Clinical Supervision Requirements in Michigan

Licensing Board Overview

Michigan licenses mental health professionals through the Bureau of Professional Licensing (BPL), part of the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA). Counselors, social workers, and marriage and family therapists each have separate licensing boards under BPL.

Michigan has an important distinction from most other states: there is no LCSW license. The highest social work license in Michigan is the LMSW (Licensed Master Social Worker). Michigan social workers who want to practice clinical social work do so under the LMSW credential, with clinical supervision as a practice requirement rather than a separate license tier. If you're coming from a state with an LCSW, this is a significant difference.

LPC: Licensed Professional Counselor

Michigan's LPC is the clinical-level counseling license. The state uses a Limited Licensed Professional Counselor (LLPC) as the supervised practice tier.

Supervised Experience Requirements

• Duration: Typically 2 years of post-master's supervised experience (confirm current requirements with your licensing board)
• Setting: Must work under supervision in a setting that meets board standards
• Supervision: Regular face-to-face supervision with a board-approved supervisor
• Specifics: Exact hour counts and supervision ratios are defined in the Michigan Administrative Code. The statute references "2 years" but specific supervision hour minimums are in the administrative rules.
• Exam: NCE or NCMHCE required

Supervisor Qualifications

• Must hold an active Michigan LPC license
• Board-approved supervisor status
• Completion of supervision training
• Must maintain direct professional oversight of the supervisee's practice

LMSW: Licensed Master Social Worker

Michigan's LMSW is the highest social work license in the state. There is no separate LCSW. Clinical social work practice is done under the LMSW with appropriate supervision.

Supervised Experience Requirements

• Duration: Typically 2 years of full-time post-master's supervised experience, or the part-time equivalent (confirm current requirements with your licensing board)
• Supervision: Must include regular supervision under a licensed master social worker or equivalent
• Clinical practice: For social workers engaging in clinical practice (diagnosis and treatment), ongoing clinical supervision is required as part of practice, not just for initial licensure
• Exam: ASWB Master's or Clinical exam

Supervisor Qualifications

• Must hold an active Michigan LMSW license (or equivalent)
• Sufficient post-licensure clinical experience
• Board-approved supervisor status where applicable

LMFT: Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

Michigan's LMFT requires post-graduate supervised experience in marriage and family therapy.

Supervised Experience Requirements

• Direct client contact: Typically 1,000 hours of post-degree, face-to-face client contact in marriage and family therapy (confirm current requirements with your licensing board)
• Supervision hours: Typically 200 hours of supervision (confirm current requirements with your licensing board)
• Individual supervision: At least 100 hours must be individual (one-on-one)
• Group supervision: No more than 100 hours may be group supervision
• Relational content: Experience must include substantial work with couples and families

Supervisor Qualifications

• Must hold an active Michigan LMFT license
• AAMFT Approved Supervisor designation is commonly required or accepted
• Must have sufficient post-licensure experience in MFT practice
• Board-approved supervision training

Michigan-Specific Details

No LCSW License

This is the biggest thing to know about Michigan. The state does not have a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) credential. The LMSW is the terminal social work license. Clinical social work practice (diagnosis, treatment) is permitted under the LMSW with appropriate supervision and training. If you're relocating from another state where you held an LCSW, you would apply for the LMSW. Michigan's approach is unusual and can cause confusion for social workers moving between states.

Limited License System

Michigan uses "Limited License" designations for pre-licensed professionals. A Limited Licensed Professional Counselor (LLPC) is the supervised practice tier for counselors working toward the LPC. Similarly, there are limited license tiers for other professions. The limited license allows you to practice under supervision while accumulating hours.

Documentation Requirements

• Written supervision agreement in place before supervision begins
• Supervision log with date, duration, format (individual/group), and topics for each supervision meeting
• Hour tracking for direct client contact and supervision hours
• Supervisor verification at the end of the supervised experience period
• Board application forms require supervisor attestation
• Retain records for at least 5 years after licensure

Virtual Supervision in Michigan

Michigan's licensing statutes reference "face-to-face" supervision. The state has expanded telehealth provisions broadly, and many supervisors do conduct supervision via video. However, specific board guidance on whether videoconferencing counts as "face-to-face" for supervision purposes varies. Check with LARA's Bureau of Professional Licensing for the latest interpretation regarding your specific license type before relying exclusively on video-based supervision.

Key Michigan Board Contact Information

• Michigan LARA Bureau of Professional Licensing: michigan.gov/lara/bureau-list/bpl

How to Become a Clinical Supervisor in Michigan

Michigan's Bureau of Professional Licensing (BPL), under the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), regulates mental health licensing and supervision. Note that Michigan does not have an LCSW designation. Always verify current requirements directly with LARA.

Becoming an LPC Supervisor in Michigan

• Licensure: Must hold an active Michigan LPC license in good standing. Per MCL 333.18106 and the Michigan Administrative Code, only an LPC (not an LLPC) may supervise limited licensed counselors
• Supervision training required: Per MCL 333.18106 (effective January 27, 2020), an LPC "shall not supervise a limited licensed counselor without completing training in supervision as required by rules promulgated by the department." Specific training hours are defined in Michigan Administrative Code R 338.17xx and should be confirmed with LARA
• No formal supervisor designation: Michigan does not issue a separate supervisor credential. Any LPC who has completed the required supervision training may supervise
• Supervision modality: Supervision requirements for LLPCs are detailed in the administrative rules. Contact LARA for current modality and frequency requirements

Becoming an LMSW Supervisor in Michigan

• Licensure: Must hold an active Michigan LMSW (Licensed Master Social Worker) license in good standing. Michigan uses LMSW rather than LCSW
• Who qualifies: Per MCL 333.18509, an LMSW may supervise limited licensed social workers. Before July 1, 2008, the requirement was a person with a master's or doctoral degree in social work and at least 2 years of practice
• No formal supervisor designation: Being a Licensed Master's Social Worker is sufficient. No separate supervisor training is mandated in the statute (additional requirements may exist in administrative rules)

Becoming an LMFT Supervisor in Michigan

• Licensure: Must hold an active Michigan LMFT license in good standing
• Cross-discipline allowed for clinical hours: Per MCL 333.16909(1)(b)(iii), supervisors for the 300-hour clinical experience may be an LMFT, certified/registered social worker, LPC, physician, psychologist, or AAMFT Approved Supervisor. For the 1,000-hour post-degree experience, the supervisor must be an LMFT
• Supervisee limits: For the 1,000-hour requirement, at least 100 hours of supervision must be individual (no more than 1 other supervisee present). Group supervision is capped at 6 supervisees per supervisor
• Supervision ratio: At least 1 hour of supervision for every 5 hours of direct client contact. All supervision must be face-to-face

Michigan-Specific Considerations

• Limited license system: Michigan uses a "limited license" system for pre-licensed professionals (LLPC, LLMSW, LLMFT). Supervisors must understand the scope and limitations of the limited license
• No LCSW: Michigan does not have a separate LCSW credential. Social workers are licensed as LMSW (or LLMSW at the limited level)
• Administrative rules: Michigan statutes defer many supervision details to the administrative code (R 338.17xx for counselors). Contact LARA for the most current rules on training hours and supervisee limits

How Guidara Helps Michigan Supervisors

Michigan's unique licensing structure, including the absence of an LCSW and the limited license system, means supervisors need flexible tools that can adapt to different credential tracks. Guidara tracks hours and supervision meetings regardless of the specific license type, captures digital signatures after each supervision meeting, and exports clean documentation when it's time to submit to LARA. Both supervisors and supervisees can see their progress in real time.