The State Board of Marriage and Family Therapy Examiners was established on January 10, 1969 (pursuant to N.J.S.A. 45:8B-34 et seq.) to oversee New Jersey's licensed marriage and family therapists. Board members, who are appointed by the Governor, must be New Jersey residents. The Board consists of six licensed practicing marriage and family therapists; one licensed professional counselor serving on the Professional Counselor Examiners Committee; one licensed alcohol and drug counselor serving on the Alcohol and Drug Counselors Committee; three members of the general public, and one state executive department member. Except for the state executive department member, all members are appointed for three-year terms. The Professional Counselor Examiners Committee and the Alcohol and Drug Counselor Committee are committees of the State Board of Marriage and Family Therapy Examiners.
Regular meetings of the Board are held on the second Thursday of every month at 124 Halsey Street, Newark, New Jersey, beginning at 9:30 a.m.
The purpose of the Board is:
- to protect the health, safety and welfare of the people of New Jersey;
- to regulate the practice of marriage and family therapy;
- to take action against the unprofessional, improper, unauthorized or unqualified practice of marriage and family therapy and guard against unprofessional conduct by the licensed individuals who practice marriage and family therapy.
The Board protects the public by:
- making sure all marriage and family therapists meet the requirements set by statute;
- investigating and prosecuting marriage and family therapists who break the State's consumer protection laws; and
- requiring all marriage and family therapists to be licensed and to renew their licenses biennially.