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Board denies variance for petitioner but accepts five supervision hours after alternate verification
Summary
The board denied a petition for a variance and waiver from an applicant who lacked signed supervisor forms but accepted five hours of supervision when her former supervisor testified and provided dates.
The Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling denied a petition for a variance and waiver on March 21 but accepted limited, alternate verification of supervision hours for a licensure applicant.
Charnasta J.V. Watson asked the board to waive the requirement that supervising clinicians submit the board’s verification form because two supervisors who provided her supervision had not returned the official signed form. Watson said she submitted employment logs, a human‑resources letter and other contemporaneous records showing supervision dates at a residential facility but that the supervisors either left the employer or did not respond when staff asked them to send the board’s official verification.
Board counsel Timothy Frizzell advised the board that a petition for variance and waiver was not the correct procedural vehicle for Watson’s request because the rules include a discrete process allowing the board to review alternate verification of experience (Fla. Admin. Code 64B4‑3.0015). Counsel recommended denying the variance petition but permitting the board to review Watson’s alternate evidence under the rule.
The board followed counsel’s recommendation. Dr. Claudia Vicencio moved to deny the variance and waiver; Tanya Krause seconded. The motion passed by recorded voice vote (Vicencio, Krause, Joaquin Molina voting yes).
On the separate substantive review of alternate verification, Kristen Smith — one of Watson’s former supervisors who testified on the call — confirmed five dates of individual supervision (Dec. 29, 2022; Jan. 12, 2023; Jan. 26, 2023; Feb. 2, 2023; Feb. 9, 2023). The board found those five hours eligible to be counted toward Watson’s postmaster’s experience; it denied verification of five additional hours attributed to a second supervisor, Sarah Creel, because the recorded dates and spacing did not meet the rule’s requirement that supervision occur at least once every two weeks.
The board’s action brings Watson’s accepted supervised experience to the tabulation shown in her file (the board recorded an updated total after accepting the five hours). Board staff told Watson she would receive a written order and an updated deficiency letter showing the remaining hours, if any, required to complete licensure. Watson’s interim registration remains valid until Nov. 8, 2027; board staff advised that her examination score does not expire.
Board members emphasized that it is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure a supervisor has been approved and to use the board’s supervision log so that hours are recorded on the form the board accepts.
Votes and motions recorded - Motion to deny petition for variance and waiver: mover Dr. Claudia Vicencio; second Tanya Krause; vote: Vicencio — aye; Krause — aye; Molina — aye. Outcome: denied. - Motion to approve five hours of supervision from Kristen Smith as alternate verification: mover Dr. Claudia Vicencio; second Tanya Krause; vote: Vicencio — aye; Krause — aye; Molina — aye. Outcome: approved (five hours counted).
