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    Pennsylvania Licensure Requirements

    Master's Degree or Doctoral Degree

    1 Examination

    Experience Requirement Varies Based on Degree

    3 Hours of Continuing Education 

    $100.00 Initial Fee

    $95.00 Renewal Fee

     

    Individuals who specialize in the application of psychotherapeutic and family systems theories and techniques to the evaluation, assessment and treatment of mental and emotional disorders, whether cognitive, affective or behavioral.

    Degree Requirement:

    Master's Degree or Doctoral Degree
    A candidate must hold a Master's or Doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy or related field from an accredited educational institution.

    Examination: 

    1 Examination
    A candidate must pass the National Marriage and Family Therapy Examination administered by the Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards.

    Experience: 

    Experience Requirement Varies Based on Degree

    Master's Degree - 3,000 hours of Supervised Clinical Experience completed in no less than 2 years and no more than 6 years.

    Doctoral Degree – 2,400 hours of Supervised Clinical Experience completed, of which 1,200 hours was obtained after the granting of the doctoral degree.

    Continuing Education: 

    3 Hours (for initial licensure) 

    Applicants must complete 3 hours of Board-approved continuing education in child abuse recognition and reporting for initial licensure. 

     

    30 Hours for Each Biennial Renewal Period (when renewing license)

    Licensees must complete 30 hours of continuing education in acceptable courses and programs in social work offered by approved providers.  The 30 hours shall include 2 hours of the mandated Act 31 Child Abuse Reporter Training, 3 hours in ethics and 1 hour in suicide prevention.  

    Initial Licensing Fee:

    $100.00

    Licensure Renewal Fee: 

    $95.00 Biennial renewal of license.

    Licensure by Endorsement
    Without Examination & Licensure by Act 41:

    Endorsement, a licensee must satisfy the general requirements for licensure and provide a letter from the other jurisdiction registration boards where the licensed marriage and family is licensed and practicing, certifying licensure, and reporting any violations, meet the educational and supervised clinical experience requirements and have been actively engaged in the practice of marriage and family therapy for 5 of the last 7 years immediately preceding the filing of the application.  Please note: You must hold a current marriage and a family therapy license in another state in good standing.

    Act 41 allows for portability of out-of-state professional licensees coming to work in Pennsylvania. Act 41 does this by granting all boards and commissions within the Commonwealth the authority to endorse licensees from other states, territories or jurisdictions (with substantially equivalent licensing requirements) who are active, in good standing and without discipline against their license or criminal conviction and who have been actively engaged in the practice for 2 of the last 5 years.