Pennsylvania recently launched a new licensure category, allowing individuals to practice as licensed associate marriage and family therapists (LAMFTs) and licensed associate professional counselors (LAPCs) under Governor Josh Shapiro’s newly signed Act 4. This initiative aims to expand access to mental health services and addresses the need for more practitioners.

Under the new law, individuals with the required educational qualifications but who have not completed the necessary supervised clinical experience can obtain an associate license. This enables them to provide mental health support and qualify for insurance reimbursement while under the guidance of a licensed supervisor. The required experience amounts to 3,000 hours for master’s degree holders and 2,400 hours for those with doctoral degrees.

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The legislation was backed by bipartisan efforts with state Rep. Melissa Cerrato and state Sen. Pat Stefano sponsoring the bill. This development followed a rapid implementation by the Pennsylvania Department of State, which began accepting applications for these licenses shortly after the law was enacted.

The associate licenses aim to alleviate the shortage of mental health care providers and ensure that Pennsylvanians have access to necessary services. The introduction of these licenses is part of broader measures to increase the number of licensed mental health professionals in the state, which has seen significant growth since 2019.

Applications for the associate licenses can be made through Pennsylvania’s Licensing System at pals.pa.gov.

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