This bill amends the licensure requirements for marriage and family therapists in New Jersey, specifically reducing the required supervised experience from three years to two years for applicants seeking licensure as practicing marriage and family therapists. Additionally, it allows applicants with a master's degree to count up to 300 hours of client contact obtained during their degree program towards the experience requirement. For those with a post-master's or doctoral degree, at least one of the two required years of supervised experience must occur after obtaining that degree. The bill also clarifies that applicants for associate marriage and family therapist licensure are not subject to the same experience and examination qualifications as practicing therapists.

Furthermore, the bill modifies the admission process for licensure examinations, allowing applicants to take the exam if they meet the educational requirements even if they have not yet fulfilled the experience requirements. It also shortens the waiting period for applicants who fail an examination from six months to 90 days before they can retake the exam. These changes aim to streamline the licensure process and make it more accessible for aspiring marriage and family therapists.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 45:8B-14, 45:8B-18, 45:8B-20