1. Continuing Education Requirements:
Thirty Clock Hours of continuing education are required for all
license renewals every two years from the date of licensure. Three
of the thirty hours must be in ETHICS.
*PCC-S & PC-S counselors holding the supervising counselor
designation must complete 6 hours of supervisory training per
renewal cycle.
*LISW-S holding the supervising designation must complete
3 hours of supervisory training per renewal cycle.
*LSW-Related Degree requirements for the first renewal
of a LSW license issued based on a degree in a field other than
Social Work. For the first renewal of a social worker licensed
with a related degree, document two social work courses, one each
in a social work theory course and social work methods. Keep a
COPY OF YOUR GRADE REPORT OR TRANSCRIPT to prove coursework was
taken in case of an audit.
Dual Licensure renewal applicants who hold two or more
licenses issued by this board may use one CEU toward renewal of
both licenses as long as the CEU was taken within the two year
renewal cycle of both licenses and approved for both licenses.
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2.
CEU attendance certificates:
Keep proof of your CEU’s for two years after each renewal. If
you are audited, you will be asked to show proof of your most
recent renewal. Approved providers are to provide program participants
with certificates of completion which contain the following information:
Attendance Certificates
1. Title, Date, CSWMFT Board approval number
2. Name of sponsoring agency/organization
3. Name of participant and number of clock hours earned
4. Signature of instructor or official representative
5. List hours of ethics, distance learning, or supervision included
in the program (if any)
6. A blank space for the participant’s license number
If your attendance certificate is missing any of the required
items, contact the provider or individual program and request
another certificate. Licensees are not allowed to fill in or write
in any information other than their license number.
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3.
Clock Hours, Distance Learning & Video Conferencing:
Clock Hours: A clock hour is sixty minutes spent in a program.
For example: CEU, CPE, BRCH, or PEU hours are equivalent to clock
hours. Refreshment breaks, meals and other social gatherings cannot
be counted within a clock hour. You are required to have 30 continuing
education hours to renew your license.
Distance Learning rule 4757-9-06 paragraph(A)(11): “Distance
Learning means a formal education process, in which instruction
occurs when the students and instructor(s) are not located in
the same place.” Distance learning refers to all non traditional
methods of presentation except video conferencing.
Counselors
can complete only half of their 30 CEUs through distance learning.
(15 hours)
Social
Workers and
MFTs may complete all of their 30 CEUs thru distance
learning as defined in paragraph (A)(11) of rule 4757-9-06.
This change went into effect on July 3, 2010 with a change to
rule 4757-9-04.
Social
Workers only:
Any CEU approved through NASW or ASWB ACE program
is acceptable for renewal of a social work license without Board
approval. This change went into effect on April 1, 2011 with a
change to rule 4757-9-05.
Video
Conferencing: Video conferencing allows two or more locations
to sit in a virtual conference room and communicate as if they
were sitting right next to each other. Video conferencing is not
considered distance learning.
Any
web based seminar, presentation, lecture or workshop transmitted
over the internet with LIVE full participation between
audience and presenter, would count as LIVE hours not as
distance learning.
Webinar:
is a presentation, lecture, workshop or seminar that is transmitted
over the internet. Webinars that are LIVE and offer full
participation between audience and the presenter would count as
LIVE hours not as distance learning.
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4. College Coursework:
One quarter credit hour equals ten clock hours.
One semester credit hour equals fifteen clock hours.
The board may grant continuing education credit for appropriate
college courses that are documented by passing grades of "C-"
or above on undergraduate courses and "B-" or above for graduate
courses from accredited educational institutions.
The Board will accept coursework taken from online, traditional
colleges or universities that are recognized by the US Secretary
of Education or the Council for Higher Education.
(1) Appropriate college courses are those that are at the
level of the license for which CEUs are sought. Graduate level licensees
shall generally be approved for graduate level courses directly
related to their license type.
Bachelor level licensees shall generally be approved for
bachelor or graduate level courses directly related to their license
type.
