COAMFTE Site Visitor Training

Welcome to the At-Home Site Visitor Training Module - Part I. This program is designed for both new site visitors and to serve as a refresher for existing site visitors. I would like to begin by thanking you for your commitment to marriage and family therapy education. Site visitors are truly the backbone to the accreditation process. The Commission relies heavily on the expertise, integrity, and dedication of its site visit volunteers to carry out on-site program reviews. This training module serves as 1/2 of the complete training program. All individuals wishing to become a site visitor must complete this module and then attend the 3-hour seminar offered by AAMFT at the Annual Conference.  Please contact the Director of Educational Affairs for more information.

The first step in becoming a COAMFTE site visitor is to ensure that you have met all the requirements thereof. The COAMFTE maintains Site Visitor Qualifications which are as follows:

Site Visitor Qualifications (excerpted from Master Accreditation Manual: Policies & Procedures)

Qualifications for Site Visitors:

• Minimum of five (5) years experience as a practitioner/educator in the field of marriage and family therapy
  

• Significant experience as an educator/trainer in the field of marriage and family therapy (which includes but not limited to: experience in a university, clinical, or related setting)
  

• Experience in performing supervisory administrative duties
  

• Current knowledge of the standards for marriage and family therapy education
  

• Successful completion of COAMFTE Site Visitor Training
  

• Clinical member of AAMFT & licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
  

• Current knowledge and experience in the profession of Marriage and Family Therapy
  

• Participation in a site visit every three (3) years*

*Site visitors must participate in a site visit within three years from their site visitor training, and at least within three years of their last site visit.  Site visitors who do not participate in a site visit every three years will be considered inactive and must retake the site visitor training prior to participation in a site visit.

Qualified site visitors who are ineligible to participate in site visits due to other AAMFT organizational service will retain their site visitor status during their term of service and for the three years immediately following the completion of their term of service.  Commission Members who satisfy the Site Visitor Qualifications during their term on the Commission shall retain their site visitor status for their term of service and for the three years immediately following the completion of their term of service.

Individuals not meeting the above reference criteria should not continue with the training program. Individuals who have met the above criteria should contact the Director of Accreditation Services to gain access to the At-Home Training Module.

The At-Home Training Module includes three segments of training:

1. A review of accreditation materials:

a.       Master Accreditation Manual: Policies and Procedures

b.       Accreditation Forms

c.       Accreditation Standards

d.       Site Visitor Handbook

2. A review of accreditation presentations:

a.       Accreditation Workshop

b.       Site Visitor Training (Questions Included)

3. Attendance of the 3-hour Site Visitor Training Seminar (Annual Conference)

Your Requirements

Following your review of the accreditation materials listed above, and the review of the two presentations included within the module, you will be asked to provide to the Director of Educational Affairs with a signed Site Visitor Training Completion Form.

After you have completed the training program and attended the conference seminar, the final phase is hands-on training via participation on an actual site visit. Following participation on a site visit the team members, the team chair, and the COAMFTE Representative will provide you with valuable feedback about your strengths and weaknesses. These evaluations may yield suggestions for areas to improve your site visitor ability. Upon successful completion of the training site visit, and pending evaluations from your peers, you will be issued a COAMFTE Site Visitor Certificate and may volunteer for upcoming site visits. Alternatively, you may be required to retake the training if you do not adequately meet the needs of the site visitor role.

Where To Begin

The first step in the process is to contact the Director of Educational Affairs and request access to the At-Home Training Program.

Upon receipt of the program, the first step is to begin reviewing the materials included with the module. Next please review the presentations and complete the Site Visitor Training Completion form. Upon supplying Site Visitor Training Completion form, the Director of Accreditation Services will alert you to the next steps of the process, i.e., attending the conference seminar.

Once you have obtained a login and password from COAMFTE, please click HERE to login.