Marital and Family Therapist Continuing Education Requirements

 Connecticut licensees are required to participate in continuing education (CE) activities as follows:

Number of Hours

Each licensee applying for license renewal shall complete a minimum of 15 hours of qualifying continuing education during the one-year period for which the license has been renewed. 

For registration periods ending after January 1, 2016, each licensee applying for renewal is required to complete at least two contact hours of training or education (and not less than once every six years thereafter) on the topic of mental health conditions common to veterans and family members of veterans, including (A) determining whether a patient is a veteran or family member of a veteran, (B) screening for conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, risk of suicide, depression and grief, and (C) suicide prevention training.

Qualifying CE

Qualifying continuing education activities include the following:  Courses offered or approved by the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy  (AAMFT) or its affiliates; courses accredited, approved or offered by the Commission on Accreditation for Marital and Family Therapist Education (COAMFTE), National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC), the American Counseling Association (ACA), the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), the American Association of Social Workers (AASW), the American Psychological Association (APA), or their affiliates, provided the coursework is clearly related to maintaining skills necessary for the safe and competent practice of marital and family therapy; courses offered or approved by institutions accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marital and Family Therapist Education (COAMFTE); graduate coursework in or related to the discipline of marital and family therapy field offered by a regionally accredited academic institution , either audited or by credit; or programs in or related to the discipline of marital and family therapy sponsored or approved by a regionally accredited academic institution, provided the coursework is clearly related to maintaining skills necessary for the safe and competent practice of marital and family therapy.

For registration periods beginning on and after October 1, 2014, each licensee shall complete not less than one contact hour of training or education in each registration period on the topic of cultural competency. 

Documentation Requirements/Record Retention

Each licensee must obtain a certificate of completion from the provider of the continuing education for all continuing education hours that are successfully completed and shall retain such certificate for a minimum of three years following the date for which the activity satisfies the continuing education requirement.  Upon request by the department, the licensee shall submit the certificate to the department.  A licensee who fails to comply with the continuing education requirements, including failure to maintain proof of course completion, shall be subject to disciplinary action.

Exemptions/Waivers

A licensee who is applying for license renewal for the first time is exempt from continuing education requirements until such licensee’s next registration period.

The Department may, for a licensee or certificate holder who has a medical disability or illness, grant a waiver of the continuing education requirements for a specific period of time or may grant the licensee or certificate holder an extension of time in which to fulfill the requirements.  Waivers must be requested annually, at the time of license or certificate renewal.  Please select this link for the form to utilize to request a waiver.

Individuals who have received a waiver and wish to return to active practice must complete continuing education activities as identified in Section 20-195c-7 of the Regulations prior to returning to active practice.