Clinical Supervision Requirements in New Mexico

Licensing Board Overview

New Mexico regulates mental health professions through two boards in the Regulation and Licensing Department. Social workers are governed by the Board of Social Work Examiners, while counselors and marriage and family therapists are governed by the Counseling and Therapy Practice Board.

LCSW: Licensed Clinical Social Worker (New Mexico)

New Mexico's LCSW is governed by the Board of Social Work Examiners, 16.63.11 NMAC. Candidates hold a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) credential, including a provisional LMSW, while accruing supervised experience. The same experience path also leads to the Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW), an independent, non-clinical license.

Supervised Experience Requirements

• Total supervised experience: 3,600 hours of licensed master's-level social work experience as an LMSW
• Timeframe: At least 2 years, with the 3,600 hours accumulated over no more than 60 months (16.63.11.8 NMAC)
• Supervision hours: At least 100 hours of supervision, raised from 90 on October 7, 2025. At least 70 hours must be direct (one-to-one, and video counts). No more than 50 hours may be group supervision, with no more than 8 people per group. Up to 30 hours may be interdisciplinary supervision.
• Supervision ratio: One hour of supervision must be documented for every 40 hours worked
• Exam: ASWB Clinical Examination for the LCSW, or the ASWB Advanced Generalist Examination for the LISW. A jurisprudence exam and a New Mexico cultures course are also required.

Supervisor Qualifications

• Must hold an active New Mexico LCSW or LISW license, with at least 2 years of supervised social work practice experience
• Must complete a 6-hour board-approved supervision course and be listed as a Board Approved Supervisor before supervision begins
• A licensed psychiatrist, psychologist, or LPCC may provide up to 30 hours as an interdisciplinary supervisor, with board approval before supervision begins

LPCC: Licensed Professional Clinical Mental Health Counselor (New Mexico)

New Mexico's LPCC is governed by the Counseling and Therapy Practice Board, 16.27.4 NMAC. Candidates hold a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) credential while accruing hours.

Supervised Experience Requirements

• Total supervised experience: 3,000 hours of postgraduate clinical client contact. Indirect work does not count. Up to 1,000 hours from an internship or practicum are credited by board staff from the transcript.
• Timeframe: At least 2 years of postgraduate experience
• Supervision hours: At least 100 hours of face-to-face supervision
• Exam: NCE (National Counselor Examination) and NCMHCE (National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination)

Supervisor Qualifications

• Must hold an active New Mexico LPCC, LMFT, LPAT, LCSW, or LISW license, or be a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist (16.27.9.8 NMAC)
• Must hold the board's Approved Clinical Supervisor Designation before supervising

LMFT: Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (New Mexico)

New Mexico's LMFT is governed by the Counseling and Therapy Practice Board, 16.27.6 NMAC. Candidates hold a Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (LAMFT) credential while accruing hours.

Supervised Experience Requirements

• Total supervised experience: 1,000 hours of postgraduate marriage and family client contact
• Timeframe: At least 2 years of postgraduate experience
• Supervision hours: At least 200 hours of supervision (at least 100 hours must be individual supervision)
• Supervision ratio: The LAMFT experience plan calls for one hour of face-to-face supervision for every five hours of client contact (16.27.22.9 NMAC)
• Exam: AMFTRB National Examination

Supervisor Qualifications

• Must hold an active New Mexico LMFT, LPCC, LPAT, LCSW, or LISW license, or be a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist
• Must hold the board's Approved Clinical Supervisor Designation before supervising
• Must have education, clinical experience, and supervisory experience in marriage and family therapy (16.27.6.9 NMAC). Supervisors of LAMFTs also attest to training in systems.

New Mexico-Specific Details

Associate and Mental Health Counselor Licensure

New Mexico utilizes specific licensure tiers for those accruing hours. Social workers use the LMSW, counselors use the LMHC, and MFTs use the LAMFT. Candidates must hold these credentials before they can begin accruing hours toward independent clinical licensure. Hours also count only under a supervisor the board has already approved.

Counseling and MFT Hour Limits

• Supervised clinical client contact may not exceed 40 hours per week (16.27.19.8 NMAC)
• Hours obtained more than five years before the application do not count, unless the applicant has continuously held a license in good standing (16.27.9.8 NMAC)

A Verification From Each Supervisor

Both boards expect a separate verification from every supervisor. For counselors and MFTs, each supervisor completes Attachment C (Experience Plan) when supervision begins, and signs Attachment B for the supervision and client contact hours they provided before the supervisory relationship ends (16.27.18.19 NMAC). For social workers, each supervisor completes a separate Supervision Verification Form.

Counseling and MFT supervisors keep a supervisory agreement and a supervision log that includes notes. Social work supervisors sign a written contract covering frequency, type of supervision, education goals, and an evaluation schedule, and keep it for four years.

Interstate Compacts

New Mexico enacted the Social Work Licensure Interstate Compact in 2026 (HB 50, Laws 2026, chapter 6). The compact commission had not yet listed New Mexico as a compact jurisdiction at our last review, so confirm with the board before relying on a multistate license. New Mexico is not a member of the Counseling Compact.

Virtual Supervision in New Mexico

Neither board sets a percentage cap on virtual supervision. The Counseling and Therapy Practice Board counts virtual supervision the same way as in-person supervision, and its rules cover both electronic and telephonic supervision (16.27.19.7 NMAC). For social workers, supervision by video counts as direct supervision. The social work rules do not address telephone supervision, so confirm with the board before counting it.

Key New Mexico Board Contact Information

• Board of Social Work Examiners: rld.nm.gov
• Counseling and Therapy Practice Board: rld.nm.gov

How to Become a Clinical Supervisor in New Mexico

Supervisor requirements in New Mexico vary by discipline. On both boards, approval must come before you start supervising, or the hours you supervise will not count. Always confirm current standards with the respective board.

Becoming an LCSW Supervisor

• Hold an active New Mexico LCSW or LISW license, with at least 2 years of supervised social work practice experience
• Complete a 6-hour board-approved supervision course
• Email the Board Approved Supervisor application with a copy of your license and your CV, and wait to be placed on the approved supervisor list before you begin

Becoming an LPCC Supervisor

• Hold an active New Mexico LPCC, LMFT, LPAT, LCSW, or LISW license, or be a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist
• Complete 3 CE hours in supervision and 6 CE hours in the ethics of supervision, or hold a current supervision credential from the applicable national professional association
• Mail the Application for Approved Clinical Supervisor Designation with the $75 fee, and hold the designation before you begin
• Keep the designation by completing 9 CE hours in supervision each two-year renewal

Becoming an LMFT Supervisor

• Hold an active New Mexico LMFT, LPCC, LPAT, LCSW, or LISW license, or be a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist
• Have education, clinical experience, and supervisory experience in marriage and family therapy, plus training in systems if you supervise LAMFTs
• Obtain the Approved Clinical Supervisor Designation, on the same terms as LPCC supervisors

How Guidara Helps New Mexico Supervisors

Guidara keeps hour logs, signed supervision notes, and timesheets for every supervision relationship, with timestamps and audit trails. When it is time to complete Attachment B or the Supervision Verification Form, each supervisor can export PDF records of their own hours to work from.