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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I obtain a copy of the Approved Supervisor
Designation Standards and Responsibilities Handbook?
Click
here.
What do I need to do to begin training to become an AAMFT
Approved Supervisor?
The
process is outlined in the
Becoming an Approved Supervisor
section.
Make sure you meet the prerequisites, and that you can
reasonably expect to fulfill all the requirements. Identify
and contract with an Approved Supervisor mentor, and begin
training.
Do I need to send in anything to the AAMFT before I begin
training for the Approved Supervisor designation?
No. Meet
with an Approved Supervisor and determine your eligibility to
begin training. Develop a contract and a training plan, and
begin training. You will send an application packet to AAMFT
at the end of the training process, when you and your AAMFT
Approved Supervisor mentor agree that you have met all the
requirements for the designation.
Do I need to become an AAMFT Clinical Member before I begin
training?
While most
candidates will be AAMFT Clinical Members prior to training as
a supervisor, it is not required. However, by the time you
complete your supervisor candidate training and submit your
Approved Supervisor application packet, you must be an AAMFT
Clinical Member (or have been evaluated as qualifying for
AAMFT Clinical Membership). Further, at the time of your
application you must have a minimum of two years of clinical
experience beyond the date you obtained (1) Clinical
Membership or (2) an MFT license.
Can I be grand-parented in under a previous training standard?
No. All new supervisor
candidates must apply under the current standards. Candidates
who were previously considered "supervisors-in-training" (a
term that became obsolete in April 2002) may submit their
final application according to the guidelines that were in
place when their training contract with AAMFT was accepted. If
the application is not submitted by the due date established
at the time the training contract was accepted, the candidate
must apply under the current guidelines.
Are
training requirements to become an Approved Supervisor ever
waived?
No. The
training requirements were established by the AAMFT Board of
Directors and they apply to all prospective Approved
Supervisors. They are not waived and exceptions are not
granted.
Is being accepted as a supervisor in my state/province the
same as being an AAMFT Approved Supervisor?
No. AAMFT
Approved Supervisors have gone through training designed by
AAMFT to promote the highest level of proficiency for
supervisors. The designation signifies to other professionals
that the Approved Supervisor has gone through a prescribed
training program of education and mentoring, and has
demonstrated skills in the provision of systemically-oriented
clinical supervision. States/provinces and other organizations
may not have the same guidelines as AAMFT. Completion of a
state/provincial certification process does not qualify one
for the AAMFT Approved Supervisor designation, although the
requirements may be similar, and it is possible that they can
be met concurrently. You are not an AAMFT Approved Supervisor
until you have submitted an application to AAMFT and been
awarded the designation by AAMFT.
Where can I find an AAMFT Approved Supervisor?
Consult
with MFTs in your area for recommendations for an Approved
Supervisor who may be a good fit for you. Also, you may
search for Approved Supervisors using our
Approved Supervisor Directory.
Can I use an "alternate supervisor" to train for the
Approved Supervisor designation?
No. A current AAMFT
Approved Supervisor must provide mentoring and oversee the
training process of supervision candidates.
What if
I live in a rural area, or an area that does not have many
MFTs/trainees?
If you are
considering becoming an Approved Supervisor, consider the
availability of trainees before you proceed. You may contact
local universities and agencies to offer your services.
Do I have to take an AAMFT pre-approved supervision course, or
can I take a course in my area?
All
supervision courses must be offered by or approved by the
AAMFT. A list of pre-approved supervision courses can be found
by clicking
here. Courses are offered
at various locations, so you may be able to find one in or
near your area. Instructions for developing a course and
having it pre-approved can be found in the
Supervision Course
Requirements
section.
If my supervision fundamentals course is over five years old
by the time I'm ready to apply, do I have to take the full
course over?
You may
take the entire course again, or "update" your course by: (1)
attending the entire supervision track at the AAMFT annual
conference, (2) completing an AAMFT-sponsored distance
learning course in supervision, or (3) taking the AAMFT
Approved Supervisor Refresher Course.
