Official Summary Text
Subject to certain exceptions, present law generally requires that a person be licensed as a marital and family therapist in order to:
(1) Advertise the performance of marital and family therapy or
counseling service by such person; or
(2) Use a title or description such as "licensed or certified marital or marriage therapist, counselor, advisor, or consultant," or any other name, style or description denoting that the person is a marital and fami
ly therapist or practices marital and family therapy.
Among the requirements for initial licensure as a marital and family therapist is having met standards set by the board for professional counselors, marital and family therapists and clinical pastoral
therapists (the "board") no less stringent than the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy's standards for a clinical member so long as such standards specify a minimum of a master's level degree and passing an examination.
Present law spe
cifies that the licensure requirement does not apply to a person if the person is preparing for the practice of marital and family therapy under qualified supervision in a training institution or facility or supervisory arrangement recognized and approved
by the board; provided, that such person is designated by a title clearly indicating training status. This bill specifies that the exemption does not apply to activities and services of a student intern or trainee in marriage and family therapy who is pu
r
suing a program of studies in marriage and family therapy at an accredited institution of higher learning if these activities are performed under supervision and are a part of a supervised program of study. This bill authorizes a person enrolled in an ac
c
redited program to use the title "student therapist" as an alternative to titles authorized for trainees under present law. This bill also authorizes a person who is under supervision and pursuing independent licensure in marriage and family therapy and
h
as completed a graduate degree to use "pre-licensed marriage and family therapist" or postgraduate designations.
For purposes of determining students and postgraduate degree holders who are under supervision for purposes of the exception to the licensure
requirement, present law defines "approved supervisor" to mean a licensed marital and family therapist, psychologist or psychiatrist who is either an American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy-approved supervisor or a board-approved marriage an
d
family supervisor. This bill redefines "approved supervisor" to mean a licensed marriage and family therapist, or any other licensed mental health professional who is either an American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy-approved supervisor or
a
supervisor-in-training under supervision mentoring with a current American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy-approved supervisor.
This bill renames the "temporary license" for a professional counselor or marital and family therapist to an "ass
ociate license". The requirements for an associate license for a professional counselor are unchanged. The requirements for an associate license for a marital and family therapist are changed as follows:
(1) The time within which the exam must be take
n is changed from the next exam offering after issuance of the associate license to within nine months of issuance of the associate license;
(2) The requirement that an associate licensee pass the exam within two years of issuance of the associate licens
e is removed; and
(3) The period of validity of an associate license is increased from three to four years.
ON MARCH 10, 2025, THE HOUSE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 1095, AS AMENDED.
AMENDMENT #1 makes the following revisions:
Clarifies that a special deputy as described in the bill must be a private special deputy, which is defined as a person who is employed and compensated by a resort area owner or management company to act as security and law enforcement for the resort area and whose qualifications and training requirements are equivalent to or superior to those required for a law enforcement officer under the standards established by the peace officer standards and training commission for law enforcement officers.
Requires the commission to issue a certificate of compliance to a person appointed as a private special deputy as described in the bill on or after January 1, 2026.
ON MARCH 27, 2025, THE SENATE SUBSTITUTED HOUSE BILL 959 FOR SENATE BILL 789, ADOPTED AMENDMENT #2
, AND PASSED SENATE BILL 789, AS AMENDED.
AMENDMENT #2 makes the following revisions:
removes, as of July 1, 2025, the present law provision authorizing the board for professional counselors, marital and family therapists and clinical pastoral therapists ("board") to license, without examination, a professional counselor applicant who is currently licensed in another state if the applicant's qualifications meet
present law
licensure requirements to, instead authorize the board to license, without examination, a professional counselor applicant with a valid, unencumbered license issued by another state, territory, or federal district of the United States at an equivalent level of licensure under either of the following conditions:
The applicant has a
60
-hour graduate degree in counseling or a related field
that
meets
present law
requirements
,
and has actively practiced without supervision at the level of licensure for which the applicant has applied for at least two of the three most recent years
.
The applicant has a conferred graduate degree consisting of a minimum of 52 hours in counseling or a related field from an accredited program that were earned prior to 2016, has practiced as a licensed professional counselor for a minimum of 25 years, and meets
present law
requirements
.
