Telehealth Supervision for MFTs: Does It Count for Licensure Hours?

If you are a pre-licensed MFT considering working with a supervisor you would meet with via video — not in person — you probably have one pressing question before anything else:

Will those hours actually count toward my license?

It is a completely reasonable thing to want confirmed before you invest months or years in a supervisory relationship. The last thing anyone needs is to complete hundreds of supervision hours only to find out their board won't accept them.

So let's answer it directly.

For the vast majority of pre-licensed MFTs in the United States, supervision conducted via telehealth — video conferencing platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, or similar — is accepted by state licensing boards for licensure hour credit.

This was not always the case. Before 2020, some boards had explicit requirements for in-person supervision, or were silent on the question in ways that created uncertainty. The COVID-19 pandemic changed that landscape rapidly and permanently. Boards that had never addressed remote supervision were forced to, and most issued guidance explicitly permitting it. Many have since codified that permission into their permanent rules.

The result: telehealth supervision is now the norm, not the exception, in most states.

The pandemic-era pivot to telehealth supervision was initially an emergency accommodation. What boards discovered, and what the research has since supported, is that supervision conducted via video is clinically equivalent to in-person supervision in terms of supervisee development, alliance quality, and learning outcomes.

Supervisees were not getting worse supervision over video. In many cases, they reported feeling more comfortable, more able to be candid, and more focused — without the logistical friction of commuting to an office.

The practical benefits were also significant. Pre-licensed therapists in rural areas, in states with few qualified supervisors, or in communities where affirming supervision was scarce suddenly had access to supervisors they never could have worked with before. That access did not disappear when offices reopened.

The federal policy environment reinforced the shift. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) expanded telehealth coverage significantly during and after the pandemic, signaling at the federal level that remote behavioral health services — including supervision infrastructure — are a permanent part of the landscape. The Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) has similarly invested in telehealth as a core strategy for addressing mental health workforce shortages, particularly in rural and underserved areas where pre-licensed therapists often struggle to find qualified supervisors at all.

Even though telehealth supervision is broadly accepted, there are a few things worth confirming before you begin accumulating hours with any remote supervisor.

1. Check your state board's current rules directly.

Board rules change. The most reliable source is always your state licensing board's website or a direct call to the board. Look for language about "supervision," "telehealth," "remote," or "electronic" in their rules or FAQ. Most boards now have explicit language permitting video supervision.

2. Confirm your supervisor is licensed in your state.

This is the piece that matters most — and it is the one most often overlooked. A supervisor does not need to be physically located in your state to supervise you, but in most states they do need to hold an active license in the state where you are getting licensed. A supervisor licensed only in California cannot typically provide supervision that counts toward your New York license.

This is why multi-state licensure matters. I hold active LMFT licenses in New York, Texas, Illinois, Arizona, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, New Mexico, and Hawaii — which means I can provide supervision that counts toward licensure in any of those states, regardless of where I am physically located when we meet.

3. Verify the supervisor's credential.

Most state boards require that supervision be provided by a licensed MFT (or equivalent) who meets specific credentialing requirements. Many boards require or strongly prefer an AAMFT Approved Supervisor. Some states — Texas being the clearest example — require a state-specific supervisor credential in addition to AAMFT approval.

Before you begin, confirm that your supervisor holds the credentials your board requires. You can verify AAMFT Approved Supervisor status in the AAMFT directory. For a full directory of state MFT licensing boards and their specific supervisor requirements, the Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards (AMFTRB) maintains a state board directory that is worth bookmarking.

4. Understand your board's documentation requirements.

Telehealth supervision hours are typically documented the same way in-person hours are — through supervision logs, attestation forms, and sometimes a supervision contract. Some boards have specific forms. Make sure your supervisor knows what your board requires and is prepared to document your hours correctly from the start.

Starting with a clear supervisee contract that outlines the supervision format, frequency, and documentation process protects both of you.

Here is a quick overview of where telehealth supervision stands in the states I am licensed in. Note that board rules can change — always verify directly with your board.

