MHRT/C Frequently Asked Questions
November 2021 Updated Pathways to MHRT/C Certification
This section last updated December 28, 2021.
Effective November 1, 2021, there are three Pathways to MHRT/C certification. For more details on these three Pathways, please see our Pathways website.
Primarily first time applicants.
If you hold a current Provisional MHRT/C, you are on the best pathway to complete the remaining Domain requirements.
Submit an application form and a legible copy of your official transcript. Please allow our staff up to 3 weeks to process your paperwork. Staff reviews complete applications in the order received.
Yes. In addition to the application form and a legible copy of your official transcript (or Full LSW) please submit a certificate of completion from Maine’s Mental Health System 101 (MH101). This training is free, online and takes about an hour to complete.
Please note: If you provide only a copy of your LSW and you do not provide a legible copy of an official transcript, our staff will not be able to give you any credit towards the Domain requirements.
If you have at least a year of experience in the adult behavioral health field, please submit an application form, a certificate of completion from MH101 (see above), and Appendix E documenting you have the relevant work experience.
Center for Learning Staff (CFL) will review your transcript as part of the application process to identify any missing Domains. You will receive a one-year certificate and will need to complete half of the missing Domains in order to receive a second one-year certificate. For example, if you are missing four Domains, you will need to complete two of them in the first year to receive a second certificate.
You have 90 days to complete any missing Priority Domains. This requirement does not apply to students enrolled in Pathway A programs.
There are three ways to complete a missing Domain requirement:
- Complete an approved college course or course combination
- Complete 30 hours of non-academic training covering that Domain’s knowledge competencies
- Credit for Work Experience: six (6) months of relevant Work Experience documented by your clinical supervisor.
For more information, go to our MHRT/C webpage and click the appropriate tab.
Pathway B individuals may use six-months of related work experience to meet two Domain Requirements. Pathway C individuals may use six-months of related work experience to meet one Domain Requirement.
Credit for Work Experience may be used for Domain 2. It cannot be used for Domains 1 or 3.
Without an academic degree or 30 hours of related academic coursework, you need at least a year of relevant behavioral health direct service work experience. A few examples of this are working as an MHRT I, peer support specialist, or with a CADC.
Continuing Education Questions
No. Please do not submit a copy of your MHRT/C when you submit the renewal form. We have it on file. Please only submit relevant continuing education training certificates with the renewal form.
Yes, as long as the course is relevant to the new knowledge competencies and is completed during the period on your certificate. One (1) college credit is considered equivalent to 10 hours of training. Please remember, you still need to meet four (4) hours of ethics as part of the 18 hours of continuing education. When you submit your renewal form you would need to provide an official transcript or a legible copy of an official transcript showing you passed the course in question during the time period listed on your MHRT/C certificate. If your course covered ethics and ethics is not in the title of the course, please also include the course description or syllabus.
We will accept a non-regionally accredited college course for continuing education as long as the course is relevant to the new knowledge competencies.
Certificates without an expiration date are invalid. You must reapply for an MHRT/C under the current requirements.
No, continuing education must take place during the period your certificate is valid.
As soon as you have a full MHRT/C certificate with an expiration date.
Your certificate will expire and any services rendered after that will not be allowable under MaineCare billing.
If you submit your continuing education late and it is approved, your new certificate will be effective the date we received your paperwork. It will not be backdated. The continuing education submitted must have been completed within the 2 year period prior to the submission date. Example: If an individual submits their documentation late on April 4, 2020, all continuing education submitted must have occurred between April 4, 2018 and April 4, 2020. Training completed prior to April 4, 2018 would not be accepted. If approved, their new certificate would be effective for the period: April 4, 2020 through March 31, 2022.
No. Extensions are not granted for the continuing education requirement.
You will submit an MHRT/C renewal form (available on out Continuing Education page) and certificates of completion for the trainings you completed. Those certificates should list: Training title, trainer’s name, number of hours, and date of training. where to submit your documentation is on the renewal form.
No. If you have any question about a training’s applicability, we suggest you work with your supervisor. If they are unsure, then you may contact our office.
Yes. However, the Office of Behavioral Health will conduct spot checks on in-service trainings from time-to-time. Please be sure to keep on hand the following for your in-service training: a brief description of the program, an agenda, # of hours, description of the trainer’s qualifications (brief bio), and a sample copy of the certificate of completion.
Yes, you may count the continuing education towards both your license and the MHRT/C, provided the training is related to the MHRT/C knowledge competencies and the training was completed during the time period listed on your MHRT/C certificate.
Yes, the one-hour online module “Maine’s Mental Health System 101” will be accepted as continuing education for those full MHRT/C certificate holders who did not take the module as part of their application process. The course is good for one-hour of continuing education and applies to Domain 2: Community Integration and Inclusion.
There is no renewal fee at this time.
