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PUBLIC CHAPTER NO. 204
HOUSE BILL NO. 959
By Representatives Hemmer, Camper, Hardaway
Substituted for: Senate Bill No. 789
By Senators Walley, Akbari
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 33 and Title 63, relative to mental
health.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-22-113(a), is amended by deleting
the subsection and substituting:
(a)
(1) This part does not apply to activities and services of a student intern
or trainee in marriage and family therapy who is pursuing a program of studies in
marriage and family therapy at an accredited institution of higher learning if these
activities are performed under supervision and are a part of a supervised
program of study or supervisory arrangement recognized and approved by the
board.
(2) A person enrolled in a program as described in subdivision (a)(1) may
use the titles "marital therapy intern," "family therapy trainee," or "student
therapist."
(3) A person who is under supervIsIon and pursuing independent
licensure in marriage and family therapy and has completed a graduate degree
as described in subdivision (a)(1) may use "pre-licensed marriage and family
therapist" or postgraduate designations.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-22-115(a)(2), is amended by
deleting the subdivision and substituting:
(2) "Approved supervisor" means a licensed marriage and family therapist or any
other licensed mental health .professional who is an American Association for Marriage
and Family Therapy-approved supervisor; a supervisor-in-training under supervision
mentoring with a current American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy-
approved supervisor; or a board-approved supervisor;
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-22-121, is amended by deleting
the section and substituting:
(a)
(1) An associate license may be issued by the board for a licensed
professional counselor designated as a mental health service provider applicant
who has completed the academic coursework and training required for the
license sought and who has successfully passed the examination required by the
board.
(2) An associate license obtained pursuant to this section authorizes an
applicant to perform the functions specified in § 63-22-122(5), for which the
applicant is seeking licensure under qualified supervision.
HB959
(3) In order to receive an associate license, an applicant must submit to
the board a completed application for an associate license with the applicant's
completed application for the desired license and all appropriate fees.
(4) If an applicant is granted an associate license, then the license must
remain valid for up to four (4) years and is eligible for extension at the discretion
of the board.
(5) The applicant shall notify the board and present supporting
documentation demonstrating the satisfactory completion of the required
postgraduate supervised experience in a clinical setting. The board shall then
grant or deny the license application based on satisfactory completion of all
requirements for licensure.
(b)
(1) The board may issue an associate license to a marital and family
therapist applicant who has completed the academic coursework and training
required for the license sought.
(2) An associate license obtained pursuant to this section authorizes the
applicant to engage in the practice of marital and family therapy, as defined by §
63-22-115(a)(7), under the supervision of an approved supervisor, as defined by
§ 63-22-115(a)(2) and (9).
(3) In order to receive an associate license, the applicant must submit the
following to the board:
(A) A completed application for an associate license;
(8) Satisfactory evidence of an agreement with an approved
supervisor under whose supervision the applicant intends to practice; and
(C) All appropriate fees.
(4) If an applicant is granted an associate license, then the license is valid
for up to four (4) years and is eligible for an extension at the discretion of the
board.
(5) The applicant must submit to the board an application for the
independent license and must present supporting documentation demonstrating
the satisfactory completion of the required amount of post-master's degree
supervised experience in a clinical setting under an approved supervisor. The
board shall then grant or deny the application for the independent license based
on satisfactory completion of all requirements for independent licensure. If the
board approves or denies the application for the independent license or if the
board revokes the associate license for any reason, then the associate license
must cease to be valid.
(6) The holder of an associate license as a marital and family therapist
shall not represent such associate licensee to be a licensed marital and family
therapist. The holder of such a license may only represent such associate
licensee to be an "associate licensed marriage and family therapist" or by the use
of the letters "AMFT."
SECTION 4. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-22-116, is amended by deleting
subsection (a) and substituting:
(a)
(1) The board may license, without examination, a professional counselor
applicant with a valid, unencumbered license issued by another state, territory, or
federal district of the United States at an equivalent level of licensure under the
following conditions:
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HB959
(A) The applicant has a sixty-hour graduate degree in counseling
or a related field, meets the requirements of § 63-22-104(4)-(7), and has
actively practiced without supervision at the level of licensure for which
the applicant has applied for at least two (2) of the three (3) most recent
years; or
(B) The applicant has a conferred graduate degree consisting of a
minimum of fifty-two (52) hours in counseling or a related field from an
accredited program that were earned prior to 2016, has practiced as a
licensed professional counselor for a minimum of twenty-five (25) years,
and meets the requirements of§ 63-22-104(4)-(7).
(2) A professional counselor applicant at the highest level of licensure
must meet the requirements of§ 63-22-120, as well as the requirements of either
subdivision (a)(1 )(A) or (a)(1 )(B).
SECTION 5. For the purposes of promulgating rules, this act takes effect upon becoming
a law, the public welfare requiring it. For all other purposes:
(1) Section 4 of this act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it;
and
(2) Sections 1-3 of this act take effect January 1, 2026, the public welfare
requiring it.
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HOUSE BILL NO. 959
PASSED: April 3, 2025
CAMERON SEXTON, SPEAKER
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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T RANDY MC,ALLy
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SPEAKER OF THE SENATE
~ APPROVED this day of ~ j \ 2025
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