ATTENTION! ONLINE SEARCH VERIFICATION NOW AVAILABLE
Now you can perform a real-time search for licensees online, and you can even print a license verification. For more information, click the “Live Online Search Verification” link under the “Find A Licensee” heading to the left.
Online Applications Now Available Through Texas Online!
You can now apply for a new license, or apply for license renewal, through Texas Online! See the menu to the left for the links.
HIPAA Notice
Click the link below to read an important message about HIPAA Privacy Standards for providers and entities that submit protected health information to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
Click here to read on HIPAA Privacy Standards
Recent Rule Changes:
The following are just a few highlights of the recent rule changes and updates. This information is not a substitute for reading and following the complete rules and law related to the Texas State Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists.
§801.45. Sexual Misconduct.
(b) A licensee shall not engage in sexual contact with a person who is:
(1) a client or a former client;
(2) an associate or an intern for whom the licensee has administrative or clinical responsibility;
(3) an intern in a marriage and family therapy graduate program in which the licensee offers professional or educational services; or
(4) a clinical supervisor or supervisee of the licensee.
§801.264. Types of Acceptable Continuing Education.
(1)(G) attendance at a meeting of the Ethics Committee of the board from the beginning of the meeting to the end of the meeting by individuals who are not parties to any of the complaint cases may count for two hours of the ethics requirements described in §801.263 of this title. The board shall issue a continuing education certificate for board-approved attendance. A licensee may use only two hours of ethics continuing education credits related to attendance at an Ethics Committee meeting once per biennial renewal period
(2) if it is provided by a board-approved provider of continuing education by the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors, the Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners, or the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists, and it is relevant to the practice of marriage and family therapy.
§801.142. Supervised Clinical Experience Requirements and Conditions.
(1)(A)(iii)(V) a minimum of one hour of supervision every two weeks; and (VI) a supervision hour is no less than 50 minutes.
- Interactive Therapy via the Telephone or Internet:
§801.44. Relationships with Clients.
(q) A licensee who engages in interactive therapy via the telephone or internet must provide the client with his/her license number and information on how to contact the board by telephone, electronic communication, or mail, and must adhere to all other provisions of this chapter.
§801.49. Licensees and the Board.
(g) A licensee shall make written reports to the board office within 30 days of the following situations:
(1) the licensee’s arrest, deferred adjudication, or criminal conviction, other than for a Class C misdemeanor traffic offense;
(2) the filing of a criminal case against the licensee;
(3) the settlement of a judgment rendered in a civil lawsuit filed against the licensee and related to the licensee’s marriage and family therapy practice; or
(4) complaints, investigations, or actions against the licensee by a governmental agency or by a licensing or certification body.
- Licensing of Military Spouses:
§801.204. Licensing of Military Spouses.
(a) This section sets out the alternative license procedure for a military spouse required under Occupations Code, Chapter 55 (relating to License While on Military Duty and for Military Spouse).
(b) The spouse of a person serving on active duty as a member of the armed forces of the United States who holds a current license issued by another state that has licensing requirements shall complete and submit an application form and fee to the department. In accordance with Occupations Code, §55.004(c), the executive director may waive any prerequisite to obtaining a license after reviewing the applicant’s credentials and determining that the applicant holds a license issued by another jurisdiction that has licensing requirements substantially equivalent to those of this state.
(c) The spouse of a person serving on active duty as a member of the armed forces of the United States who within the five years preceding the application date held the license in this state that expired while the applicant lived in another state for at least six months is qualified for licensure based on the previously held license, if there are no unresolved complaints against the applicant and if there is no other bar to licensure, such as criminal background or non-compliance with a committee order.
§801.202. Associate License.
(b) The initial associate license will be issued for a period of 24 months and may be renewed biennially for a period not to exceed a total of 72 months.
(c) The only exception to the maximum period of 72 months for an LMFT Associate to satisfy all minimum requirements for licensure as an LMFT is if the LMFT Associate has completed all minimum requirements for licensure as an LMFT at or before 72 months while licensed as an LMFT Associate, with the one exception relating to experience requirements for licensure at §801.142(1)(A)(i)(I) of this title (relating to Supervised Clinical Experience Requirements and Conditions) and the “750 hours of the 1,500 hours shall be provided to couples or families.” If all other minimum requirements are met at or before 72 months, an LMFT Associate may be granted one additional biennial renewal period (for a total of not more than 96 months of licensure as an LMFT Associate) for the Associate license in order to complete the experience requirements related to couples and families.
(d) An LMFT Associate who has not met the minimum requirements for licensure as an LMFT after holding the Associate license for 72 months (or 96 months if subsection (c) of this section applies), may not reapply for licensure as an LMFT Associate for a minimum period of two years from the date of expiration of the initial LMFT Associate license.
(e) If an applicant for licensure as an LMFT Associate has previously held the Associate license but did not achieve licensure as an LMFT under the initial Associate license reapplies for licensure, the appropriate committee of the board will determine if any of the previously acquired supervised experience and supervision hours may be counted towards minimum requirements for licensure as an LMFT under a subsequently issued Associate license or under a subsequently granted reactivation of the initial LMFT Associate license.
Select the links below to view or print important information addressed to licensees.
Letters from the Texas State Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists