Changes the direct client contact hour requirements for applicants for licensure of marriage and family therapist associate and applicants for licensure of marriage and family therapist.

## Summary of the Bill

This bill changes the number of direct client contact hours required for people seeking to become licensed marriage and family therapists in Rhode Island. Specifically, it adjusts the hands-on experience requirements at two levels: for those applying to become a "marriage and family therapist associate" (an earlier-career designation) and for those applying for full licensure as a marriage and family therapist.

Currently, applicants for these licenses must complete a certain number of hours spent working directly with clients — meaning face-to-face counseling or therapy sessions — as part of their training and supervised experience. This bill would change those hour requirements, making it easier or more streamlined for aspiring therapists to meet the qualifications needed to obtain their licenses and begin practicing.

The bill primarily affects people who are in the process of training to become marriage and family therapists in Rhode Island. This could include graduate students, recent graduates completing supervised clinical work, and professionals working toward full licensure. By adjusting these requirements, the bill could also indirectly affect the availability of licensed therapists in the state, potentially helping to address workforce shortages in the mental health field.

The bill has already passed the Rhode Island House of Representatives and has been referred to the Senate Health and Human Services Committee for further consideration.