independently. Licensees should NOT assume
				  that an approved offering for one discipline is also approved for the other
				  discipline. The MBOE website maintains separate lists of approved continuing
				  education offerings for social workers and marriage and family therapists. The
				  primary objective of continuing education must be to maintain and improve the
				  quality of professional services in marriage and family therapy provided to the
				  public; maintain and improve the therapist's knowledge of current research,
				  techniques, and practice; and provide other resources which will improve skill
				  and competence in marriage and family therapy. A licensee will receive credit
				  only for continuing education programs or activities approved by the MFT
				  Continuing Education Committee. Approved programs will be listed on the
				  Continuing Education Offering for MFTs page on the Board's website. Continuing
				  education hours must be relevant to the practice of marriage and family therapy
				  as determined by the Board_in accordance with the criteria cited at Part 1903,
				  Chapter 4, Rule 4.1(H) of these Rules and Regulations.
B. Requirements
All licensed marriage and family therapists must complete
				  twenty-four (24) hours of approved continuing education during every two (2)
				  year license period. No continuing education hours are required for the first
				  renewal period. The Board will accept up to twelve (12) hours of approved
				  distance learning/internet (online) continuing education hours toward the
				  twenty-four (24) hours. Four (4) out of the twenty-four (24) must be approved
				  MFT professional ethics hours. The Board will approve self-directed learning
				  projects and/or distance learning/internet (online) learning courses for the
				  MFT ethics CE requirement for up to two (2) MFT ethics hours of the total
				  twelve (12) allowable distance learning/internet provided hours. All Board
				  approved supervisors, including those with AAMFT Approved Supervisor standing,
				  must complete two (2) approved hours of MFT supervision continuing education
				  each renewal period. No supervision continuing education hours are required for
				  the first renewal period after obtaining board approved supervisor status. The
				  Board will approve self-directed learning projects and/or distance
				  learning/internet (online) learning courses for up to two (2) of the
				  supervision CE requirement of the total twelve (12) allowable approved distance
				  learning/internet (online). It is the responsibility of each licensee and
				  supervisor to determine in advance that the continuing education activity has
				  been approved by the MFT Continuing Education Committee.
C. Board Continuing Education Committee
The MFT Continuing Education Committee shall consist of
				  designated members of the MFT Discipline Specific Committee. The Board may also
				  select non-Board members who they deem qualified, to serve on the MFT
				  Continuing Education Committee. At least one (1) member of the committee must
				  be a professional educator from a COAMFTE MFT program. The chair of the
				  committee will be a member of the MFT Discipline Specific Committee.
D. Determination of Clock Hour
				Credits
MFT Continuing Education Committee approved offerings shall
				  be credited with one (1) continuing education clock-hour credit for each one
				  (1) clockhour spent in the continuing education activity, unless otherwise
				  designated by the Board. Time devoted to registration, organizational business,
				  breakfasts, luncheons, dinners, or other refreshments shall not be counted as
				  instructional or continuing education credit time.
E. Types of Acceptable Continuing Education
Credit will be given only for continuing education programs
				  or activities approved by the MFT Continuing Education Committee. To be
				  acceptable to the MFT Continuing Education Committee continuing education
				  offerings for LMFTs must conform to at least one (1) of the seven (7) content
				  areas specified below under Criteria for Approval of Continuing Education
				  Activities. A qualified presenter is someone found by the Board to be a
				  professional in marriage and family therapy, another mental health discipline,
				  or another profession with information, knowledge, and skills relevant to the
				  practice of marriage and family therapy.
The following types of continuing education activities are
				  acceptable
provided that the standards set forth below under Criteria for
				  Approval of Continuing Education Activities have been met
:
1. Continuing education activities related to
				the practice of marriage and family therapy offered by the American Association
				of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) and any of its divisions, including the
				Mississippi Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (MAMFT); Mississippi
				Board of Examiners for Social Workers and Marriage and Family Therapists; and
				the Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards are
				automatically approved by the MFT Continuing Education Committee.
2. Successful completion (grade B or better),
				from a regionally accredited college/university, of a graduate course specific
				to the practice of marriage and family therapy. One (1) academic semester hour
				will be equivalent to five (5) hours of continuing education hours;
3. Teaching in a graduate school of marriage
				and family therapy.
Credit will be applied at the rate of three (3) hours for
				  every credit hour taught; teaching may count for no more than twelve (12)_hours
				  of the biannual continuing education requirement;
4. Presenting workshops, seminars, or
				lectures that are approved for CE credit for LMFTs will be awarded CEU credit
				at the rate of two (2) hours of credit for each hour of presentation (if the
				same offering is presented multiple times during the two (2) year renewal
				period, the continuing education credit hours may only be counted the first
				time the offering was presented);
5. Self-Directed Learning Projects and/or
				Distance Learning/internet (Online) Learning Courses: Continuing education
				hours for distance learning/internet learning courses will only be granted for
				courses approved in advance by the MFT CE Committee. The MFT CE Committee will
				grant continuing education hours only after completion of the course and proof
				of successful completion of posttest, course examination, and/or evaluation
				from the course provider. No more than twelve (12) hours of the twenty-four
				(24) required hours may be earned in this manner during each two (2) year
				renewal period. No more than two (2) of those twelve (12) online hours can be
				applied to the four (4) required ethics continuing education.
6. Continuing education credit may be earned
				by Board approved supervisors for clinical supervision of individuals with
				active Supervision Plans on file with the Board. Supervision may count for no
				more than ten (10) hours of the biennial continuing education requirement, but
				not count toward the two (2) hours required for Board approved supervisors to
				maintain their approved supervisor status; and,
7. An author of a book or peer reviewed
				article which, as determined by the Board, enhances a marriage and family
				therapist's knowledge or skill may be granted continuing education credit not
				to exceed one-half (1/2) of the biannual continuing education
				requirement.
8. Supervised Self
				Directed Learning Groups
Licensed marriage and family therapists may earn up to eight
				  (8) continuing education hours for each renewal period through participation in
				  a Board approved supervised self-directed learning group. In order to receive
				  Board approval the following requirements must be met:
a. The group must be led by a Board Approved
				supervisor.
b. A supervision plan
				documenting the names and license numbers of all participants, proposed
				learning objectives and an outline of the process for meeting each learning
				objective must be approved in advance by the MFT Continuing Education
				Committee. Only plans meeting the criteria for approval of continuing education
				activities listed in Part 1903, Chapter 4, Rule 4.1(H) of these rules and
				regulations will be approved. Failure to submit a plan within the sixty (60)
				calendar day time period could result in disapproval of the activity for
				continuing education credit.
c.
				Each participant must complete a post evaluation report documenting the
				effectiveness of the group learning experience and turn it in to the Approved
				Supervisor leading the group. This report should include evidence that the
				learning objectives were met. The Approved Supervisor shall maintain these
				reports for a period of four (4) years following completion of the supervised
				self-directed learning group experience.
d. Participation in each supervised
				self-directed learning group shall be limited to no less than four (4) and no
				more than eight (8) participants and a State Approved Supervisor.
e. The supervised self-directed learning
				group supervisor must issue each participant a signed certificate of completion
				containing the participants name, license number, number of hours completed,
				dates of attendance, and MFT CE approval number.
f. MFT ethics CE hours and Approved
				Supervisor CE hours will not be awarded for participation in any self-directed
				learning projects.
g. The fee for
				supervised self-directed learning group approval shall be the same as the fee
				for becoming a Board Approved Continuing Education Provider.