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OLR Bill Analysis
sHB 7081
AN ACT CONCERNING LICENSURE PORTABILITY FOR
MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPISTS.
SUMMARY
This bill generally allows the Department of Public Health (DPH) to
grant a license, without examination, to marital and family therapists
(MFTs) licensed or certified in other U.S. states, territories, or
commonwealths. Under current law, (1) DPH may do so only if the
other jurisdiction’s licensure standards are equivalent to or higher than
Connecticut’s (see BACKGROUND), and (2) for jurisdictions whose
standards do not meet that threshold, applicants may substitute three
years of work experience for the supervised practicum or internship and
postgraduate experience generally required for licensure here. (Under
the bill, the condition in (1) above continues to apply to MFT associates
seeking licensure without examination.)
As under current law, (1) these MFT licensure applicants must pay
the same initial application fee ($200) as other applicants and (2) for
DPH to grant a license under these circumstances, there must be no
pending disciplinary actions or unresolved complaints against the
applicant.
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2025
BACKGROUND
MFT Licensure Criteria
By law, to get an MFT license in this state, applicants generally must:
1. complete a graduate degree program specializing in marital and
family therapy, or postgraduate clinical training program, that
meets certain accreditation requirements;
2. complete a supervised practicum or internship with emphasis in 2025HB-07081-R000122-BA.DOCX
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marital and family therapy supervised by their degree program
or by an accredited postgraduate clinical program;
3. complete 24 months of relevant postgraduate experience,
including (a) 1,000 hours of direct client contact meeting certain
criteria and (b) 100 hours of postgraduate clinical supervision by
a licensed MFT; and
4. pass a DPH-prescribed examination.
COMMITTEE ACTION
Public Health Committee
Joint Favorable Substitute
Yea 32 Nay 0 (03/05/2025)