Panel advances bill to expand licensure pathways for marriage and family therapists

House Bill 1228, a measure to increase flexibility in how graduate-level candidates for marriage and family therapist licensure complete required practicum or internship hours, moved from the Senate Business, Labor and Technology Committee to the Committee of the Whole and was placed on the consent calendar.

Sponsor Senator Catlin said the bill addresses a shortage of licensed therapists and simply allows students who have completed required coursework to gain the required supervised hours (rather than relying solely on in-program practicums) so they can become eligible applicants for licensure.

Dr. Leslie, director of the Colorado School for Family Therapy and representing the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, testified in support, saying too many programs mislead students about practicum availability and that the bill remedies that problem by allowing post-degree supervised hours that follow Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) supervision standards. He confirmed that 700 hours are required for practicum or internship under current rules and said the change helps lower barriers for clinicians often from lower socioeconomic backgrounds or rural areas.

Committee members asked whether the bill substitutes face-to-face client contact for in-program internships; Dr. Leslie replied that the hours would be completed under the required DORA supervision mandates and that the change would help clinicians who otherwise cannot complete in-program practicums.

The chair moved the bill to the Committee of the Whole; Ms. Chapman polled the committee and the motion passed on a 5-to-0 vote. The chair then placed the bill on the committee's consent calendar.