I want to apply for the Approved Supervisor designation, but I
received supervision mentoring more than two years ago. Will
it count?
The hours
of supervision mentoring will be allowed to count towards the
AAMFT Approved Supervisor designation provided they meet the
following criteria:
· The mentor must have been an AAMFT Approved Supervisor at
the time the mentoring was provided.
· You must have received a minimum of 18 hours of mentoring
per Approved Supervisor.
· You must receive at least 18 of supervision mentoring within
the two years immediately prior to submitting the Approved
Supervisor application packet.
I am a supervisor candidate. Can I advertise that I am in
training for the AAMFT Approved Supervisor designation?
Supervisor
candidate is not a membership category of AAMFT, and it should
not be used in advertisements as a title or a designation.
When indicating the fact that you are a supervisor candidate,
you are ethically obligated to be clear that you are in
training, and have not yet received the designation. Do not
imply that you will be awarded the designation by a certain
date. Offer to provide a completed
Supervisor Candidate
Verification Form to anyone who has an
interest in your progress toward the designation.
Will the supervision provided by a supervisor candidate count
toward a trainee's AAMFT membership? License?
Supervision provided by a supervisor candidate will indeed
count toward the supervision hours needed for AAMFT
membership. The supervision candidate must be under ongoing
supervision of a current Approved Supervisor, of course, which
is the key to having the supervision count. To "prove" that
the supervision candidate is qualified to provide the
supervision, the trainee should be provided with a copy of the
Supervisor Candidate
Verification Form.
The trainee can send this in with their membership application
when they are ready to apply. The supervision provided by a
supervisor candidate will often count toward the hours of
supervision required for MFT licensure. States and provinces
have differing requirements for supervisors, and AAMFT
Approved Supervisors and supervisor candidates should be
familiar with the requirements in their jurisdiction. (Contact
information for MFT regulatory boards can be found by clicking
here.) Supervisors are responsible for
accurately representing their credentials to trainees.
Once I become an Approved Supervisor, do I carry the
designation for life?
No. The term Approved
Supervisor implies that the holder is actively engaged in, and
available to provide, clinical supervision. The designation is
awarded for five years, and is updated each year when the
Approved Supervisor fee is paid. At the end of the five-year
period, the Approved Supervisor may renew for another
five-year term. The renewal process, including the continuing
education requirement, is described in the
Renewal of the Approved Supervisor Designation
section.
I am an
Approved Supervisor near the end of my five-year term, and I
understand that there is a continuing education requirement
for renewal. May I substitute other courses or workshops in
place of the Approved Supervisor refresher course?
The
five-hour Approved Supervisor refresher courses are
specifically designed to cover the material experienced
Approved Supervisors need to know. You may not substitute
other coursework or workshops. Find a list of pre-approved
refresher courses by clicking
here.
You may fulfill the requirement by attending a complete
30-hour supervision fundamentals course that has been pre-approved or offered by the AAMFT. This is not necessary, of
course, as the 30-hour courses are designed for candidates in
their initial training for the Approved Supervisor
designation. The five-hour refresher course is the most
expeditious and economical way to fulfill the CE requirement
for your renewal.
What happens if I do not renew my designation upon my
five-year renewal date?
If the
requirements for the five-year renewal are not completed and
submitted to AAMFT by the deadline indicated on the renewal
notification, the designation will automatically be resigned.
If you wish to regain the designation at a future point, you
will be required to demonstrate that you have taken the
Approved Supervisor refresher course within the past five
years.
What are the fees for becoming an Approved Supervisor and for
maintaining the designation?
(These fees and dues are in addition to annual AAMFT
membership dues and are subject to change)
Approved
Supervisor Application Processing Fee (non-refundable)
$200.00
Annual Fee for the Approved Supervisor designation (AAMFT
Clinical Members) $50.00
Annual Fee for the Approved Supervisor designation
(non-members) $100.00
American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
112 South Alfred Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
Email:
central@aamft.org
Phone: 703-838-9808
Fax: 703-838-9805
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