HF3859

HF3859 (Legislative Session 94 (2025-2026))

Education requirements for licensure and continuing education topics in certain health-related occupations modified.

Related bill: SF3862

AI Generated Summary

Purpose

This bill updates education and training requirements for licensure and ongoing professional education in several Minnesota health-related occupations. It adds or tightens rules on degrees, supervised practice, examinations, and continuing education (CE), with new emphasis on cultural diversity, cultural humility, and domestic violence training.

Main Provisions by Occupation

Licensed Psychologist
- Education: Adds a requirement for at least three credit hours of graduate-level courses related to domestic violence.
- Postgraduate supervision: Requires at least one full year (or the equivalent part-time) of postdoctoral supervised practice, totaling not less than 12 months and not more than 60 months. The board may grant a variance if the period exceeds 60 months.
- Licensure renewal: Adds CE requirements (see Continuing Education section) including diversity-focused content and domestic violence topics.
Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT)
- Continuing Education: At least four of the 40 CE hours must focus on serving clients from diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds (diversity, cultural humility, etc.).
- Domestic violence: At least two of the 40 CE hours must cover domestic violence.
- Board duties: The board must adopt and enforce licensing rules, supervise compliance, ethics code, and continuing education standards for MFTs.
Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
- Education and credentials: Requires a master’s or doctoral degree in counseling or a related field, with specified credit-hour requirements and supervised field experience, plus a plan for supervision during the first 2,000 hours of practice.
- Examination: Must pass the National Counselor Examination (NCE) or an approved equivalent; also requires a background check and fees.
- Coursework content: Coursework must include a broad set of topics, including a specific item on domestic violence.
- Cross-licensure note: A Minnesota-licensed psychologist can show evidence of psychology licensure instead of meeting the LPC-specific coursework requirements.
Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW)
- Education and clinical hours: Adds detailed requirements for graduate coursework and clinical clock hours across specified knowledge areas (differential diagnosis and biopsychosocial assessment; treatment planning; clinical intervention; evaluation methodologies; ethics and social work values; cultural foundations; and a substantial portion on domestic violence).
- Examination: Must pass the clinical or equivalent examination and meet supervision and background-check requirements.
- Clock hours: Specifies minimum clock-hour totals across the clinical knowledge areas and allows alternative paths (e.g., accredited programs, or up to 120 CE hours including independent study) to satisfy the training hours.

Continuing Education and Content Requirements

General CE framework
- For psychologists and MFTs, and LPCs and LICSWs, CE must be approved by the board and meet state CE rule requirements.
- A minimum portion of CE must address work with diverse populations, cultural competence, or related topics (detailed below).
Diversity and cultural topics
- At least a defined portion of CE hours must cover increasing knowledge, understanding, self-awareness, and practice skills to serve clients from diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds.
- Topics typically include: culture and its functions/strengths; understanding clients’ cultures and differences; social diversity and oppression; cultural humility; and human diversity related to race, ethnicity, religion, language, age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical/mental capabilities, and socioeconomic status.
Domestic violence
- A specified number of CE hours (varying by profession) must address domestic violence issues and related clinical considerations.

Specific Academic and Licensing Requirements

Documentation and qualifications
- Applicants must provide documentation showing age, good character, and appropriate education, including master’s or doctoral degrees from regionally accredited programs or accreditation bodies (with equivalents for specific professions).
- Licensure by examination or by other approved pathways includes passing relevant exams, completing supervised practice, and meeting ethics requirements.
Accreditation and standards
- Some professions require degrees from programs accredited by recognized bodies (e.g., CACREP for counseling programs, COAMFTE for marriage and family therapy programs), or other board-approved equivalents.

Implementation and Scope

The rules apply to psychology, marriage and family therapy, professional counseling, and social work licensure and renewal processes in Minnesota.
The board is tasked with adopting or updating rules, administering continuing education, ethics codes, and compliance procedures consistent with these changes.
The bill strengthens emphasis on culturally informed practice and safe, informed care for diverse populations and for individuals affected by domestic violence.

Potential Impacts

Practitioners may need to take additional coursework (e.g., domestic violence, diversity, cultural humility) to obtain or renew licensure.
Some licensure pathways introduce more explicit accreditation and credentialing requirements (CACREP, COAMFTE) or clarified equivalency options.
Enhanced focus on ethical practice, ongoing professional development, and public safety through more standardized CE topics.

