DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS

DIRECTOR’S OFFICE

MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPY – GENERAL RULES

(By authority conferred on the director of the department of licensing and regulatory

affairs by sections 16145, 16148, 16901, 16903, 16909, and 16913 of the public health

code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.16145, 333.16148, 333.16901, 333.16903, 333.16909, and

333.16913, and Executive Reorganization Order Nos. 1991-9, 1996-2, 2003-1, and 2011-

4, MCL 338.3501, 445.2001, 445.2011, and 445.2030)

PART 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS

R 338.7201 Definitions.

Rule 1. (1) As used in these rules:

(a) “Board” means the Michigan board of marriage and family therapy created under

section 16907 of the code, MCL 333.16907.

(b) “Code” means the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.1101 to 333.25211.

(c) “Department” means the department of licensing and regulatory affairs.

(2) As used in section 16903(3)(d) of the code, MCL 333.16903, “organized health care

setting or other arrangement” means any of the following:

(a) A health facility or agency as that term is defined in section 20106(1) of the code,

MCL 333.20106.

(b) A mental hospital or psychiatric hospital as those terms are defined in R

330.1201(f).

(c) A training institute.

(d) A court family counseling service.

(e) A church counseling program.

(f) A marriage and family therapy practice.

(g) A governmental agency.

(h) A private practice of a fully licensed mental health practitioner.

(3) A term defined in the code has the same meaning when used in these rules.

History: 1998-2000 AACS; 2012 AACS; 2019 AACS.

R 338.7202 Training standards for identifying victims of human trafficking;

requirements.

Rule 2. (1) Pursuant to section 16148 of the code, MCL 333.16148, an individual

seeking licensure or licensed shall complete training in identifying victims of human

trafficking that meets the following standards:

(a) Training content must cover all of the following:

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(i) Understanding the types and venues of human trafficking in Michigan or the United

States.

(ii) Identifying victims of human trafficking in health care settings.

(iii) Identifying the warning signs of human trafficking in health care settings for

adults and minors.

(iv) Resources for reporting the suspected victims of human trafficking.

(b) Acceptable providers or methods of training include any of the following:

(i) Training offered by a nationally recognized or state-recognized, health-related

organization.

(ii) Training offered by, or in conjunction with, a state or federal agency.

(iii) Training obtained in an educational program that has been approved by the board

for initial licensure, or by a college or university.

(iv) Reading an article related to the identification of victims of human trafficking that

meets the requirements of subdivision (a) of this subrule and is published in a peer review

journal, health care journal, or professional or scientific journal.

(c) Acceptable modalities of training include any of the following:

(i) Teleconference or webinar.

(ii) Online presentation.

(iii) Live presentation.

(iv) Printed or electronic media.

(2) The department may select and audit a sample of individuals and request

documentation of proof of completion of training. If audited by the department, an

individual shall provide an acceptable proof of completion of training, including either of

the following:

(a) Proof of completion certificate issued by the training provider that includes the

date, provider name, name of training, and individual’s name.

(b) A self-certification statement by an individual. The certification statement must

include the individual’s name and either of the following:

(i) For training completed pursuant to subrule (1)(b)(i) to (iii) of this rule, the date,

training provider name, and name of training.

(ii) For training completed pursuant to subrule (1)(b)(iv) of this rule, the title of article,

author, publication name of peer review journal, health care journal, or professional or

scientific journal, and date, volume, and issue of publication, as applicable.

(3) Pursuant to section 16148 of the code, MCL 333.16148, the requirements specified

in subrule (1) of this rule apply for license renewals beginning with the 2017 renewal

cycle and for initial licenses issued after March 17, 2021.

History: 2016 AACS; 2019 AACS.

R 338.7203 Limited license.

Rule 3. (1) An individual applying for a limited license under section 16903(3) of the

code, MCL 333.16903, shall submit a completed application on a form provided by the

department, together with the requisite fee.

(2) In addition to satisfying the requirements of the code, an individual applying for a

limited license shall satisfy both of the following requirements:

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(a) Satisfy either of the following educational requirements, as specified under section

16909(1)(a)(i) or (ii) of the code, MCL 333.16909:

(i) Possess a master’s degree or higher graduate degree from a board-approved training

program in marriage and family therapy that satisfies the accreditation standards in R

338.7211(1).

