During the COVID-19 pandemic the Board of Behavioral Sciences issued (and extended multiple times) a waiver for the face-to-face supervision requirement. This waiver has allowed Associates in any setting (including private practice) to count supervision via two-way, real-time videoconferencing. In addition, it allowed Practicum students to count telehealth hours toward their required hours of counseling.
The BBS previously announced that this waiver would expire on October 31, 2021 and that it would not be extended. Today (October 29, 2021) the BBS announced that this waiver has been extended through December 31, 2021. The BBS has stated that this is the last time that the waiver will be extended. Although the BBS has previously made similar statements, it appears that this truly is the last time it will be extended.
View Waiver on the BBS website
Note: As of 10/29/2021 @ 11:30PM PST the BBS has NOT yet updated the date in the waiver posted on their site. It still references October 31, but it will be updated to reference December 31.