MD MFT Juris flashcards
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32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Governing statute for Maryland MFTs
- The Maryland Marriage and Family Therapy Practice Act is codified in the Health Occupations Article, Title 17, Subtitle 3, with general allied-health provisions in Subtitle 1.
- Board that licenses MFTs
- The State Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists licenses marriage and family therapists in Maryland, alongside professional counselors and alcohol and drug counselors.
- COMAR MFT subtitle
- COMAR Title 10, Subtitle 63 contains the marriage and family therapy regulations covering licensure, supervision, continuing education, and practice standards.
- Statute versus regulation conflict
- The statute controls when a COMAR regulation conflicts with the Act; until the regulation is amended, a licensee should follow the stricter requirement.
- Definition of marriage and family therapy
- Assessment and treatment of mental, emotional, and relational disorders using a family systems framework, including diagnosis, psychotherapy, and referral for individuals, couples, and families.
- Protected MFT titles
- Only a Maryland licensee may use "marriage and family therapist," "licensed marriage and family therapist," "MFT," or "LCMFT," or describe services as marriage and family therapy.
- Title protection versus practice regulation
- Maryland restricts use of MFT titles and licensure claims but does not generally bar unlicensed counseling-like services; the violation is misrepresentation, not the service itself.
- Family systems distinction
- MFT scope overlaps with counseling and social work; the distinguishing feature is relational and family-systems training rather than the setting or number of clients.
- Degree requirement for licensure
- Applicants need a master's or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy, or a closely related degree with equivalent MFT coursework, from a regionally accredited institution.
- AMFTRB national examination
- Maryland requires a passing score on the MFT National Examination administered by the Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards, reported directly by the vendor.
- Post-degree supervised experience
- Applicants complete supervised clinical experience under a Board-approved supervisor, documented on Board forms showing direct client contact hours and supervision hours.
- Criminal history records check
- Maryland requires fingerprint-supported State and FBI criminal history checks as part of the initial MFT licensure application.
- Renewal and continuing education
- MFT licenses renew on the Board's biennial cycle, requiring Board-acceptable continuing education including ethics and a signed attestation of renewal information.
- Lapsed license reinstatement
- A lapsed license may be reinstated within the Board's grace period with a late fee and documented missed CE; later reinstatement may require reapplication.
- Required client disclosure
- At the start of services, a licensee gives written disclosure of fees, the nature of services, confidentiality limits, and how to contact the Board with a complaint.
- Truthful advertising rule
- Advertising must be accurate and not misleading; licensees may not claim superiority, guarantee outcomes, use unearned credentials, or imply guaranteed results through testimonials.
- Informed consent in family therapy
- Consent must explain who attends sessions, how secrets between family members are handled, and how records are shared within a couple or family.
- Prohibited dual relationships
- Sexual relationships with current clients, therapy with former sexual partners, and bartering or multiple relationships that impair objectivity or risk exploitation are prohibited.
- Record retention and release
- Licensees keep client records for the Board-required period, store them securely, and release them only with valid authorization or as law requires.
- Confidentiality versus privilege
- Confidentiality is the ethical duty not to disclose; privilege is the client's evidentiary right to prevent testimony or record disclosure in legal proceedings.
- Who holds the privilege
- The client holds the therapist-client privilege; for a minor or person under guardianship, the parent or guardian generally holds it, subject to the minor's interests.
- Mandatory child abuse reporting
- Maryland licensees must report suspected child abuse or neglect to the local department of social services or law enforcement and must report vulnerable adult abuse.
- Duty to protect or warn
- When a client presents a serious threat of imminent violence, Maryland permits or requires disclosure to the intended victim and law enforcement to prevent harm.
- Subpoena for client records
- A subpoena does not automatically authorize disclosure; the licensee verifies validity, notifies the client, and asserts privilege or seeks a protective order when appropriate.
- Secrets in couple therapy
- The therapist should agree in advance how individually disclosed information is handled and may decline to hold secrets that would undermine the couple's treatment.
- Common disciplinary grounds
- Grounds include fraud in obtaining licensure, incompetence, gross negligence, unprofessional conduct, practicing impaired, and violating the Act, COMAR, or a Board order.
- Criminal conviction as ground
- A conviction or nolo contendere plea to a crime involving moral turpitude or related to practice is a disciplinary ground, reviewed by the Board on the circumstances.
- Complaint screening process
- Complaints go to the Board, which may dismiss, investigate, or refer the matter to the Office of Administrative Hearings for a contested case hearing.
- Administrative Procedure Act hearing
- Contested cases follow State Government Article, Title 10, Subtitle 2: notice of charges, a hearing, and a written decision by the administrative law judge or Board.
- Range of Board sanctions
- Sanctions include reprimand, probation with conditions, suspension, revocation, civil penalties, and required remedial education or treatment.
- Emergency summary suspension
- The Board may suspend a license summarily when public health, safety, or welfare requires immediate action, provided a prompt hearing follows.
- Board investigative authority
- The Board may subpoena records and witnesses, administer oaths, and petition a circuit court to enforce its subpoenas and orders.