Section 4980.90.

(a) This section applies to persons who apply for licensure between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2013, inclusive.

(b) Experience gained outside of California shall be accepted toward the licensure requirements if it is substantially equivalent to that required by this chapter, if the applicant complies with Section 4980.76, if applicable, and if the applicant has gained a minimum of 250 hours of supervised experience in direct counseling within California while registered as an intern with the board. The board shall consider hours of experience obtained in another state during the six-year period immediately preceding the applicant's initial licensure by that state as a marriage and family therapist.

(c) Education gained while residing outside of California shall be accepted toward the licensure requirements if it is substantially equivalent to the education requirements of this chapter, and if the applicant has completed all of the following:

(1) A two semester or three quarter unit course in California law and professional ethics for marriage, family, and child counselors that shall include areas of study as specified in Section 4980.41.

(2) A minimum of seven contact hours of training or coursework in child abuse assessment and reporting as specified in Section 28 and any regulations promulgated thereunder.

(3) A minimum of 10 contact hours of training or coursework in sexuality as specified in Section 25 and any regulations promulgated thereunder.

(4) A minimum of 15 contact hours of training or coursework in alcoholism and other chemical substance dependency as specified by regulation.

(5) (A) Instruction in spousal or partner abuse assessment, detection, and intervention. This instruction may be taken either in fulfillment of other educational requirements for licensure or in a separate course.

(B) A minimum of 15 contact hours of coursework or training in spousal or partner abuse assessment, detection, and intervention strategies.

(6) A minimum of a two semester or three quarter unit survey course in psychological testing. This course may be taken either in fulfillment of other requirements for licensure or in a separate course.

(7) A minimum of a two semester or three quarter unit survey course in psychopharmacology. This course may be taken either in fulfillment of other requirements for licensure or in a separate course.

(8) With respect to human sexuality, alcoholism and other chemical substance dependency, spousal or partner abuse assessment, detection, and intervention, psychological testing, and psychopharmacology, the board may accept training or coursework acquired out of state.

(d) For purposes of this section, the board may, in its discretion, accept education as substantially equivalent if the applicant meets both of the following requirements:

(1) The applicant has been granted a degree in a single integrated program primarily designed to train marriage and family therapists.

(2) The applicant's education meets the requirements of Section 4980.37. The degree title need not be identical to that required by subdivision (b) of Section 4980.37. If the applicant's degree does not contain the content or the overall units required by Section 4980.37, the board may, in its discretion, accept the applicant's education as substantially equivalent if the following criteria are satisfied:

(A) The applicant's degree contains the required number of practicum units and coursework required in the areas of marriage, family, and child counseling and marital and family systems approaches to treatment as specified in Section 4980.37.

(B) The applicant remediates his or her specific deficiency by completing the course content and the units required by Section 4980.37.

(C) The applicant's degree otherwise complies with this section.

(e) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2014, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2014, deletes or extends that date.

(Amended by Stats. 2009, Ch. 26, Sec. 20. Effective January 1, 2010. Repealed as of January 1, 2014, by its own provisions.)