Requires, as of July 1, 2025, a
professional counselor applicant at the highest level of licensure
to
meet
present law licensure
requirements, as well as the requirements of either
condition described above. The licensure requirements under present law are having (i) c
ompleted coursework specifically related to the diagnosis, treatment, appraisal, and assessment of mental disorders; and
(ii) completed two years of postgraduate supervised experience required for licensure in a clinical setting that provides substantial opportunities to diagnose, treat, appraise, and assess mental disorders.
Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
SENATE BILL 789
By Walley
HOUSE BILL 959
By Hemmer
HB0959
002999
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AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 33
and Title 63, relative to mental health.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-22-113(a), is amended by
deleting the subsection and substituting:
(a)
(1) This part does not apply to activities and services of a student intern
or trainee in marriage and family therapy who is pursuing a program of studies in
marriage and family therapy at an accredited institution of higher learning if these
activities are performed under supervision and are a part of a supervised
program of study.
(2) A person enrolled in a program as described in subdivision (a)(1) may
use the titles "marital therapy intern," "family therapy trainee," or "student
therapist."
(3) A person who is under supervision and pursuing independent
licensure in marriage and family therapy and has completed a graduate degree
as described in subdivision (a)(1) may use "pre-licensed marriage and family
therapist" or postgraduate designations.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-22-115(a)(2), is amended by
deleting the subdivision and substituting:
(2) "Approved supervisor" means a licensed marriage and family therapist, or
any other licensed mental health professional who is either an American Association for
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Marriage and Family Therapy-approved supervisor or a supervisor-in-training under
supervision mentoring with a current American Association for Marriage and Family
Therapy-approved supervisor;
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-22-121, is amended by deleting
the section and substituting:
(a)
(1) An associate license may be issued by the board for a licensed
professional counselor designated as a mental health service provider applicant
who has completed the academic coursework and training required for the
license sought and who has successfully passed the examination required by the
board.
(2) An associate license obtained pursuant to this section authorizes an
applicant to perform the functions specified in § 63-22-122(5), for which the
applicant is seeking licensure under qualified supervision.
(3) In order to receive an associate license, an applicant must submit to
the board a completed application for an associate license with the applicant's
completed application for the desired license and all appropriate fees.
(4) If an applicant is granted an associate license, then the license must
remain valid for up to four (4) years and is eligible for extension at the discretion
of the board.
(5) The applicant shall notify the board and present supporting
documentation demonstrating the satisfactory completion of the required
postgraduate supervised experience in a clinical setting. The board shall then
grant or deny the license application based on satisfactory completion of all
requirements for licensure.
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(b)
(1) The board may issue an associate license to a marital and family
therapist applicant who has completed the academic coursework and training
required for the license sought. In order to retain such associate license, the
applicant must take the written examination required by the board within nine (9)
months following issuance of the associate license.
(2) An associate license obtained pursuant to this section authorizes the
applicant to engage in the practice of marital and family therapy, as defined by §
63-22-115(a)(7), under the supervision of an approved supervisor, as defined by
§ 63-22-115(a)(2) and (9).
(3) In order to receive an associate license, the applicant must submit the
following to the board:
(A) A completed application for an associate license;
(B) Satisfactory evidence of an agreement with an approved
supervisor under whose supervision the applicant intends to practice; and
(C) All appropriate fees.
(4) If an applicant is granted an associate license, then the license is
valid for up to four (4) years and is eligible for an extension at the discretion of
the board. The applicant must submit to the board an application for the
independent license and must present supporting documentation demonstrating
the satisfactory completion of the required amount of post-master's degree
supervised experience in a clinical setting under an approved supervisor. The
board shall then grant or deny the application for the independent license based
on satisfactory completion of all requirements for independent licensure. If the
board approves or denies the application for the independent license or if the
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board revokes the associate license for any reason, then the associate license
must cease to be valid and must be returned to the board.
(5) The holder of an associate license as a marital and family therapist
shall not represent such associate licensee to be a licensed marital and family
therapist. The holder of such a license may only represent such associate
licensee to be an "associate licensed marriage and family therapist" or by the use
of the letters "AMFT."
SECTION 4. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.