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.

Plain-English Summary

This bill would change the number of hours that people need to spend working directly with clients in order to qualify for a license as a Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) or a Marriage and Family Therapist Associate in Rhode Island. Currently, state law sets specific hour requirements that aspiring therapists must meet as part of their training and supervised experience before they can be licensed. This bill proposes to adjust those numbers, though the exact new amounts would be spelled out in the full bill text.

The bill primarily affects people who are in the process of becoming licensed marriage and family therapists in Rhode Island — essentially, those currently in training programs or working toward meeting state licensing requirements. Depending on whether the bill raises or lowers the required hours, it could make it easier or harder to enter the profession. It could also affect mental health practices, clinics, and supervisors who work with these aspiring therapists, as well as the patients who receive services from them.

Currently, the bill has been introduced in the Rhode Island Senate and referred to the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, which recommended holding it for further study. A hearing has been scheduled for April 2, 2026. This means the bill has not yet been passed or signed into law, and lawmakers are still reviewing it before deciding whether to move it forward.