Click to view approved CE courses for Missouri MFTs

Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs) in Missouri are required to renew their licenses every 2 years — on February 28th of even-numbered years.

Obtaining required continuing education credits is now a part of the renewal requirement for Missouri-licensed MFTs. 40 hours of continuing education are required for each renewal cycle and 20 of those hours must be ‘formal’ in nature. All 40 hours may be earned through online courses that provide a certificate of completion and are offered by an approved sponsor. [Courses are considered formal if a certificate of completion is provided.]

Professional Development Resources is approved by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC) to offer home study (online) continuing education for Missouri-licensed MFTs (Provider #5590).

Missouri State Committee of Marital and Family Therapists

CONTINUING EDUCATION FAQs

Are there any specific educational requirements (specific courses on specific topics) that are required?

There are no specific topics of study. The regulations require at least twenty (20) hours of formal continuing education such as seminars and workshops with the remaining hours in self study. Self study of professional material includes relevant books, journals, periodicals, tapes, internet based information, and other materials and preparation for relevant lectures and talks to public groups.

Do MFTs need to have official CE credits that are paid for through an institution, or can it be verified through a Certificate of Attendance?

Any formal continuing education must be verified with a certificate of attendance or similar document that includes the name of the seminar, date, and number of continuing education hours. Formal continuing education hours are defined in the regulations as one or a combination of any of the following:

1. Post graduate course work offered by a regionally accredited educational institution. Such course work shall be relevant to marital and family therapy as defined in section 337.700 (7) and (8) RSMo and shall not be part of the graduate course work required for licensure. One (1) semester hour of graduate credit constitutes fifteen (15) hours of continuing education.
2. Presenting research at a formal professional meeting. A presentation shall include a paper presented in a professional journal, book, or original chapter in an edited book. Credit will be given at the rate four (4) hours for each paper or presentation. No credit would be granted for any subsequent presentation on the same subject matter during the same renewal period;
3. Attending relevant professional meetings when such meetings include verification of attendance. Such meetings can be international, national, regional, state, or local, and must be related to the profession. The licensee shall be eligible to receive three (3) hours of continuing education credit for a full day of meeting attendance.
4. Attending work shops, seminars, or continuing education courses relevant to marital and family therapy as defined in section 337.700 (7) and (8) RSMo. Upon request by the state committee the licensee shall provide verification of attendance such as a certificate or letter of attendance indicating the date, time, and number of hours of continuing education from the work shop, seminar or course provider.
5. Written contributions to relevant professional books, journals, or periodicals. A licensee shall be eligible to receive three (3) hours of continuing education for publication in a non-refereed journal, six (6) hours of continuing education for publication in a referee journal, eight (8) continuing education hours for each chapter in a book, ten (10) continuing education hour for editing a book, and fifteen (15) continuing education hours for the publication of a book.
6. Presenting at relevant professional meetings such as international, national, regional, state, or local professional associations. A licensee would be eligible for a maximum of three (3) hours per presentation.
7. A licensee who is a faculty member at an accredited educational institution may receive up to a maximum of twenty (20) hours per year of continuing education credit for teaching at the educational institution. The area(s) taught by the licensee must relate to the following core areas; Theoretical Foundations of Marriage and Family Therapy, The Practice of Marriage and Family Therapy, Human Development and Family Studies, Ethics and Professional Studies and Research Methodology. For the purpose of this regulation, the licensee must teach a minimum of four (4) clock hours.
8. A licensee teaching formal continuing education hours may receive up to a maximum of four (4) hours per biennial cycle of continuing education credit. The CE must relate to the following core areas; Theoretical Foundations of Marriage and Family Therapy, The Practice of Marriage and Family Therapy, Human Development and Family Studies, Ethics and Professional Studies, and Research Methodology. The licensee must teach a minimum of four (4) clock hours.

A licensee may obtain at up to twenty (20) hours of self study continuing education. Self study of professional material includes relevant books, journals, periodicals, tapes, and other materials and preparation for relevant lectures and talks to public groups. Preparation credit may not be claimed pursuant to this regulation for presentations that are used for CE in the aforementioned 1, 2, 6, 7, or 8.

Providing marital and family therapy, workshops on personal growth, supervision of individuals for licensure or employment, or services provided to professional associations or organizations will not considered for continuing education contact hours.

Included, but not limited to the following, is a list of approved continuing education providers:

• American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy and any chapter or division of AAMFT
• American Counseling Association and any chapter or division of ACA
• American Medical Association and any chapter or division of AMA
• American Mental Health Counselors Association and any chapter or division of AMHCA
• Local, state, regional, or national psychological associations
• Local, state, regional, or national social worker associations
• National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)
• Regionally accredited colleges and universities

If an MFT obtains continuing education in order to satisfy another licensure (e.g., LCSW, LPC or licensed psychologist), would that be able to satisfy for LMFT CE hours as well?

As long as the licensee can document the required hours meet MFT requirements, in the time frame required for MFT, continuing education obtained for other licensed professions can apply to the MFT requirement.

Regarding continuing education requirements, the regulations mandate a licensee complete a total of forty hours of continuing education prior to the expiration date of the license. At least twenty hours of the continuing education must be formal such as seminars, workshops or events. The remaining hours can be completed via self study, formal or a combination of formal and self study.