LRB-2633/1
MDK:cmh&jlg:km
1999 - 2000 LEGISLATURE
January 12, 2000 - Introduced by Senators Roessler, Rude, Robson, Farrow and
Darling, cosponsored by Representatives Jeskewitz, Urban, Kelso, Kreibich
and Spillner, by request of Secretary Marlene A. Cummings, the Department
of Regulation and Licensing and the Examining Board of Social Workers,
Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors. Referred to
Committee on Human Services and Aging.
SB321,1,4 1An Act to amend 457.16 (3) and 457.20 (2); and to create 457.11 of the statutes;
2relating to: creating a marriage and family therapist training certificate and
3changing the eligibility requirements for taking the examination for a marriage
4and family therapist or professional counselor certificate.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Under current law, the professional counselor and marriage and family
therapist sections of the examining board of social workers, marriage and family
therapists and professional counselors (board) grant certificates that allow persons
to use certain titles related to professional counseling and marriage and family
therapy. To qualify for a certificate, a person must satisfy certain education,
examination and supervised clinical practice requirements. However, a person may
not take the examination that is required until after he or she satisfies the
supervised clinical practice requirements.
Under this bill, a person may take the examination that is required for a
professional counselor or marriage and family therapist certificate before he or she
satisfies the supervised clinical practice requirements.
This bill also creates a marriage and family therapist training certificate
(training certificate) that is granted by the marriage and family therapist section.
A person is eligible for a training certificate if he or she submits an application, pays
a fee and satisfies the same education requirements that are required for a marriage
and family therapist certificate. In addition, he or she must be employed part time
or full time, or have an offer of part-time or full-time employment, as a marriage and

family therapist in a supervised clinical marriage and family therapist practice, or
in a position in which he or she will receive training and supervision that is
equivalent to the training and supervision received in a supervised clinical marriage
and family therapist practice.
Under the bill, the training certificate is valid for 24 months or until the person
who holds the training certificate is no longer employed as a marriage and family
therapist in a supervised clinical marriage and family therapist practice or an
equivalent position, whichever is earlier. A person who holds a training certificate
may use the titles "marriage and family therapist", "marriage and family counselor"
or any similar title, and is considered to be certified as a marriage and family
therapist for the purpose of any law governing marriage and family therapists.
Finally, the bill provides that a training certificate cannot be renewed.
For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as
an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SB321, s. 1 1Section 1. 457.11 of the statutes is created to read:
SB321,2,4 2457.11 Marriage and family therapist training certificate. (1) The
3marriage and family therapist section shall grant a marriage and family therapist
4training certificate to any individual who does all of the following:
SB321,2,65 (a) Submits an application for the certificate to the department on a form
6provided by the department.
SB321,2,77 (b) Pays the fee specified in s. 440.05 (6).
SB321,2,88 (c) Satisfies the requirements in s. 457.10 (2).
SB321,3,29 (d) Submits evidence satisfactory to the marriage and family therapist section
10that he or she is employed part time or full time, or has an offer of part-time or
11full-time employment, as a marriage and family therapist in a supervised clinical
12marriage and family therapist practice or in a position in which the applicant will,
13in the opinion of the marriage and family therapist section, receive training and

1supervision equivalent to the training and supervision received in a supervised
2clinical marriage and family therapist practice.
SB321,3,6 3(2) A marriage and family therapist training certificate is valid for 24 months
4or until the date on which the holder of the certificate ceases to be employed in a
5position specified in sub. (1) (d), whichever occurs first, and may not be renewed by
6the marriage and family therapist section.
SB321,3,9 7(3) (a) A marriage and family therapist training certificate authorizes the
8holder to use any title specified in s. 457.04 (5) during the period in which the
9certificate is valid.
SB321,3,1210 (b) A marriage and family therapist training certificate holder is a marriage
11and family therapist certified under this chapter for purposes of any law governing
12marriage and family therapists certified under this chapter.
SB321, s. 2 13Section 2. 457.16 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB321,3,1914 457.16 (3) An individual is not eligible for examination unless he or she
15satisfies the requirements for certification under s. 457.08 (1) (a) and (b), (2) (intro.),
16(a) and (b), (3) (intro.) and (a) to (c) or (4) (intro.) and (a) to (c), 457.10 (1) to (3) and
17(2)
or 457.12 (1) to (3) and (2) and, at least 30 days before the date of the examination,
18submits an application for examination to the department on a form provided by the
19department and pays the fee specified in s. 440.05 (1).
SB321, s. 3 20Section 3. 457.20 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB321,3,2321 457.20 (2) The renewal dates for certificates granted under this chapter, other
22than certificates granted under ss. 457.09, 457.11, 457.13 and 457.14, are specified
23under s. 440.08 (2) (a).
SB321, s. 4 24Section 4. Initial applicability.
SB321,4,3
1(1) The treatment of section 457.16 (3) of the statutes first applies to
2applications for examinations submitted to the department of regulation and
3licensing on the effective date of this subsection.
SB321,4,44 (End)
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