Note on Cross-licensure

There is an exception allowing a Minnesota-licensed psychologist to rely on evidence of psychology licensure instead of the LPC-specific education/credentialing provisions.

Implementation Considerations

Boards will implement by-rule CE hour tallies, topic lists, and acceptable formats (e.g., coursework, examinations, or independent study).
The changes aim to improve cultural responsiveness and domestic violence awareness across mental health and behavioral health professions.

Relevant Terms

licensure, continuing education, domestic violence, cultural diversity, cultural humility, multicultural issues, social diversity, oppression, race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, postdoctoral supervision, supervised clinical hours, clock hours, semester hours, CACREP, COAMFTE, NBCC, ASWB, ethics, code of ethics, examinations, licensure by examination, post-licensure supervision, ethics compliance, accreditation, regionally accredited, California? (Note: not listed; keep to Minnesota-identified terms), professional practice standards, professional counselor, licensed psychologist, licensed marriage and family therapist, licensed professional counselor, licensed independent clinical social worker.

Relevant Terms - licensure - continuing education (CE) - domestic violence - cultural diversity - cultural humility - multicultural issues - diverse socioeconomic backgrounds - race - ethnicity - gender identity - sexual orientation - socioeconomic status - postdoctoral supervision - supervised practice - clock hours - semester hours - CACREP - COAMFTE - NBCC - ASWB - ethics - code of ethics - examinations - licensure by examination - regionally accredited - professional counselor - licensed psychologist - licensed marriage and family therapist - licensed independent clinical social worker

Bill text versions

Introduction PDF PDF file

Actions

Date	Chamber	Where	Type	Name	Committee Name
March 02, 2026	House		Action	Introduction and first reading, referred to	Health Finance and Policy

