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Email : infocenter@camft.org
Phone : (858) 292-2638
Dear Members,
Our Annual Conference was last weekend, and it was an incredible success! I was inspired to see approximately 800 practitioners joining us this year in San Diego. It was truly a special sight to see, and it was great to connect with so many of you.
Our opening keynote speaker, Dr. Mike Dow, captivated audience members as he explored trauma-informed psychotherapies as mind-body medicine.
We ended the conference with our closing keynote, Dr. Shannon Curry, asking the question on how to hold compassion to those who act in ways we may not agree with.
Aside from our two amazing keynotes, attendees enjoyed inspiring workshops designed to spark meaningful reflection, networking events that fostered connection and conversation, and an engaging Exhibit Hall featuring exciting products and services to benefit MFTs.
As always, I left our Annual Conference feeling awed by the strength of our community, and marveled at the important work MFTs do every day. Thank you to everyone who helped make this year’s conference a memorable experience!
In other exciting news, after years of advocating for more MFT presence within the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; CAMFT and the CDCR are partnering up to get more jobs in the hands of MFTs, both pre-licensed and licensed! We encourage our members to check out the opportunities awaiting.
With care, Joy Alafia, MBA, CAE Executive Director
IN THIS NEWSLETTER YOU WILL FIND:
Over the last few decades, CAMFT has been advocating for more MFT positions within the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Good News! The CDCR has opened up new clinical positions for both pre-licensed and licensed MFTs, administered through the California Correctional Health Care Services Department (CCHSC). There are openings throughout California, both hybrid and in-person, with positions including great benefits and some eligible for loan repayment.
CAMFT members can apply for these positions online or talk with a recruiter directly through CCHCS. Working with CCHCS patients rapidly builds advanced clinical skills, making MFTs more versatile and sought after clinicians, while giving MFTs the chance to make a meaningful impact on underserved populations. Check it out!
The Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) continues to be in the regulatory phase of transitioning to the AMFTRB National Exam as the clinical licensure exam for California.
A proposed regulation package is now expected to be shared at the August BBS Board meeting. A more precise implementation timeline is anticipated at that meeting, with acknowledgement that the transition will occur later than the previously anticipated January 2027 date, closer to July 2027.
CAMFT is actively engaged in the process and will continue to provide updates on the transition timeline. We have developed a new member resource, MFT License Portability: National Exam FAQs, to help you navigate this change. We’ve also partnered with BBS staff and AMFTRB to ensure accurate and up-to-date information.
The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) is requiring LMFTs who provide Local Educational Agency Medi-Cal Billing Option Program (LEA BOP) covered direct services to enroll in Medi-Cal as a provider. Although there is more than one way for practitioners to enroll in Medi-Cal, DHCS recommends that practitioners enroll as Ordering, Referring, and Prescribing (ORP) providers, as this pathway is the simplest and most effective enrollment pathway to satisfy the requirement. If you are already enrolled as an individual billing provider, there is no need to also enroll as an ORP provider.
Please refer to the Department’s Policy and Procedure Letter (PPL) 26-001 Practitioner Enrollment and Practitioner Enrollment FAQ for more information. Questions can be directed to DHCS at LEA@dhcs.ca.gov.
The Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) has announced the second application cycle for its Medi-Cal Behavioral Health Student Loan Repayment Program. This opportunity is designed for behavioral health professionals who are willing to commit to serving 2-4 years in an eligible Medi-Cal safety net setting. Eligible LMFTs and AMFTs may receive up to $180,000 in loan repayment assistance!
The first application cycle closed in 2025 with more than 5,200 applications submitted. $159,234,457 was awarded across 1,899 awardees! Don’t miss this valuable opportunity to help reduce your student debt! The application period is open now and close May 29, 2026.
To see a list of all state and federal financial assistance programs we’re keeping an eye on, you can visit this page.
The first application cycle closed in 2025 with more than 5,200 applications submitted. $159,234,457 was awarded across 1,899 awardees! Make sure to bookmark your calendar so you don’t miss this valuable opportunity to help reduce your student debt! Applications are open now, and close May 29, 2026.
Psychotherapists who opted out of Medicare for the first time in 2024 are approaching their first opt-out renewal period in 2026. The opt-out auto-renewal cycle occurs every two years.
Those who wish to remain opted out of Medicare do not need to take any action.
Practitioners who opted out but now wish to enroll as a Medicare provider must notify their Medicare Administrative Contractor by letter no later than 30 days before the opt-out auto-renewal occurs.
Practitioners who are uncertain about their opt-out status can visit the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ Provider Opt-Out Affidavits Look-up Tool to determine their opt-out renewal date. For more information about MFTs and Medicare, visit the Medicare Corner on CAMFT’s website.
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, extends Medicare telehealth flexibilities through December 31, 2027. Therefore, the requirement for an in-person visit within six months of starting telehealth services, and annually thereafter, is waived until January 1, 2028.
California MFTs treat a wide range of individuals, couples, and families from numerous backgrounds. To assist therapists in their efforts to provide services to the diverse array of patients they work with, CAMFT has translated its most commonly used sample practice forms into Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Korean, Japanese, Mandarin, Russian, and Hindi. These forms include our sample informed consent, release of information forms, good faith estimate documents, etc.
