Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

Tennessee Senate Bill SB0789 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1
2		-	HOUSE BILL 959
3		-	By Hemmer
	2	+	<BillNo> <Sponsor>
4	3
5	4		SENATE BILL 789
6	5		By Walley
7	6
8	7
9	8		SB0789
10	9		002999
11	10		- 1 -
12	11
13	12		AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 33
14	13		and Title 63, relative to mental health.
15	14
16	15		BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
17	16		SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-22-113(a), is amended by
18	17		deleting the subsection and substituting:
19	18		(a)
20	19		(1) This part does not apply to activities and services of a student intern
21	20		or trainee in marriage and family therapy who is pursuing a program of studies in
22	21		marriage and family therapy at an accredited institution of higher learning if these
23	22		activities are performed under supervision and are a part of a supervised
24	23		program of study.
25	24		(2) A person enrolled in a program as described in subdivision (a)(1) may
26	25		use the titles "marital therapy intern," "family therapy trainee," or "student
27	26		therapist."
28	27		(3) A person who is under supervision and pursuing independent
29	28		licensure in marriage and family therapy and has completed a graduate degree
30	29		as described in subdivision (a)(1) may use "pre-licensed marriage and family
31	30		therapist" or postgraduate designations.
32	31		SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-22-115(a)(2), is amended by
33	32		deleting the subdivision and substituting:
34	33		(2) "Approved supervisor" means a licensed marriage and family therapist, or
35	34		any other licensed mental health professional who is either an American Association for
	35	+	Marriage and Family Therapy-approved supervisor or a supervisor-in-training under
36	36
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38	38		- 2 - 002999
39	39
40		-	Marriage and Family Therapy-approved supervisor or a supervisor-in-training under
41	40		supervision mentoring with a current American Association for Marriage and Family
42	41		Therapy-approved supervisor;
43	42		SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-22-121, is amended by deleting
44	43		the section and substituting:
45	44		(a)
46	45		(1) An associate license may be issued by the board for a licensed
47	46		professional counselor designated as a mental health service provider applicant
48	47		who has completed the academic coursework and training required for the
49	48		license sought and who has successfully passed the examination required by the
50	49		board.
51	50		(2) An associate license obtained pursuant to this section authorizes an
52	51		applicant to perform the functions specified in § 63-22-122(5), for which the
53	52		applicant is seeking licensure under qualified supervision.
54	53		(3) In order to receive an associate license, an applicant must submit to
55	54		the board a completed application for an associate license with the applicant's
56	55		completed application for the desired license and all appropriate fees.
57	56		(4) If an applicant is granted an associate license, then the license must
58	57		remain valid for up to four (4) years and is eligible for extension at the discretion
59	58		of the board.
60	59		(5) The applicant shall notify the board and present supporting
61	60		documentation demonstrating the satisfactory completion of the required
62	61		postgraduate supervised experience in a clinical setting. The board shall then
63	62		grant or deny the license application based on satisfactory completion of all
64	63		requirements for licensure.
	64	+	(b)
65	65
66	66
67	67		- 3 - 002999
68	68
69		-	(b)
70	69		(1) The board may issue an associate license to a marital and family
71	70		therapist applicant who has completed the academic coursework and training
72	71		required for the license sought. In order to retain such associate license, the
73	72		applicant must take the written examination required by the board within nine (9)
74	73		months following issuance of the associate license.
75	74		(2) An associate license obtained pursuant to this section authorizes the
76	75		applicant to engage in the practice of marital and family therapy, as defined by §
77	76		63-22-115(a)(7), under the supervision of an approved supervisor, as defined by
78	77		§ 63-22-115(a)(2) and (9).
79	78		(3) In order to receive an associate license, the applicant must submit the
80	79		following to the board:
81	80		(A) A completed application for an associate license;
82	81		(B) Satisfactory evidence of an agreement with an approved
83	82		supervisor under whose supervision the applicant intends to practice; and
84	83		(C) All appropriate fees.
85	84		(4) If an applicant is granted an associate license, then the license is
86	85		valid for up to four (4) years and is eligible for an extension at the discretion of
87	86		the board. The applicant must submit to the board an application for the
88	87		independent license and must present supporting documentation demonstrating
89	88		the satisfactory completion of the required amount of post-master's degree
90	89		supervised experience in a clinical setting under an approved supervisor. The
91	90		board shall then grant or deny the application for the independent license based
92	91		on satisfactory completion of all requirements for independent licensure. If the
93	92		board approves or denies the application for the independent license or if the
94	93
95	94
96	95		- 4 - 002999
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98	97		board revokes the associate license for any reason, then the associate license
99	98		must cease to be valid and must be returned to the board.
100	99		(5) The holder of an associate license as a marital and family therapist
101	100		shall not represent such associate licensee to be a licensed marital and family
102	101		therapist. The holder of such a license may only represent such associate
103	102		licensee to be an "associate licensed marriage and family therapist" or by the use
104	103		of the letters "AMFT."
105	104		SECTION 4. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.