(a)Minimum Continuing Education Hours Required.
(1)An LMFT must complete 30 hours of continuing education
during each renewal period that they hold a license. The 30 hours
of continuing education must include 6 hours in ethics and 3 hours
in cultural diversity or competency. Additionally, effective
September 1, 2024, the 30 hours of continuing education must also
include 1 hour of continuing education in crisis management.
(2)A licensee may carry forward to the next renewal
period, a maximum of 10 hours accrued during the current renewal period
if those hours are not needed for renewal.
(b)Special Continuing Education Requirements. The
special continuing education requirements set out in this subsection
may be counted toward the minimum continuing education hours required
under subsection (a) of this section.
(1)A licensee with supervisory status must complete
6 hours of continuing education in supervision.
(2)A licensee with supervisory status must take and
pass the jurisprudence examination. One hour of continuing education
in ethics may be claimed for passing the jurisprudence examination.
(3)A licensee who provides telehealth services must
complete 2 hours of continuing education in technology-assisted services.
(c)Acceptable ethics hours include, but are not limited
to continuing education on:
(1)state or federal laws, including agency rules,
relevant to the practice of marriage and family therapy;
(2)practice guidelines established by local, regional,
state, national, or international professional organizations;
(3)training or education designed to demonstrate or
affirm the ideals and responsibilities of the profession; and
(4)training or education intended to assist licensees
in determining appropriate decision-making and behavior, improve consistency
in or enhance the professional delivery of services, and provide a
minimum acceptable level of practice.
(d)Acceptable cultural diversity or competency and
crisis management activities. [Hours include, but are not
limited to continuing education regarding age, disability, ethnicity,
gender, gender identity, language, national origin, race, religion,
culture, sexual orientation, and socio-economic status.]
(1)Cultural diversity or competency
hours include, but are not limited to continuing education regarding
age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, language, national
origin, race, religion, culture, sexual orientation, and socio-economic
status.
(2)Crisis management hours include,
but are not limited to continuing education regarding suicidal ideation,
homicidal ideation, abuse or neglect, domestic violence, crisis prevention,
and crisis or disaster response.
(e)Acceptable Continuing Education Activities.
(1)All continuing education hours must have been received
during the renewal period unless allowed under subsection (a)(3) of
this section, and be directly related to the practice of marriage
and family therapy;
(2)The Council shall make the determination as to
whether the activity claimed by the licensee is directly related to
the practice of marriage and family therapy;
(3)Except for hours claimed under subsection (h) of
this section, all continuing education hours obtained must be designated
by the provider in a letter, email, certificate, or transcript that
displays the licensee's name, topic covered, date(s) of training,
and hours of credit earned.
(4)Multiple instances or occurrences of a continuing
education activity may not be claimed for the same renewal period.
(f)Licensees must obtain at least fifty percent of
their continuing education hours from one or more of the following
providers:
(1)an international, national, regional, state, or
local association of medical, mental, or behavioral health professionals;
(2)public school districts, charter schools, or education
service centers;
(3)city, county, state, or federal governmental entities;
(4)an institution of higher education accredited by
a regional accrediting organization recognized by the Council for
Higher Education Accreditation, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
Board, or the United States Department of Education;
(5)religious or charitable organizations devoted to
improving the mental or behavioral health of individuals;
(6)a graduate-level licensee with supervisor status;
(7)a hospital or hospital system, including any clinic,
division, or department within a hospital or hospital system; or
(8)any provider approved or endorsed by a provider
listed herein.
(g)Licensees shall receive credit for continuing education
activities according to the number of hours designated by the provider,
or if no such designation, on a one-for-one basis with one credit
hour for each hour spent in the continuing education activity.
(h)Notwithstanding subsection (f) above, licensees
may claim continuing education credit for each of the following activities:
(1)Passage of the jurisprudence examination. Licensees
who pass the jurisprudence examination may claim 1 hour of continuing
education in ethics.
(2)Preparing and giving a presentation at a continuing
education activity. The maximum number of hours that may be claimed
for this activity is 5 hours.
(3)Authoring a book or peer reviewed article. The
maximum number of hours that may be claimed for this activity is 5
hours.
(4)Teaching or attending a graduate level course.
The maximum number of hours that may be claimed for this activity
is 5 hours.
(5)Self-study. The maximum number of hours that may
be claimed for this activity is 1 hour. Self-study is credit that
is obtained from any type of activity that is performed by an individual
licensee acting alone. Such activities include, but are not limited
to, reading materials directly related to the practice of marriage
and family therapy. Time spent individually viewing or listening to
audio, video, digital, or print media as part of an organized continuing
education activity, program, or offering from a third-party is not
subject to this self-study limitation and may count as acceptable
education under other parts of this rule.
(6)Successful completion of a training course on human
trafficking prevention described by §116.002 of the Occupations
Code. Licensees who complete this training may claim 1 hour of continuing
education credit.
(i)The Council does not pre-evaluate or pre-approve
continuing education providers or hours.
(j)Licensees shall maintain proof of continuing education
compliance for a minimum of 3 years after the applicable renewal period.
(k)Subsection (f) of this rule is effective January
1, 2024.
The agency certifies that legal counsel has reviewed
the proposal and found it to be within the state agency's legal authority
to adopt.
Filed with the Office
of the Secretary of State on May 1, 2024
TRD-202401944 Darrel D. Spinks
Executive Director
Texas State Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists
Earliest possible date of adoption: June 16, 2024
For further information, please call: (512) 305-7706
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