Click Here to view these and other sample practice forms on our Sample Practice Forms page.
Beginning in 2021, the Department of Managed Healthcare’s (DMHC) Division of Plan Surveys began conducting investigations of all full-service commercial health plans regulated by the DMHC to assess barriers practitioners experience in providing behavioral health services. The investigations also seek to identify systemic changes that could be made to improve the delivery of behavioral health care. Please note, these investigations do not include the Medi-Cal managed care population.
The DMHC anticipates an average of four investigations will be conducted per year. The four health plans to be investigated in 2026 are:
We are seeking your assistance to identify various providers (e.g., individuals, medical groups, facilities, hospitals, etc.) who may be willing to participate in interviews conducted by the DMHC as a component of the investigations of the above-listed four health plans. The interviews will allow the DMHC to gain a comprehensive understanding of provider-specific barriers and challenges. Interviews conducted in 2026 will likely be via phone or video conferencing.
Providers who have elected not to contract with the above four health plans, or contracted providers who have experienced barriers and challenges providing behavioral health services to their patients within the past two years, and who wish to participate in these interviews should contact the DMHC directly via email at ProviderBHI@dmhc.ca.gov or via phone at (279) 666-5858. The DMHC may contact those providers who express an interest in being interviewed. Accordingly, we respectfully request that you not forward the names of any providers directly to the DMHC.
The DMHC appreciates your efforts in supporting these important investigations. Please reach out to the DMHC with any questions. For more information about the behavioral health investigations, click here.
CAMFT is thrilled to announce our newest Affinity Partner: Heard Accounting - the only financial platform built specifically for therapists in private practice!
Operating a private practice or being self-employed means holding two demanding roles at once: clinician and business owner. Your training prepared you thoroughly for the first. For most LMFTs, the financial side gets figured out along the way.
That friction has a cost. Research in behavioral economics shows that unresolved financial complexity draws on the same cognitive resources we rely on for focused professional work. When that attention is divided, the quality of the work declines. (Mullainathan & Shafir, 2013)
We're partnering with Heard to help address that. Heard is the only financial platform built specifically for therapists in private practice. It combines bookkeeping and tax software designed for your practice with unlimited access to bookkeeping and tax professionals who understand your industry, so your finances stay current without pulling you away from your clinical work.
Exclusive offer for CAMFT members
15% off annual plans AND 50% off catch-up bookkeeping!
CLICK HERE TO SCHEDULE YOUR FREE CONSULTATION!
We’re pleased to honor Lyla Tylor, LMFT, and Jonathan Flier, LMFT, as our prestigious Mary Riemersma Distinguished Clinical Members this year.
Read more about our winners here.
Applications accepted May 25th to November 27th for the Mary Riemersma Distinguished Clinical Member, Honorary Distinguished Member, Clark Vincent Award, and Outstanding School or Agency Award.
We’re pleased to announce the 2026 Scholarship Winners and Runners Up!
The California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists Educational Foundation will award five scholarships and one grant in 2027 to deserving candidates. Each scholarship awarded will be in the amount of $4,000. The grant award is discretionary and will be in the amount of up to $2,500.
Applications are accepted from May 25th to November 27th.
June 5, 2026 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Children are cute, but the issues you often face in their treatment can be complex. In this three-hour CE course, CAMFT attorney Kristin Roscoe will use the story of 13-year-old “Jack” to guide attendees through common legal and ethical issues a therapist might reasonably encounter when working with a child. From consent to treatment, mandated reporting, writing letters, to court involvement, attendees will learn how to spot areas of liability and best proceed to support the treatment of minors.
Learn more and register today!
Law & Ethics: Dealing with Issues Around Gifts, Advertising, and Termination
Presenter: Alain Montgomery, JD CAMFT Staff Attorney August 7, 2026 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
This 3-hour law and ethics webinar will delve into the more nuanced areas of gift giving and receiving within the context of the therapeutic relationship, explain updates to the BBS advertising regulations, and describe the elements that constitute ethical client termination. Each of these topics is unique and requires a clear and thorough understanding of the legal and ethical implications involved. This webinar will be informative in a way that helps participants formulate legally and ethically sound courses of action in dealing with each of these areas in their practice.
Law & Ethics: Common Insurance Issues and Questions Demystified
Presenter: Sara Jasper, JD CAMFT Staff Attorney October 2, 2026 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
This law and ethics-focused training is designed for mental health professionals who are paneled with insurance companies, considering becoming in-network, or seeing clients who wish to use out-of-network benefits. While insurance provides increased access to care, it also introduces complex legal and ethical obligations. During the training, Ms. Jasper will discuss how to fully inform patients about insurance issues at the outset of treatment, bill accurately and respond to records requests and audits in a manner that complies with state and federal confidentiality laws.
