(a) Each applicant for licensure as a marital and family therapist shall present to the department satisfactory evidence that such applicant has: (1) Completed a graduate degree program specializing in marital and family therapy offered by a regionally accredited college or university or an accredited postgraduate clinical training program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education offered by a regionally accredited institution of higher education; (2) completed a supervised practicum or internship with emphasis in marital and family therapy supervised by the program granting the requisite degree or by an accredited postgraduate clinical training program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education and offered by a regionally accredited institution of higher education; (3) completed twelve months of relevant postgraduate experience, including (A) a minimum of one thousand hours of direct client contact offering marital and family therapy services subsequent to being awarded a master’s degree or doctorate or subsequent to the training year specified in subdivision (2) of this subsection, and (B) one hundred hours of postgraduate clinical supervision provided by a licensed marital and family therapist; and (4) passed an examination prescribed by the department. The fee shall be three hundred fifteen dollars for each initial application.

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(b) Each applicant for licensure as a marital and family therapist associate shall present to the department (1) satisfactory evidence that such applicant has completed a graduate degree program specializing in marital and family therapy offered by a regionally accredited institution of higher education or an accredited postgraduate clinical training program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education and offered by a regionally accredited institution of higher education, and (2) verification from a supervising licensed marital and family therapist that the applicant is working toward completing the postgraduate experience required for licensure as a marital and family therapist under subdivision (3) of subsection (a) of this section. The fee shall be one hundred twenty-five dollars for each initial application.

(c) The department may grant licensure without examination, subject to payment of fees with respect to the initial application, to any applicant who is currently licensed or certified as a marital or marriage and family therapist or a marital and family therapist associate in another state, territory or commonwealth of the United States, provided such state, territory or commonwealth maintains licensure or certification standards which, in the opinion of the department, are equivalent to or higher than the standards of this state. No license shall be issued under this section to any applicant against whom professional disciplinary action is pending or who is the subject of an unresolved complaint.

(d) (1) A license issued to a marital and family therapist issued under this section may be renewed annually in accordance with the provisions of section 19a-88. The fee for such renewal shall be three hundred twenty dollars. Each licensed marital and family therapist applying for license renewal shall furnish evidence satisfactory to the commissioner of having participated in continuing education programs. The commissioner shall adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54, to (A) define basic requirements for continuing education programs, which shall include not less than one contact hour of training or education each registration period on the topic of cultural competency and, on and after January 1, 2016, not less than two contact hours of training or education during the first renewal period in which continuing education is required and not less than once every six years thereafter on the topic of mental health conditions common to veterans and family members of veterans, including (i) determining whether a patient is a veteran or family member of a veteran, (ii) screening for conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, risk of suicide, depression and grief, and (iii) suicide prevention training, (B) delineate qualifying programs, (C) establish a system of control and reporting, and (D) provide for waiver of the continuing education requirement for good cause.

(2) A license issued to a marital and family therapist associate shall expire on or before twenty-four months after the date on which such license was issued and may be renewed once for an additional twenty-four months in accordance with the provisions of section 19a-88. The fee for such renewal shall be two hundred twenty dollars. Each licensed marital and family therapist associate applying for license renewal shall furnish evidence satisfactory to the commissioner of working toward completing the postgraduate experience required for licensure as a marital and family therapist under subdivision (3) of subsection (a) of this section and the potential for successful completion of such experience prior to the expiration of the twenty-four month renewal period.

(e) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, an applicant who is currently licensed or certified as a marital or marriage and family therapist in another state, territory or commonwealth of the United States that does not maintain standards for licensure or certification that are equivalent to or higher than the standards in this state may substitute three years of licensed or certified work experience in the practice of marital and family therapy, as defined in section 20-195a, in lieu of the requirements of subdivisions (2) and (3) of subsection (a) of this section.