Supervision FAQ for Pre-Licensed Professionals
Many pre-licensed and licensed professionals have questions about licensure, and supervision is a big part of this process. Below, we’ve tried to answer some of the most commonly asked questions on these topics.
Q: How many hours of supervision do I need?
A: For MFT licensure in Georgia you need 200 hours of supervision, 100 of which need to come from an AAMFT approved supervisor. If you graduated from a COAMFTE accredited school, those 100 AAMFT hours will be met by your program, and post-graduation, you’ll need to get 100 more supervision hours. Of course, we recommend you use AAMFT-approved supervisors for as much of your supervision as possible, however up to 100 hours of supervision may be provided by another professionally qualified supervisor that has been approved by the Composite Board.
Q: Who can supervise me?
A: The Composite Board has final approval over professionals that can supervise you. If you contract with an AAMFT or CPCS supervisor, the Board typically recognizes their advanced training in supervision and approves them based on their credentials. Any supervisor must be approved by the Composite Board for your hours to be counted toward licensure.
Q: How does the GA Composite Board define a “Board Approved Supervisor?”
A: The GA Composite Board defines a Board Approved Supervisor as a “person who is licensed as a marriage and family therapist and who has been approved by the GA Composite Board…to provide supervision of the practice of marriage and family therapy. To obtain such approval, the person must submit documentation of the following: five years of full-time post-licensure experience; 180 hours of experience providing marriage and family therapy supervision for at least two supervisees during a period of no less than two years and no more than five years; 36 hours of supervision received from an AAMFT Approved Supervisor or a GA Board Approved MFT Supervisor specifically in the skill of providing marriage and family therapy supervision, a minimum of 24 hours of which shall have been individual supervision-of-supervision and a recommendation from each of the supervisors who provided supervision-of-supervision attesting to the applicant’s competence as a supervisor. In addition, the Board may, at its discretion, accept a supervisor who is licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist in another jurisdiction and who has been designated as an Approved MFT Supervisor by the Board that licenses Marriage and Family Therapists in that jurisdiction.” Board Rules 135-5-.05 (1) (a) and 135-5-.06 (1) (c). An AAMFT Approved Supervisor is an example of someone who meets the above definition.
Q: How do I know if a supervisor is a good fit for me?
A: We recommend looking for a supervisor that will help you with areas of growth that you have identified. You may seek out a supervisor with a specific modality specialty or someone who works with a population you are interested in. You can ask about their preferred structure of supervision sessions, their cost, whether or not they assign work outside of your supervision hour, etc. For more tips and information on how to find a supervisor, click here.
Q: Where can I find a supervisor?
A: The quickest way to locate an AAMFT-approved supervisor is on the AAMFT.org website. You can filter by states and/or zip codes to help narrow your search. There is also Motivo, a virtual supervision service that helps connect licensees to supervisees based on stated criteria. You may also find a job that provides you with on-site supervision as part of your employment. It is important that any supervision you receive meets the requirements set forth by GA Law. http://rules.sos.ga.gov/GAC/135-5-.05
Q: How much does supervision cost?
A: There is no specific answer for this. Some applicants are able to get supervision included with their jobs, which does not cost any out-of-pocket expense. Some applicants need to hire a supervisor to meet the requirements for their application. Supervisors can charge their traditional hourly rate or have a different rate structure for supervision, which may differ for groups and individuals.
Q: What is the process for changing supervisors and/or my employment site?
A: You will need to submit new forms to the Composite Board for the supervisor and/or job site, which are pages 14-17 of the associate application. Only the Composite Board can approve a new site and/or supervisor. Changes to your application must be received by that Board within 30 days of said change.