N O R T H C E N T R A L U N I V E R S I T Y: N C U M F T S U P E R V I S O R C O R N E R
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In compliance with the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education
(COAMFTE) version 12.5 Accreditation Standards, the program permits students to engage in
telesupervision to meet graduation requirements. Students will need to coordinate with their Local Clinical
Supervisor to determine how the local supervision will be with compliant with relevant federal, state, or
provincial regulatory requirements. This includes the secure platform that will be used for telesupervision.
Students must abide by confidentiality and all other standards/policies indicated in the NCU MFT
Clinical Handbook. Placement sites and Local Clinical Supervisors are responsible to be aware of and
comply with any state/regional and/or clinical setting limitation, laws, and regulations regarding the use
of telehealth which involves NCU students. Any state regulations that supersede these standards
must be followed.
NCU encourages students to have conversations with their site representative and local supervisor
around the following questions:
•
Does my state allow interns/trainees (i.e., pre-degree student therapists) to participate in
teletherapy sessions?
•
AAMFT Code of Ethics requires training before doing teletherapy. Does my state have minimum
requirements for distance-based or technology assisted training before providing teletherapy?
•
Are there any ethical considerations to be mindful of, such as client abandonment and
confidentiality, if I engage or NOT in teletherapy sessions?
•
Do I have the necessary training, liability insurance, supervision support, and resources to
conduct teletherapy sessions? NCU does not provide the technology platform resources to see
clients via teletherapy.
It is recommended that students review the report published by AAMFT entitled Best Practices in the
Online Practice of Couple and Family Therapy
(https://www.aamft.org/online_education/online_therapy_guidelines_2.aspx).
*AAMFT Code of Ethics (2015), Standard VI: Technology-Assisted Professional Services
https://aamft.org/Legal_Ethics/Code_of_Ethics.aspx
Therapy, supervision, and other professional services engaged in by marriage and family therapists take
place over an increasing number of technological platforms. There are great benefits and responsibilities
inherent in both the traditional therapeutic and supervision contexts, as well as in the utilization of
technologically assisted professional services. Standard VI addresses basic ethical requirements of
offering therapy, supervision, and related professional services using electronic means.
