Ohio IMFT-S Requirements & Hours Tracker

In Ohio, the “IMFT‑S” credential is not a separate license, but a training supervision designation added to an existing Independent Marriage and Family Therapist license (IMFT).

The Ohio Administrative Code defines:

• “IMFT” as an “Independent Marriage and Family Therapist.” (codes.ohio.gov)
• “IMFT‑S” as an “Independent Marriage and Family Therapist with training supervision designation.” (codes.ohio.gov)

This designation authorizes you to provide training supervision to MFTs working toward independent licensure. The process has three layers of requirements:

1. Educational and initial MFT licensure (MFT).
2. Independent licensure (IMFT), with specific supervised hours.
3. Additional post‑licensure experience and supervision training to qualify for the IMFT‑S designation.

Below is a step‑by‑step guide, with the hour requirements and the Board’s own terminology highlighted.

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1. Complete an approved MFT graduate program

Ohio first requires that you meet the educational standards in rule 4757‑25‑01. Those include a qualifying master’s or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy (or closely related, if approved), plus a supervised practicum/internship.

For applicants who began their MFT program after January 2015, the rule specifies:

• “A minimum of two semesters or three quarters of qualified supervised clinical practicum and/or qualified internship” with
  • “five hundred hours of direct face‑to‑face client contact with individuals, couples, and families” and
  • “one hundred hours of supervision.” (codes.ohio.gov)
• At least 250 of the 500 hours must be direct client contact “with couples and/or families present.” (codes.ohio.gov)

These practicum/internship hours are part of your degree, not your post‑degree supervised experience for independent licensure.

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2. Become a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT)

After meeting the educational requirements, you must:

• Pass the national “Examination in Marital and Family Therapy” offered by AMFTRB, as prescribed by the Board. (codes.ohio.gov)
• Meet general Board requirements (criminal records check, application, fees, etc.). (codes.ohio.gov)

This gives you the MFT license, which allows you to practice under appropriate supervision while you accrue hours toward independent licensure.

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3. Meet the supervised experience requirements for IMFT

To become an Independent Marriage and Family Therapist (IMFT), you must meet the experience requirements in rule 4757‑25‑04. The rule states that, after completing the required education, an applicant shall:

1. “Complete at least two calendar years of supervised training while engaged in the practice of marriage and family therapy.” (codes.ohio.gov)

2. Within those two years, complete:

   • “Two hundred hours of face‑to‑face supervision” while completing
   • “a minimum of one thousand hours of documented face‑to‑face client contact in marriage and family therapy.” (codes.ohio.gov)

   The rule further specifies:

   • At least 100 of the 200 supervision hours must be individual supervision. (codes.ohio.gov)
   • At least 500 of the 1,000 client contact hours must be with couples and/or families present. (codes.ohio.gov)

3. The training supervision must be performed by a supervisor whose training and experience meet the standards in rule 4757‑29‑01(C). (codes.ohio.gov)

How “training supervision” is defined

Rule 4757‑29‑01 defines “training supervision” for MFTs as supervision for people “gaining the experience required for a license as an independent marriage and family therapist.” It states:

• Training supervision “requires extensive time and involvement on the part of the supervisor” and must begin with a face‑to‑face meeting (which can be via videoconferencing). (codes.ohio.gov)
• “Training supervision shall include an average of one hour of contact between the supervisor and supervisee for every twenty hours of work by the supervisee.” (codes.ohio.gov)

The rule also distinguishes:

• “Individual supervision” – a case‑related interactive face‑to‑face meeting between one supervisor and no more than two supervisees. (codes.ohio.gov)
• “Group supervision” – a case‑related interactive face‑to‑face meeting with one supervisor and no more than eight supervisees. (codes.ohio.gov)

Once you have met the two‑year / 1,000 hours client contact / 200 hours supervision requirements, and all general licensure conditions, you may be approved for IMFT licensure.