(ii) Possess a master’s degree or higher graduate degree from a board-approved college

or university that satisfies the accreditation standards in R 338.7211(2) and complete the

graduate-level courses in section 16909(1)(a)(ii) of the code, MCL 333.16909.

(b) Complete a supervised clinical marriage and family therapy experience, as specified

under section 16909(1)(b) of the code, MCL 333.16909, in conjunction with the

applicant’s educational program. The supervised experience must be obtained either in a

clinical practicum during graduate education or in a postgraduate marriage and family

institute training program accredited under R 338.7211(2).

(3) A limited license is renewed annually and may not be renewed more than 5 times.

History: 1998-2000 AACS; 2012 AACS; 2019 AACS.

R 338.7205 Licensure requirements.

Rule 5. An applicant for licensure as a marriage and family therapist shall submit a

completed application on a form provided by the department, together with the requisite

fee. In addition to satisfying the requirements of the code, an applicant for licensure shall

satisfy all of the following requirements:

(a) Satisfy either of the following educational requirements, as specified under section

16909(1)(a) of the code, MCL 333.16909:

(i) Possess a master’s degree or higher graduate degree earned from a board-approved

training program in marriage and family therapy that satisfies the accreditation standards

in R 338.7211(1).

(ii) Possess a master’s degree or higher graduate degree from a board-approved college

or university that satisfies the accreditation standards in R 338.7211(2) and complete the

graduate-level courses in section 16909(1)(a)(ii) of the code, MCL 333.16909.

(b) Complete a supervised clinical marriage and family therapy experience that satisfies

the requirements of section 16909(1)(b) of the code, MCL 333.16909, in conjunction

with the applicant’s educational program. The supervised experience must be obtained

either in a clinical practicum during graduate education or in a postgraduate marriage and

family institute training program accredited under R 338.7211(2).

(c) Obtain not less than 1,000 direct client contact hours in a supervised marriage and

family therapy experience, as required under section 16909(1)(c) of the code, MCL

333.16909.

(d) Pass the national examination in marital and family therapy with a passing score

established by the Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards

(AMFTRB).

History: 1998-2000 AACS; 2012 AACS; 2019 AACS.

R 338.7207 Examinations; eligibility.

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Rule 7. (1) To establish eligibility for the examination under R 338.7209, an applicant

shall submit a completed application on a form provided by the department, together with

the requisite fee.

(2) To be eligible to sit for the examination in marital and family therapy, an applicant

shall satisfy either R 338.7203(2)(a) and (b) or R 338.7205(a) and (b).

History: 1998-2000 AACS; 2012 AACS; 2019 AACS.

R 338.7209 Examination adoption.

Rule 9. The board approves and adopts the national examination in marital and family

therapy that is conducted and scored by the AMFTRB. The passing score for the national

marital and family therapy examination is the passing score established by the AMFTRB.

History: 1998-2000 AACS; 2012 AACS; 2019 AACS.

R 338.7211 Adoption of standards by reference.

Rule 11. (1) The board adopts by reference the accreditation standards of the

Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE).

The standards are set forth in the publication entitled “Accreditation Standards Graduate

& Post-Graduate Marriage and Family Therapy Training Programs Version 12.0,”

published August 2017, which is available at no cost from the commission’s website at

http://www.coamfte.org/. Copies of the standards also are available for inspection and

distribution at a cost of 10 cents per page from the Board of Marriage and Family

Therapy, Bureau of Professional Licensing, Department of Licensing and Regulatory

Affairs, 611 West Ottawa, P.O. Box 30670, Lansing, MI 48909.

(2) A higher education institution is considered approved by the board if it is accredited

by the accrediting body of the region in which the institution is located, and the

accrediting body satisfies either the recognition standards and criteria of the Council for

Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or the recognition procedures and criteria of the

United States Department of Education. The board adopts by reference the procedures

and criteria for recognizing accrediting agencies of the United States Department of

Education, effective July 1, 2010, as contained in 34 CFR part 602, and the “Recognition

of Accrediting Organizations, Policies and Procedures of the Council for Higher

Education Accreditation, CHEA,” effective June 28, 2010. Copies of the policies and

procedures of CHEA as well as the procedures and criteria of the United States

Department of Education are available for inspection and distribution at a cost of 10 cents

per page from the Board of Marriage and Family Therapy, Bureau of Professional

Licensing, Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, 611 West Ottawa, P.O. Box

30670, Lansing, MI 48909. The CHEA recognition standards may also be obtained at no

cost from the council’s website at http://www.chea.org/. The federal recognition criteria

may also be obtained at no cost from website for the U.S. Department of Education

Office

of

Postsecondary

Education,

at

https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/index.html.

