Clinical Supervision Requirements in Connecticut

Licensing Board Overview

Connecticut licenses mental health professionals through the Department of Public Health (DPH), Practitioner Licensing and Investigations Section. Counselors, social workers, and marriage and family therapists each fall under separate professional licensing programs within DPH. Connecticut does not have a standalone "board" for each profession; instead, DPH administers licensing directly.

Connecticut uses associate-level tiers for pre-licensed professionals: the Licensed Professional Counselor Associate (LPCA), the Marital and Family Therapist Associate, and the Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW). You hold one of these while accruing supervised experience in Connecticut. One area where Connecticut's language differs from many states: the MFT license is formally called "Licensed Marital and Family Therapist" (using "Marital" instead of "Marriage"). It's a small detail but can cause confusion when searching for forms or regulations.

LPC: Licensed Professional Counselor

Connecticut's LPC is the independent counseling license. You work under supervision at the associate level while accruing hours.

Supervised Experience Requirements

• Total supervised experience: 3,000 hours of postgraduate experience under professional supervision in professional counseling (C.G.S. § 20-195dd)
• Supervision hours: At least 100 hours of "direct professional supervision" within those 3,000 hours
• Individual supervision: The statute defines direct professional supervision as face-to-face consultation between one supervisor and one person receiving supervision (C.G.S. § 20-195aa(7)). On that reading, group and triadic hours do not count toward the 100. Confirm with DPH how it treats group hours
• Monthly evaluation: Supervision must include not less than a monthly review with a written evaluation and assessment by the supervisor
• Face-to-face definition: The statute says "face-to-face" but does not define it, and no regulation covers counseling supervision. Video supervision is not addressed, so confirm with DPH before relying on it
• Duration: Not less than 2 years of supervised experience
• Exam: NCE or NCMHCE required

Supervisor Qualifications

• May be an LPC, LMFT, LCSW, psychologist, psychiatrist certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, or APRN certified by ANCC as a psychiatric and mental health clinical nurse specialist or nurse practitioner (C.G.S. § 20-195aa(6))
• No minimum years of post-licensure experience or supervision training is set
• Must provide direct oversight and regular supervision

LCSW: Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Connecticut's LCSW requires post-master's supervised clinical social work experience.

Supervised Experience Requirements

• Total supervised experience: 3,000 hours of post-master's social work experience (C.G.S. § 20-195n). Hours worked in Connecticut on or after October 1, 2011 must be worked as a licensed master social worker (LMSW)
• Supervision hours: At least 100 hours of professional supervision by a licensed clinical social worker
• Individual supervision: The statute defines professional supervision as face-to-face consultation between one supervisor and one supervisee, with not less than a monthly review and a written evaluation and assessment (C.G.S. § 20-195m(8))
• Clinical focus: Each employer certifies that the hours reported were experience in clinical social work duties
• Duration: No minimum duration is set for LCSW
• Fees: There has been no application fee since October 1, 2025 (Public Act 25-168)
• Exam: ASWB Clinical examination required

Supervisor Qualifications

• The 100 supervision hours must come from an LCSW (or a certified independent social worker). The verification form asks which states the supervisor was licensed in, so the license does not have to be from Connecticut
• An LMSW's day-to-day supervision may also come from a physician, APRN, psychologist, LMFT, or LPC (C.G.S. § 20-195m(7))
• No minimum years of post-licensure experience is set
• Must provide regular, ongoing supervision

LMFT: Licensed Marital and Family Therapist

Connecticut uses "Marital" rather than "Marriage" in its official license title. The requirements follow the typical MFT framework with post-graduate supervised experience.

Supervised Experience Requirements

• Duration: 24 months of relevant postgraduate experience (raised from 12 months by Public Act 24-68, effective July 1, 2024)
• Client contact: At least 1,000 hours of direct client contact offering marital and family therapy services (C.G.S. § 20-195c)
• Supervision hours: 100 hours of postgraduate clinical supervision by a licensed marital and family therapist
• Individual supervision: At least 50 hours must be individual, meaning one supervisor face to face with one or two supervisees. The remaining hours may be group supervision of no more than six supervisees (RCSA § 20-195a-3)
• Relational content: There is no separate minimum for couples or family work. The 1,000 hours are marital and family therapy services, which can include work with individuals
• Exam: AMFTRB national MFT examination required

Supervisor Qualifications

• Must be a licensed marital and family therapist, licensed in the state where the experience is being completed
• AAMFT Approved Supervisor designation is not part of Connecticut's requirements
• No minimum years of post-licensure experience is set

Connecticut-Specific Details

"Marital" vs. "Marriage"

Connecticut officially uses "Licensed Marital and Family Therapist" rather than the more common "Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist." It doesn't change the scope of practice, but it can cause confusion when filling out reciprocity applications or searching for Connecticut-specific regulations. Use the exact statutory title on official documents.

Associate Tiers

Connecticut has associate-level credentials that you hold while accruing supervised experience. These associate licenses allow you to practice under supervision. For experience completed in Connecticut, you must hold the associate license (or the LMSW for social work) for those hours to count. New counseling and MFT graduates may practice under supervision for 120 days after graduation, and new MSW graduates can get a 120-day temporary permit. Confirm with DPH whether hours in that window count toward licensure.

