Ala. Admin. Code r. 536-X-8-.08

Current through Register Vol. 43, No. 1, October 31, 2024

Section 536-X-8-.08 - Advertising

Marriage and family therapists engage in appropriate informational activities, including those that enable the public, referral sources, or others to choose professional services on an informed basis.

(1) Marriage and family therapists accurately represent their competencies, education, training, and experience relevant to their practice of marriage and family therapy.

(2) Marriage and family therapists ensure that advertisements and publications in any media (such as directories, announcements, business cards, newspapers, radio, television, Internet, and facsimiles) convey information that is necessary for the public to make an appropriate selection of professional services. Information could include:

(a) office information, such as name, address, telephone number, credit card acceptability, fees, languages spoken, and office hours;

(b) qualifying clinical degree (see subprinciple 8.5);

(c) other earned degrees (see subprinciple 8.5) and state or provincial licensures and/or certifications;

(d) AAMFT clinical member status; and

(e) description of practice.

(3) Marriage and family therapists do not use names that could mislead the public concerning the identity, responsibility, source, and status of those practicing under that name, and do not hold themselves out as being partners or associates of a firm if they are not.

(4) Marriage and family therapists do not use any professional identification (such as a business card, office sign, letterhead, Internet, or telephone or association directory listing) if it includes a statement or claim that is false, fraudulent, misleading, or deceptive.

(5) In representing their educational qualifications, marriage and family therapists list and claim as evidence only those earned degrees:

(a) from institutions accredited by regional accreditation sources recognized by the United States Department of Education,

(b) from institutions recognized by states or provinces that license or certify marriage and family therapists, or

(c) from equivalent foreign institutions.

(6) Marriage and family therapists correct, wherever possible, false, misleading, or inaccurate information and representations made by others concerning the therapist's qualifications, services, or products.

(7) Marriage and family therapists make certain that the qualifications of their employees or supervisees are represented in a manner that is not false, misleading, or deceptive.

(8) Marriage and family therapists do not represent themselves as providing specialized services unless they have the appropriate education, training, or supervised experience.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 536-X-8-.08

New Rule: Filed December 22, 2009; effective January 26, 2010.

Author: The Alabama Board of Examiners in Marriage and Family Therapy

Statutory Authority:Code of Ala. 1975, §§ 34-17A-1 thru 34-17A-26.