Law & Ethics: What's Changing in 2027? Law and Ethics Updates for California
Presenter: Luke Martin, JD December 4, 2026 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
The start of a new year brings significant legal and regulatory updates that directly impact the practice of psychotherapy in California. In this comprehensive three-hour workshop, CAMFT Staff Attorney Luke Matthew Martin, MBA, JD, will break down the new laws and regulations taking effect in 2026 that licensed and pre-licensed psychotherapists must understand.
Participants will gain insight into where these legal changes originate, what the changes require, and how they interact with existing California and federal laws. The workshop will also examine the ethical implications of these updates and provide practical guidance for integrating new requirements into clinical practice.
Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of how to remain compliant, ethically grounded, and confident in navigating the evolving legal landscape of 2026.
Be sure to visit the Pre-Licensed Corner of our website for up-to-date newsletters, guides, resources, and so much more – created just for you.
CAMFT has 23 chapters throughout the state that offer local programs and networking opportunities for MFTs. You can find your local chapter here. Be sure to ask how they support pre-licensees!
Use your membership login and password to get access to this directory that showcases job sites throughout California that pay Associate Marriage and Family Therapists and provide supervision for hours. Login to view.
Check out the directory of CAMFT Certified Supervisors! Our CAMFT Certified Supervisors have gone above and beyond the BBS requirements for supervision to complete the advanced training. Find a CAMFT Certified Supervisor.
Thirteen Chapters from across the state showcased their Chapters at this year’s Annual Conference. The conference was held at the Town and Country in San Diego, on May 1-2.
On Thursday, attendees had the opportunity to pick up their badges early and join a relaxed, welcoming Meet-and-Greet Social with the CAMFTTM Board of Directors and Chapter Leaders. This was a great opportunity to connect face-to-face, ask questions, and build meaningful relationships before the main events began.
On Friday, members from the East Bay, Inland Empire, Long Beach-South Bay, Orange County, San Diego, and Santa Clara Valley Chapters shared information about the community, local restaurants, and local entertainment, and offered a variety of giveaways. They also shared upcoming events from their Chapters and the many benefits of being a local Chapter member.
On Saturday, members from the Los Angeles, Redwood Empire, Sacramento Valley, San Diego North County, San Fernando Valley, Santa Barbara, and Sierra Foothills Chapters had an opportunity to meet potential members and share all the events, meetings, and support groups their Chapters have to offer to new and current members.
CAMFT is offering chapter members a $5 discount on the 2025 Law and Ethics webinars. Take advantage of the discount and join our expert staff attorneys as they cover the essential topics MFTs need to know! Learn more.
CAMFT chapters offer exciting events in your local area that can enrich your practice with relevant continuing education workshops and networking opportunities. Click here to find your local chapter.
Don’t forget to click here throughout the year for a list of upcoming events throughout the State. Events are listed by Chapter/Region.
Have you ever thought about sharing your knowledge and skill while supplementing your income? Now is the perfect time to become a CAMFT-Approved Continuing Education Provider! APPLY TODAY!
Apply before 5/31/26 and use the code CEPACHEER when calling in your payment to get 25% off the Initial Application Fee. Get the details.
WELCOME TO OUR NEW CAMFT CERTIFIED SUPERVISORS
The CAMFT Certified Supervisor Program is preparing for a LIVE Supervision Workshop October 16, 2026 in San Jose, CA, and we want you to be involved! We are looking for a one, two or three-hour presentation on one of the following topics:
CLICK HERE to download the Proposal Form.
The deadline for submission is July 3, 2026. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out at csp@camft.org.
NEW UPDATES TO THE CAMFT CERTIFIED SUPERVISOR PROGRAM!
Certified Supervisor Logo
The Certified Supervisor Program now has a logo! You can use this brand-new logo on your professional advertising and informational materials including business cards, letterhead, brochures, and website. To use the logo, please download this form by clicking here, sign and send it to csp@camft.org.
Add Your Photo
The Directory of CAMFT Certified Supervisors now comes with your picture! When Supervisees are looking for a Supervisor, we recommend they reach out to a CAMFT Certified Supervisor and direct them to this Directory. If you’d like to add your photo to your record, simply Log in to your Dashboard and upload your headshot. This is a GREAT way to personalize your listing!
To better support you and uphold our "Above and Beyond" commitment, the CSP Committee now uses a set of questions to review and score the Case Summary.
For a helpful cheat sheet to guide your Case Summary writing, CLICK HERE.
Please remember, Consultants must review and approve the Case Summary before the Verification of Completion application is submitted to the Committee.
We are thrilled to introduce five NEW Supervision Workshops, totaling 12 CEs! Discover them all in our On-Demand Learning Library.
Don’t forget that the BBS requires supervisors to complete a minimum of six (6) hours of continuing professional development in supervision during each renewal period.
*Reminder: Supervisors may apply their CAMFT supervisor course training hours to their overall CE requirements with one exception. A course taken on law and ethics designed specifically to meet supervisor training requirements CANNOT also be accepted toward meeting the six-hour law and ethics course required of all licensees each renewal period. A single course will not fulfill both requirements.
Your CAMFT Office Depot® Member Benefits Program, previously Office Depot Business Solutions Division, has been rebranded to ODP Business Solutions™.
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