History: 1998-2000 AACS; 2012 AACS; 2019 AACS.

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R 338.7213 Licensure by endorsement.

Rule 13. (1) An applicant for licensure by endorsement shall submit a completed

application on a form provided by the department, together with the requisite fee. An

applicant for licensure by endorsement who satisfies all of the requirements of this rule is

deemed to satisfy the requirements of section 16186(1)(a) and (b) of the code, MCL

333.16186.

(2) If an applicant was licensed in another state before December 31, 1999 and has been

engaged in the practice of marriage and family therapy for not less than 5 years before the

date of filing an application for Michigan licensure, then it is presumed that the applicant

satisfies the requirements of section 16186(1)(a) and (b) of the code, MCL 333.16186.

(3) If an applicant does not satisfy the requirements of subrule (2) of this rule, then the

applicant, in addition to satisfying the requirements of section 16909 of the code, MCL

333.16909, shall have been licensed in another state after having passed an examination

under R 338.7209.

(4) An applicant’s license must be verified, on a form provided by the department, by

the licensing agency of any state of the United States in which the applicant holds a

current license or ever held a license as a marriage and family therapist. Verification

includes, but is not limited to, showing proof of any disciplinary action taken or pending

against the applicant.

History: 1998-2000 AACS; 2012 AACS; 2019 AACS.

R 338.7215 Relicensure.

Rule 15. (1) An applicant whose license has lapsed for less than 3 years preceding the

date of application for relicensure may be relicensed under section 16201(3) of the code,

MCL 333.16201, if the applicant satisfies all of the following requirements:

(a) Submits the required fee and a completed application on a form provided by the

department.

(b) Establishes that he or she is of good moral character as defined under 1974 PA 381,

MCL 338.41 to 338.47.

(c) Has his or her license, certification, or registration verified, on a form provided by

the department, by the licensing agency of any state of the United States in which the

applicant holds a current license, certification, or registration or ever held a license,

certification, or registration as a marriage and family therapist. Verification includes, but

is not limited to, showing proof of any disciplinary action taken or pending against the

applicant.

(2) An applicant whose license has lapsed for 3 years or more preceding the date of

application for relicensure may be relicensed under section 16201(4) of the code, MCL

333.16201, if the applicant satisfies all of the following requirements:

(a) Submits the required fee and a completed application on a form provided by the

department.

(b) Establishes that he or she is of good moral character as defined under 1974 PA 381,

MCL 338.41 to 338.47.

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(c) Submits fingerprints as required under section 16174(3) of the code, MCL

333.16174.

(d) Satisfies either of the following requirements:

(i) Possesses a current unrestricted license in another state of the United States.

(ii) Documents that the applicant has achieved a passing score on the examination

approved under R 338.7209.

(e) Has his or her license, certification, or registration verified, on a form provided by

the department, by the licensing agency of any state of the United States in which the

applicant holds a current license, certification, or registration or ever held a license,

certification, or registration as a marriage and family therapist. Verification includes, but

is not limited to, showing proof of any disciplinary action taken or pending against the

applicant.

History: 1998-2000 AACS; 2012 AACS; 2019 AACS.

R 338.7217 Rescission.

Rule 17. R 338.1841 to R 338.1844 and R 338.1861 of the Michigan

Administrative Code, appearing on pages 2509 and 2510 of the 1979 Michigan

Administrative Code, are rescinded.

History: 1998-2000 AACS.

R 338.7219 License renewal; requirements.

Rule 19. (1) An applicant for license renewal who has been licensed for the 2-year

period immediately preceding the application for renewal shall submit the required fee

and a completed application on a form provided by the department.

(2) A license renewed within 60 days after the expiration date is subject to the

requirements set forth under section 16201(2) of the code, MCL 333.16201.

History: 2019 AACS.

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