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4. Understand what the IMFT‑S designation allows

An Independent Marriage and Family Therapist with training supervision designation (IMFT‑S) is defined by the Board as:

“An independent marriage and family therapist licensed by the board to practice marriage and family therapy … and [who has] been awarded training supervision designation per paragraph (F) of rule 4757‑29‑01.” (codes.ohio.gov)

Only IMFTs with this designation may provide training supervision to MFTs who are gaining experience for licensure as independent marriage and family therapists. (codes.ohio.gov)

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5. Meet the additional requirements for the IMFT‑S designation

The requirements for this training supervision designation are in rule 4757‑29‑01(H). The rule says:

1. “After January 1, 2015, only independent marriage and family therapists who have obtained a training supervision designation may provide training supervision.” (codes.ohio.gov)

2. Application requirement

   • “Applicants for a training supervision designation … shall apply on forms required by the board and shall meet at least one of the following” paths. (codes.ohio.gov)

3. Path 1: AAMFT Approved Supervisor

   You qualify for IMFT‑S if you:

   • Are an AAMFT Approved Supervisor and
   • Hold an Ohio IMFT license in good standing. (codes.ohio.gov)

4. Path 2: Post‑licensure experience + supervision course

   If you are not already an AAMFT Approved Supervisor, you may qualify by showing:

   • You hold an Ohio IMFT license in good standing, and
   • You can document at least:
     • “Two years post‑licensure clinical experience as an independent marriage and family therapist; and” (codes.ohio.gov)
     • “Completion of the AAMFT thirty hour supervision course, or an equivalent course approved by the MFT professional standards committee.” (codes.ohio.gov)

   Important for your planning:
   The rule does not specify a numeric hour requirement (such as 1,500 clinical hours) for this post‑licensure period. Instead, it uses the time‑based standard “two years post‑licensure clinical experience as an independent marriage and family therapist.” The only explicit hour‑based requirements for practice experience are those used to qualify for the IMFT license itself (1,000 client contact hours and 200 supervision hours, as described above). (codes.ohio.gov)

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6. Maintain the IMFT‑S designation

Once you hold the training supervision designation, you must meet ongoing supervision‑specific continuing education (CE) requirements.

Rule 4757‑29‑01(H)(3)–(4) provides:

1. If you have not previously completed the AAMFT 30‑hour supervision course or AAMFT supervision refresher course:

   • You must maintain the designation by obtaining “three hours in an AAMFT approved supervision refresher course … or equivalent supervision course prior to renewal.” (codes.ohio.gov)

2. If you have previously completed the AAMFT 30‑hour supervision course or an AAMFT supervision refresher course (and can show evidence):

   • You must complete three hours every renewal cycle in a supervision course approved by the Board for MFTs, “which includes ethics of supervision.” (codes.ohio.gov)

3. If you are actively registered as an AAMFT Approved Supervisor in good standing:

   • On renewal, you may instead provide evidence of your active AAMFT Approved Supervisor status and you are not required to complete the extra three hours of supervision CE to maintain the training supervision designation. (codes.ohio.gov)

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7. Who you may supervise once you are IMFT‑S

Under rule 4757‑29‑01:

• Training supervision for those working toward IMFT licensure must be provided by either:
  • An AAMFT Approved Supervisor or Supervisor Candidate who is also appropriately licensed in Ohio, or
  • An Ohio IMFT with training supervision designation (IMFT‑S). (codes.ohio.gov)
• Up to 50 of the required 200 supervision hours for an IMFT candidate may be earned under an ISW‑S or LPCC‑S (independent social worker or professional clinical counselor with a training supervision designation). (codes.ohio.gov)

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8. Summary of key hour and time requirements

Educational practicum / internship (post‑2015 programs): (codes.ohio.gov)

• 500 hours direct face‑to‑face client contact (individuals, couples, families)
  • 250 hours with couples and/or families present
• 100 hours supervision

Supervised experience for IMFT licensure (post‑degree): (codes.ohio.gov)

• At least 2 calendar years of supervised training in MFT practice
• Within those two years:
  • 1,000 hours documented face‑to‑face client contact in MFT
    • At least 500 hours with couples and/or families present
  • 200 hours face‑to‑face supervision
    • At least 100 hours individual supervision
• Training supervision delivered at an average ratio of 1 supervision hour per 20 hours of work by the supervisee

Additional requirements for IMFT‑S (training supervision designation): (codes.ohio.gov)

• Must already hold IMFT in good standing
• Either:
  • Be an AAMFT Approved Supervisor, or
  • Document:
    • Two years post‑licensure clinical experience as an IMFT, and
    • Completion of the AAMFT 30‑hour supervision course or Board‑approved equivalent
• No specific numerical “post‑licensure hours” are stated in rule for IMFT‑S; the standard is time‑based (two years)
• Ongoing CE in supervision (typically 3 hours per renewal cycle, with a special rule for active AAMFT Approved Supervisors)

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This is the full regulatory path the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board lays out for obtaining and maintaining the IMFT‑S (Independent Marriage and Family Therapist with training supervision designation) credential.