(1) An individual applying for licensure by examination who has satisfied the clinical experience requirements of s. 491.005 or an individual applying for licensure by endorsement pursuant to s. 491.006 intending to provide clinical social work, marriage and family therapy, or mental health counseling services in Florida while satisfying coursework or examination requirements for licensure must be provisionally licensed in the profession for which he or she is seeking licensure prior to beginning practice.
1(2) The department shall issue a provisional clinical social worker license, provisional marriage and family therapist license, or provisional mental health counselor license to each applicant who the board certifies has:
(a) Completed the application form and remitted a nonrefundable application fee not to exceed $100, as set by board rule; and
(b) Earned a graduate degree in social work, a graduate degree with a major emphasis in marriage and family therapy or a closely related field, or a graduate degree in a major related to the practice of mental health counseling; and
(c) Met the following minimum coursework requirements:
1. For clinical social work, a minimum of 15 semester hours or 22 quarter hours of the coursework required by s. 491.005(1)(b)2.b.
2. For marriage and family therapy, 10 of the courses required by s. 491.005(3)(b), as determined by the board, and at least 6 semester hours or 9 quarter hours of the course credits must have been completed in the area of marriage and family systems, theories, or techniques.
3. For mental health counseling, a minimum of seven of the courses required under s. 491.005(4)(b)1.a.-c.
(3) A provisional licensee must work under the supervision of a licensed mental health professional, as defined by the board, until the provisional licensee is in receipt of a license or a letter from the department stating that he or she is licensed as a clinical social worker, marriage and family therapist, or mental health counselor.
(4) A provisional license expires 24 months after the date it is issued and may not be renewed or reissued.
History.—s. 11, ch. 97-198; s. 203, ch. 97-264; s. 166, ch. 99-397; s. 31, ch. 2017-3; s. 48, ch. 2020-133; s. 38, ch. 2024-243.
1Note.—Section 38, ch. 2024-243, amended subsection (2), effective July 1, 2025, to read:
(2) The department shall issue a provisional clinical social worker license, provisional marriage and family therapist license, or provisional mental health counselor license to each applicant who the board certifies has met all of the following criteria:
(a) Completed the application form and remitted a nonrefundable application fee not to exceed $100, as set by board rule.
(b) Submitted to background screening in accordance with s. 456.0135.
(c) Earned a graduate degree in social work, a graduate degree with a major emphasis in marriage and family therapy or a closely related field, or a graduate degree in a major related to the practice of mental health counseling.
(d) Met the following minimum coursework requirements:
1. For clinical social work, a minimum of 15 semester hours or 22 quarter hours of the coursework required by s. 491.005(1)(c)2.b.
2. For marriage and family therapy, 10 of the courses required by s. 491.005(3)(c), as determined by the board, and at least 6 semester hours or 9 quarter hours of the course credits must have been completed in the area of marriage and family systems, theories, or techniques.
3. For mental health counseling, a minimum of seven of the courses required under s. 491.005(4)(c)1.a., b., or c.