Citations

[
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "Requires at least three credit hours of graduate-level domestic violence coursework as part of the doctoral program.",
        "Requires at least one full year (or the equivalent) of postdoctoral supervised psychological employment in no fewer than 12 months and no more than 60 months.",
        "Authorizes the board to grant a variance if postdoctoral supervision extends beyond 60 months."
      ],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "Modifies licensure requirements for licensed psychologists by adding domestic violence coursework and a defined postdoctoral supervised experience window, with a variance option if the timeframe exceeds the limit.",
      "modified": [
        "Revises the licensure prerequisites for the licensed psychologist by explicitly including domestic violence coursework and a postdoctoral supervision window."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "148.907",
    "subdivision": "subdivision 2"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "Board shall establish by rule the number of CE hours required each year for license renewal.",
        "At least four CE hours must address increasing knowledge, understanding, self-awareness, and practice skills related to diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds.",
        "At least two CE hours must be in courses related to domestic violence."
      ],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "Sets continuing education (CE) requirements for license renewal with specified content areas, including diversity, cultural background awareness, and domestic violence.",
      "modified": [
        "Explicitly codifies CE content areas and minimum topic requirements for license renewal."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "148.911",
    "subdivision": ""
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "Imposes board duties to adopt/enforce licensing rules, devise qualification methods, issue licenses, enforce board rules, study practice standards, and establish a code of ethics for licensed MFTs.",
        "Establishes continuing education requirements for licensees.",
        "Settle ethics and enforcement mechanisms to ensure public protection."
      ],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "Defines the board's duties related to continuing education and licensure for marriage and family therapists, including rulemaking, licensing, ethics, and ongoing education.",
      "modified": [
        "Clarifies and codifies board responsibilities surrounding MFT licensure and continuing education."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "148B.31",
    "subdivision": "Subsection a"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "At least four of the 40 CE hours must address knowledge, understanding, self-awareness, and practice skills for serving clients from diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds.",
        "Topics include culture, client cultural differences, social diversity/oppression, and cultural humility.",
        "At least two of the 40 CE hours must be on domestic violence."
      ],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "Specifies continuing education content requirements for marriage and family therapists, emphasizing diversity and domestic violence.",
      "modified": [
        "Adds explicit CE-hour distribution requirements focused on diversity and domestic violence for MFT licensure."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "148B.31",
    "subdivision": "Subsection b"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "Requirement to furnish evidence of two years of supervised postgraduate experience in MFT.",
        "Affirms that the applicant’s degree includes coursework on domestic violence (at least three credit hours) or an equivalent recognized path.",
        "Mandates agreement to a code of ethics for MFTs and to pass an approved examination."
      ],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "Revises documentary evidence standards for MFT licensure, notably incorporating domestic violence coursework and ethics requirements.",
      "modified": [
        "Integrates domestic violence coursework and ethics codification into licensure qualifications."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "148B.33",
    "subdivision": "subdivision 1"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "Requires an applicant to complete a master’s or doctoral degree in counseling or a related field with specific curricular and supervision requirements.",
        "Outlines a plan for supervision during the first 2,000 hours of practice or proof of supervised practice acceptable to the board.",
        "Requires evidence of competence via passing the national exam (NCE) or an equivalent exam and ethical, oral, and situational examinations if prescribed."
      ],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "Updates general requirements for licensure as a licensed professional counselor (LPC) to reflect standardized education, supervision, and examination expectations.",
      "modified": [
        "Clarifies educational prerequisites, supervision, and examination requirements for LPC licensure; includes emphasis on ethics and professional standards."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "148B.53",
    "subdivision": "subdivision 1"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "Requires completion of 12 additional graduate semester credit hours of counseling within the first four years of licensure (or its equivalent).",
        "Requires at least 40 hours of continuing education activities approved by the board in the first four years, with hours transferable between graduate credit and CE credit where appropriate.",
        "Specifies conversion rates for graduate credit hours to CE hours."
      ],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "Alters continuing education requirements for LPC licensure, including initial four-year post-licensure requirements and ongoing CE commitments.",
      "modified": [
        "Expands and clarifies CE requirements for LPCs, including initial post-licensure educational benchmarks."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "148B.54",
    "subdivision": "subdivision 2"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "Requires 360 clock hours in specified clinical knowledge areas (diagnosis, assessment, intervention, evaluation, and ethics) with explicit domestic violence content (e.g., 72 hours in social work values/ethics with 30 hours on domestic violence).",
        "Requires demonstration of supervised practice and passing a board-approved examination; outlines background check and fees."
      ],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "Sets licensure-by-examination standards for Licensed Independent Clinical Social Workers (LICSW), including extensive clinical-hour requirements with domestic violence emphasis.",
      "modified": [
        "Significantly strengthens post-graduate clinical-hour distribution and domestic violence-focused training as conditions for LICSW licensure by examination."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "148E.055",
    "subdivision": "subdivision 5"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "Requires documentation verifying completion of clinical clock hours in specified knowledge areas, as detailed in section 148E.130 subdivision 11."
      ],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "Adds documentation verification requirements for clinical clock hours to meet licensure competencies, including domestic violence training components.",
      "modified": [
        "Links licensure clock-hour requirements to formal documentation procedures."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "148E.130",
    "subdivision": "subdivision 11"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "Explicitly references background checks conducted under section 214.075 as part of licensure and renewal processes."
      ],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "Cross-references mandatory criminal background checks as part of the licensure process.",
      "modified": [
        "Incorporates statutory background-check requirements into various licensure pathways."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "214.075",
    "subdivision": ""
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "References to license fee provisions that accompany the revised licensure and renewal requirements."
      ],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "Cites the statutory framework governing license fees relevant to the updated professional licensure acts.",
      "modified": [
        "Aligns fee obligations with updated licensure statutes for professional counselors, psychologists, and social workers."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "148E.180",
    "subdivision": ""
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "Notes the application of standards and enforcement provisions spanning sections 148E.195 through 148E.240."
      ],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "References to sections governing professional standards, ethics, and enforcement provisions within the social work and counseling licensure framework.",
      "modified": [
        "Broadens the scope of enforcement and ethical standards applicable to LICSW and related professions."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "148E.195 to 148E.240",
    "subdivision": ""
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "Acknowledges further disciplinary and enforcement mechanisms within sections 148E.255 through 148E.270."
      ],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "References to additional enforcement and disciplinary provisions applicable to licensure pathways in 148E-series statutes.",
      "modified": [
        "Expands regulatory oversight and potential sanctions for licensees under the licensure-by-examination framework."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "148E.255 to 148E.270",
    "subdivision": ""
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "References to the entire span of sections 148B.29 through 148B.392 as part of the MFT licensure framework."
      ],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "Covers the broader licensure framework for marriage and family therapists, including preparatory education, supervised practice, examinations, ethics, and scope of practice.",
      "modified": [
        "Signals comprehensive revisions to MFT licensure requirements, including education, supervision, ethics, and examinations."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "148B.29 to 148B.392",
    "subdivision": ""
  }
]

Progress through the legislative process

17%

In Committee