The training needs to apply towards one of the eighty plus MHRT-C Knowledge Competencies. We have created a short guide to help you with this process. If you’re still not sure, please consult with your supervisor.
No. The MHSS training doesn’t go into the depth necessary to satisfy the MHRT/C competencies.
No. The BHP is for children’s services while the MHRT/C is for adult services.
No, LOCUS training is not accepted for continuing education.
General Certification Requirements Questions
If you hold a current Provisional MHRT/C, you are on the best pathway to complete the remaining Domain requirements.
As of 1/1/20 your MHRT/C without an expiration date is invalid. As such, you must reapply under the current program. (see next question)
Yes. the only valid certification for these services is a Full or Provisional MHRT/C with a future expiration date. Please see the next question on how to obtain a new certificate with an expiration date.
As of January 1, 2020, the only valid MHRT/C for related services is one with a future expiration date. If you have an MHRT/C without an expiration date, you will must reapply under the current guidelines.
No, the MHRT/CSP program is not changing at this time. These changes only affect the MHRT/C.
Yes, in cases where an institution spreads the knowledge competencies for a single domain over multiple courses, you must complete all the courses listed to meet that Domain. There were a few instances of this in the 2009 requirements. For example, under the 2009 requirements, someone who had completed their program through either Husson University or Central Maine Community College had to complete two courses to meet the Vocational Aspects of Disabilities requirement.
Credit for Work Experience Questions
Formerly referred to as a waiver, the Credit for Work Experience option allows you to use relevant adult behavioral health work experience as credit towards a knowledge competency Domain.
Those who hold a qualifying bachelor or master social-services related degree (please see next question for a list), can use six months of relevant clinically-supervised work experience to meet two knowledge competency Domain (You may use the same time period twice.).
Those who do not have a 4-year social services-related degree, may use six months of relevant clinically-supervised work experience to meet one knowledge competency Domain (You may not use the same time period more than once.).
The following degrees qualify for the six month option and can also be found in Appendix B of the 2019 MHRT/C Guidelines:
Art Therapy
Behavioral Health
Behavioral Health & Human Services
Behavioral Science
Communication Science & Disorders
Community Health
Community Health Education
Community Mental Health
Counseling
Criminology
Health & Human Services
Human Development
Human Development & Family Studies
Human Services
Mental Health
Mental Health & Human Services
Movement Therapy
Music Therapy
Nursing
Occupational Therapy
Physical Therapy
Psychiatric Rehabilitation
Psychology
Psychosocial Rehabilitation
Public Health
Rehabilitation Sciences
Rehabilitation Services
Special Education
Speech/Hearing Sciences
Speech-Language Pathology
Social & Behavioral Science
Social Rehabilitation
Social Science
Social Services
Social Work
Sociology
Therapeutic Recreation
If your degree is not listed above, you need one year of relevant work experience.
Domains 1 and 3 can not be met through the Credit for Work Experience option.
You may use Credit for Work Experience for up to 4 Domains provided you have enough relevant work experience.
Accepted credentials for clinical supervision include:
CCS
LCPC
LCPC-CC
LCSW
LMFT
LMSW
LMSW-CC
MD/DO Psychiatrist
Psy.D/Ph.D
Psychologist
In the rare case where an individual does not have a clinical supervisor, the administrative supervisor may complete the Credit for Work Experience Form and a separate document with examples. in these cases, the form must also be signed by the employer’s HR office documenting that the individual does not have a clinical supervisor.
Non-Academic Training Questions
Yes, if the prospective trainers meet the non-academic trainer standards and complete the train-the-trainer using the standardized curriculum. Only the standard curriculum may be taught.
The Standard Non-Academic Curriculum for each Domain will be released as it is ready. Domains 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8 have been released. Domain 5 is being developed and will be released in the future. Please see our Non-Academic Training page for more information.
Other Questions
An official transcript will state “Official” on it and will usually have the registrar’s stamp or signature. If you obtain a paper copy, it is usually sealed in an envelope marked “Official Unless Opened” (or unless seal is broken).
Our office will accept a legible copy of an official transcript, which means you may open your physical copy despite the above warning in order to either scan it or take a legible photo of it.
Many institutions also offer electronic official transcripts through a service like National Student Clearinghouse or Parchment. If you use one of these, have it emailed to: cfl-muskie@maine.edu. Please also let us know to expect the transcript directly from your school.
We accept degrees from a Regionally Accredited college or university. For a list of the majors accepted for Provisional MHRT/C, please see the Credit for Work Experience section above and click on “Which degree majors qualify for the six month option?”
For a list of the regional accreditation boards, please go to our Resources page.
While we are part of the University of Southern Maine, our office has no access to student records. Official transcripts at USM are issued by the Office of Registration & Scheduling Services. If you are a USM graduate, you will need to submit an official transcript (original or legible copy) for our staff to review it towards MHRT/C certification.