Licensed in Another State

For LPC and LCSW, three years of licensed practice in another state can substitute for the supervised experience requirement. For LMFT, since October 1, 2025, an MFT licensed in any other state can be licensed without the examination (Public Act 25-76). DPH also has a separate route for applicants licensed in another state for at least four years. Check with DPH for the current rules and required documentation.

Face-to-Face Is Not Defined

The counseling and social work statutes require "face-to-face" supervision but do not define the term. The only supervision regulation, for MFT, refers to a supervisor "sitting face to face" with supervisees, and the MFT supervision form asks how many hours supervisees were "present in the room." Video supervision is unaddressed rather than forbidden. If your supervision plan relies on video-based meetings, verify current DPH guidance before assuming those hours will count.

Documentation Requirements

• Connecticut does not require a written supervision agreement or a per-meeting log
• For LPC and LCSW, the supervisor must complete a written evaluation and assessment at least monthly. LCSW supervisors certify that these written evaluation reports were kept and are subject to DPH review
• Each supervisor sends their own verification form directly to DPH. For MFT, DPH asks each supervisor to submit a separate verification of supervision
• For MFT and LCSW, each employer also submits a separate verification of the work hours
• DPH accepts documents only directly from the source. Documents sent by the applicant are not accepted. DPH recommends mail, fax, or email
• Tracking hours by individual vs. group supervision and direct client contact makes the forms easier to complete
• No retention period for supervision records is stated, so keep your own copies after licensure

Virtual Supervision in Connecticut

No Connecticut statute, regulation, or DPH page says whether video supervision counts as "face-to-face." While telehealth practice has been liberalized, clinical supervision via video has not been given explicit statutory backing. If you plan to conduct supervision partially or fully by video, contact DPH directly to confirm whether those hours will be accepted for your specific license type.

Interstate Compacts

Connecticut is a member of the Counseling Compact (Public Act 23-195) and the Social Work Licensure Compact (Public Act 24-30). Neither compact is issuing privileges or multistate licenses to Connecticut practitioners yet. There is no MFT compact.

Key Connecticut Board Contact Information

• Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH): portal.ct.gov/DPH
• Counselor, MFT, and social work licensing team: [email protected]
• Profession pages: Professional Counselor, Marital and Family Therapist, Social Worker
• Statutes: Chapter 383a (MFT), Chapter 383b (social work), Chapter 383c (counseling)

How to Become a Clinical Supervisor in Connecticut

Connecticut's Department of Public Health (DPH) regulates mental health licensing and supervision. Supervisor requirements vary by license type. Always verify current standards with DPH before applying.

Becoming an LPC Supervisor in Connecticut

Connecticut statutes (Chapter 383c) define who may provide professional supervision of pre-licensed counselors. Unlike some states, Connecticut does not have a separate "approved supervisor" credential. Instead, eligible supervisors are defined by their license type.

• Eligible supervisors: A licensed professional counselor, board-certified psychiatrist, certified psychiatric APRN, psychologist, licensed marital and family therapist, or licensed clinical social worker may supervise pre-licensed counselors
• Licensure: Must hold one of those licenses in good standing. The verification form asks for the state of licensure, and experience completed in another state can count
• Additional requirements: No experience, training, or approval requirement is set beyond the license. Contact DPH to confirm current supervisor expectations before beginning supervision

Becoming an LCSW Supervisor in Connecticut

• Eligible supervisors: The 100 supervision hours toward the LCSW must come from a licensed clinical social worker. An LMSW's day-to-day supervisor may hold any of six licenses: physician, APRN, psychologist, LMFT, LCSW, or LPC
• Licensure: Must hold an LCSW license in good standing. The verification form asks which states you were licensed in
• Additional requirements: No training or experience standard is set by statute. Contact DPH to confirm current supervisor expectations

Becoming an LMFT Supervisor in Connecticut

• Eligible supervisors: Only a licensed marital and family therapist may provide the 100 supervision hours
• Licensure: Must be licensed in the state where the supervisee's experience is being completed (RCSA § 20-195a-3)
• AAMFT designation: AAMFT Approved Supervisor designation is not required

Connecticut-Specific Considerations

• Single regulatory body: DPH oversees all three disciplines, though the supervision rules differ by track
• License-based eligibility: Connecticut defines supervisor eligibility by license type in statute rather than requiring a separate approved supervisor designation. This differs from states that have a formal approved supervisor application process
• Cross-discipline: Six license types may supervise pre-licensed counselors. LMFT supervision must come from an LMFT, and the 100 LCSW supervision hours must come from an LCSW

How Guidara Helps Connecticut Supervisors

Connecticut asks each supervisor to report only the supervision they provided, and for LPC and LCSW it requires a monthly written evaluation. Guidara keeps hour logs by category with running totals, signed supervision notes, and timesheets for each supervisor. It exports PDF records a supervisor can use when completing DPH's verification forms, which the supervisor then sends to DPH directly. Supervisors and supervisees can see their progress at any point without digging through years of paperwork.