New York — Telehealth supervision is accepted. NYSED has issued guidance permitting remote supervision for pre-licensed MFTs. Full NY requirements →

Texas — Telehealth supervision is accepted by TSBEMFT. Note that Texas requires supervisors to hold the TSBEMFT Approved Supervisor credential — not just AAMFT Approved Supervisor status. Full TX requirements →

Illinois — Telehealth supervision is accepted by IDFPR. Illinois has one of the higher total hour requirements (4,000 hours), making access to qualified remote supervisors especially important. Full IL requirements →

Arizona — Telehealth supervision is accepted by AZBBHE. Arizona's board has been clear in permitting remote supervision for pre-licensed MFTs. Full AZ requirements →

Ohio — Telehealth supervision is accepted by the OCSWMFT Board. Ohio's combined board has issued guidance permitting remote supervision. Full OH requirements →

Michigan — Telehealth supervision is accepted by the Michigan Board of Counseling. Remote supervision for LLMFT holders is permitted. Full MI requirements →

Indiana — Telehealth supervision is accepted by IBHHSLB. Indiana's board permits remote supervision for MFT-Associates. Full IN requirements →

Wisconsin — Telehealth supervision is accepted by the WI MFT Board. Remote supervision for MFT Training License holders is permitted. Full WI requirements →

New Mexico — Telehealth supervision is accepted by NMCTPB. New Mexico has been clear in permitting remote supervision for LMFT Interns. Full NM requirements →

Hawaii — Telehealth supervision is accepted by the HI MFT Licensing Board. Remote supervision for MFT Interns is permitted. Full HI requirements →

When pre-licensed therapists ask whether telehealth supervision counts, there is sometimes a second question underneath it: Is telehealth supervision as good as in-person supervision?

It is worth addressing directly.

The research on remote supervision outcomes is clear: supervision conducted via video is clinically equivalent to in-person supervision when the supervisory relationship is strong, the structure is consistent, and the supervisor is trained in supervision (not just in clinical practice). The medium is not the limiting factor. The relationship is.

The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) has published guidance on technology-assisted supervision, affirming that remote supervision can meet the same professional and ethical standards as in-person supervision when conducted appropriately. The American Psychological Association (APA) has similarly issued telepsychology guidelines that have informed how behavioral health licensing boards across the country think about remote professional services — including supervision.

What telehealth supervision does change is access. It removes geography as a barrier. It means you are not limited to supervisors within driving distance of your home or office. It means that if you are a queer or trans clinician in a state where affirming supervision is scarce, you can work with a supervisor who actually understands your clinical context — without having to relocate or compromise.

That access is not a consolation prize. For many pre-licensed therapists, it is the difference between supervision that merely counts and supervision that actually shapes the clinician they become.

If you want to go deeper on the regulatory and professional standards landscape for telehealth supervision, these are the sources worth reading:

• CMS Telehealth Services — Federal coverage policy for telehealth, including behavioral health. Useful for understanding the broader regulatory environment that shapes state-level decisions.
• HRSA Telehealth — The federal government's primary telehealth resource hub, including workforce and training guidance relevant to pre-licensed clinicians.
• AAMFT — Technology-Assisted Professional Services — AAMFT's ethics code includes provisions on technology-assisted services that apply directly to telehealth supervision.
• AMFTRB State Board Directory — The Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards maintains a directory of all state MFT licensing boards, useful for verifying your board's current telehealth supervision rules.
• APA Guidelines for Telepsychology — While written for psychologists, these guidelines have broadly influenced how behavioral health boards across professions approach remote professional services.

Beyond the credential and licensure questions, here is what I would look for when evaluating a telehealth supervisor:

Clear structure. Good telehealth supervision has a consistent format — regular meeting times, a clear agenda, and a process for reviewing cases, tracking your development, and addressing parallel process. The absence of a physical office should not mean the absence of structure.

Familiarity with your state's requirements. Your supervisor should know what your board requires, how to document your hours, and what forms you will need at the end of your pre-licensed period. This is not something you should have to manage alone.

A supervision contract. Any supervisor worth working with will start the relationship with a clear written agreement that covers the supervision format, frequency, fees, documentation process, and what happens if the relationship needs to end. This protects you.

Genuine understanding of your clinical context. If you work with LGBTQ+ clients, with clients in non-traditional relationships, with clients whose identities don't map onto mainstream clinical frameworks — your supervisor should understand that context, not just tolerate it.

I offer individual supervision, group supervision, and direct observation hours entirely via telehealth — meeting your state licensing board's requirements while centering your full identity in the supervisory relationship.

If you are working toward licensure in New York, Texas, Illinois, Arizona, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, New Mexico, or Hawaii, I would love to connect. Schedule a free consultation to talk about where you are in your licensure journey and whether we might be a good fit.

Mx. Love C. Dialogos is an LMFT and AAMFT Approved Supervisor licensed in ten states, offering queer-affirming clinical supervision entirely via telehealth. Verify credential in the AAMFT directory.