201 KAR 32:020. Equivalent course of study.
RELATES TO: KRS 335.330(1), (2)
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: KRS 335.320(9),
335.330(1), (2)
NECESSITY, FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY: KRS
335.330(1) provides that the board shall define a course of study equivalent to
a master's degree in marriage and family therapy and promulgate the equivalency
standard by administrative regulations. This administrative regulation
establishes the criteria for the equivalent course of study.
Section 1. Definition. "Related
field" means psychology, community mental health, social work, or
professional counseling.
Section 2. An applicant for licensure as
a marriage and family therapist shall:
(1) Comply with the requirements of KRS
335.330; and
(2) Submit an application on the Application
for Licensure as a Marriage and Family Therapist or Marriage and Family
Therapist Associate form, incorporated by reference in 201 KAR 32:025.
(3) An applicant completing a
postgraduate degree program, masters degree program, or doctoral degree program
accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Marriage and Family Education
who also has completed a masters or doctoral degree program in a related field
may count clinical contact hours and clinical supervision hours earned in a
Commission on Accreditation of Marriage and Family Education postgraduate
degree program, masters degree program, or doctoral degree program towards the
clinical supervision requirements for licensure.
Section 3. The basic core areas that are
necessary in order to qualify as an equivalent course of study, shall include
the following:
(1) Marriage and family studies. This
area shall include a minimum of three (3) courses (nine (9) semester hours,
twelve (12) quarter hours, or 135 didactic contact hours). Courses in this area
shall be theoretical in nature and have a major focus of system theory orientation,
and may include:
(a) Systems theory;
(b) Family development;
(c) Blended families;
(d) Cultural issues in families;
(e) Family subsystems;
(f) Major models of family systems
theory; or
(g) Gender issues in families;
(2) Marriage and family therapy. This
area shall include a minimum of three (3) courses (nine (9) semester hours,
twelve (12) quarter hours, or 135 didactic contact hours). Courses in this area
shall have a major focus on family systems theory and systemic therapeutic
interventions. Courses shall relate to major theories of family systems change
and therapeutic practices evolving from each theoretical model. Examples
include:
(a) Structural communications family
therapy;
(b) Strategic object relations family
therapy;
(c) Behavioral family therapy;
(d) Intergenerational family therapy;
(e) Solution oriented family therapy;
(f) Narrative family therapy; and
(g) Systemic sex therapy;
(3) Human development. This area shall
include a minimum of three (3) courses (nine (9) semester hours, twelve (12)
quarter hours, or 135 didactic contact hours). Courses in this area shall provide
knowledge of individual human personality development in both normal and abnormal
manifestations. Topic areas include, for example:
(a) Human development;
(b) Personality theory;
(c) Human sexuality; and
(d) Effects of gender and cultural issues
on human development;
(4) Psychopathology and Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. This area shall include a one (1)
course minimum (three (3) semester hours, four (4) quarter hours, or forty-five
(45) didactic contact hours). Courses in this area shall include psychopathology,
diagnosis through use of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders, or applications of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders to marriage and family therapy;
(5) Professional studies. This area shall
include a minimum of one (1) course minimum (three (3) semester hours, four (4)
quarter hours, or forty-five (45) didactic contact hours). Courses include, for
example:
(a) Professional ethics in marriage and
family therapy;
(b) Legal responsibilities of the
therapist;
(c) Professional socialization and the role
of the professional organization;
(d) Licensure or certification
legislation; and
(e) Independent practice issues;
(6) Research. This area shall include a
minimum of one (1) course minimum (three (3) semester hours, four (4) quarter
hours, or forty-five (45) didactic contact hours). Courses may include:
(a) Statistics;
(b) Research methods;
(c) Quantitative methodology; or
(d) Other courses designed to assist the
student to understand and perform research; or
(7) Practicum or internship. The practicum
or internship shall include a minimum of one (1) year or 300 hours of supervised
direct client contact with individuals, couples, and families for family therapy.
(a) An applicant who did not complete a
clinical practicum in graduate school may satisfy the practicum requirement
with his or her first 300 post masters' client contact hours.
(b) These hours shall not be counted
toward the two (2) years of required post master's experience or the 200 hours
of clinical supervision.
Section 4. A course used to fulfill one
(1) of the requirements established in Section 2 of this administrative
regulation shall not be used to fulfill more than one (1) of the basic core
area requirements.
Section 5. (1) An applicant who completed
a qualifying graduate degree in a mental health field prior to 1985 may
substitute conferences, workshops, seminars, or in-service training related to
marriage and family therapy attended or presented as a substitute for college
coursework required in Section 3 of this administrative regulation.
(2) Forty-five (45) contact hours of
relevant content shall equal three (3) semester hours of credit.
(3) A list of equivalencies the applicant
wishes to have considered shall be organized by core area as established in Section
3 of this administrative regulation.
(4) Appropriate documentation shall
include:
(a) Date;
(b) Title;
(c) Course description;
(d) Sponsoring organization;
(e) Presenter, including presenter's
qualifications;
(f) Number of contact hours attended or
presented; and
(g) Certificates of attendance.
Section 6. Other acceptable equivalencies
shall be considered as follows:
(1) One (1) graduate level course taught
on a subject relevant to marriage and family therapy after 1985 shall be
considered equivalent to three (3) semester hours of credit.
(2) Publication on a subject relevant to
marriage and family therapy dated after 1985 may be submitted as equivalencies
as acceptable to the board. Credit shall be granted as follows:
(a)1. A chapter in a book is equivalent
to three (3) semester hours of credit.
2. An applicant who authors or edits a
book shall be given credit equivalent to six (6) semester hours of credit.
3. An applicant shall submit a copy of
the title page, table of contents, and bibliography.
(b)1. Publication in a professional
refereed journal shall be equivalent to three (3) semester hours of credit.
2. An applicant shall submit the journal
table of contents and a copy of the article as it appeared in the journal
including bibliography. (22 Ky.R. 420; Am.
903; eff. 10-19-95; 26 Ky.R. 425; 723; eff. 10-20-99; 35 Ky.R. 1861; 2412; eff.
6-5-2009; 38 Ky.R. 1368; 1553; eff. 3-21-2012.)
