RULE NO.: RULE TITLE:
64B4-31.007: Definition of a "Licensed Mental Health Counselor or the Equivalent, Who Is a Qualified Supervisor."

The Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling hereby gives notice:
of the issuance of an Order regarding the Petition for Waiver or Variance, which was filed on July 22, 2010, by Andres Torrens, CSW. The Notice of Petition for Waiver or Variance was published in Vol. 36, No. 31, of the August 6, 2010, Florida Administrative Weekly. The Petitioner was seeking a waiver or variance of Rule 64B4-31.007, Florida Administrative Code, entitled, Definition of a “Licensed Mental Health Counselor or the Equivalent, Who is a Qualified Supervisor,” which requires that during the period for which the applicant claims supervision, he/she is licensed as a clinical social worker or marriage and family therapist in Florida or in the state in which the supervision took place and can demonstrate a three semester or four quarter hour graduate level course in three of the following six content areas: counseling theories, counseling practice, assessment, career counseling, substance abuse, or legal, ethical, and professional standards from a clinical counseling program in an institution fully accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and/or the U.S. Department of Education. The Board considered the instant Petition at a duly-noticed meeting, held October 14, 2010, in Jacksonville, Florida.
The Board’s Order, filed on November 9, 2010, denied the petition finding that Petitioner had failed to establish that the purpose of the underlying statute would be met by granting a variance or waiver from Rule 64B4-31.007, F.A.C. The Board further finds that Petitioner failed to establish that applying the requirements of the aforementioned Rule to his circumstances would violate principles of fairness and impose substantial hardship.
A copy of the Order or additional information may be obtained by contacting:
Sue Foster, Executive Director, Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling, 4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin #C08, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3258.