Associate level registrants shall generally be approved for
associate, bachelor or graduate level courses directly related to
their registration type.
College courses taken at a lower level than qualifying degree may
be submitted for post program approval per paragraph (C) of rule
4757-9-05 of the Administrative Code; applicants shall delineate
how that course work is relevant to their practice.
(2) Appropriate courses are ones not previously taken unless
updated due to passage of five years or more.
Graduate level coursework completed within your two year
renewal period will also cover your ethics requirement.
Audited courses: Completion of non-credit and audited courses
shall be verified by certificates of completion with hours of attendance
documented or by signed statements from the instructors.
Teaching /Instructor/Presenter: The board shall grant a maximum
of ten hours of continuing education credit to individuals, who
conduct presentations on subjects related to counseling, social
work, or marriage and family therapy which meet the following requirements:
Credit shall be granted for first time preparation and presentation
of an in-service training workshop.
Credit shall be granted for a seminar or a conference presentation,
which is related to the enhancement of counseling, social work,
or marriage and family therapy practice, values, skills, and/or
knowledge.
If you teach a class in a subject directly related to your field,
you may receive approval by completing a post program approval form.
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5. Published Articles or Books:
Journal articles or books on subjects related to: Counseling,
Social Work or Marriage & Family Therapy shall meet the following
requirements:
1. Journal articles shall be published in refereed journals for
a maximum of ten CE hours.
2. Chapters authored by licensees in books…will be treated as
journal articles.
3. Reprints or republications of published materials… are not
acceptable.
4. You must submit a post program approval to count these hours,
see item 8 on this page.
Single authored books:
Single authored books can be granted up to thirty clock hours.
Multiple authors will each be granted an equal number of clock
hours.
Reading a book for CEU credit:
The CSWMFT Board would have no way of knowing if a licensee actually
read the book (i.e. no exam or report); therefore reading books
cannot be used for CEUs.
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6. Independent Learning:
The board may grant continuing education credit to individuals
wishing to explore and develop independent learning opportunities
which are related to counseling, social work, or marriage and
family therapy and which meet the following requirements:
1. All independent options shall be pre-approved by the board.
In order to receive approval, individuals shall submit an approval
form to the board at least sixty days prior to beginning the study.
2. The approval form shall be accompanied by the actual study
materials, a statement of the goals and objectives of the study,
an overview of the study methodology, and copies of the evaluation
tool that will be used at the completion of the study.
Here is a link to the form for
Independent Learning CEs.
7. Peer Supervision CEUs for PCC-S
Peer Supervision is available for supervision C.E.U.s for supervising
counselors. Supervising Counselors can receive three supervision
continuing education credit hours by obtaining a minimum of six
hours of peer supervision with other licensed mental health professionals.
Peer supervision shall address one or more core supervision content
requirements. Documentation shall contain participants' names,
topics discussed and dates met, per paragraph (F)(2) of rule 4757-17-01
of the Administrative Code.
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8. Post Program Approval
Licensees can receive postprogram approval for the below types of
CEUs that are have not received prior approval by the Board.
1. Out of state programs
2. Online
3. Home study courses
4. College coursework taken in a related discipline, other
than that of your license. Coursework taken within the department
of your license is automatically approved.
5. Publications, Articles, Books and Teaching
CEUs taken within the State of Ohio must be Pre-Approved by the
CSWMFT Board and are not eligible for post program approval.
An exception to this rule: Marriage & Family Therapist are allowed
post program approval for programs, coursework in related disciplines
as well as programs approved for counselors and social workers.
This is due a limited amount of approved programs for MFT’s.
Post Program approval forms are to be submitted within ninety (90)
days of attending a program. To obtain post-program approval, the
licensee shall provide the following: ref: 4757-9-05
1. Documentation that the program presenter(s) met the requirements
of paragraph (A)(2)(a) of this rule;
2. A copy of the program brochure and other documentation, if necessary,
demonstrate that the program met the requirements of paragraphs
(A)(2)(b) to (A)(2)(f) of this rule;
3. A certificate of completion, transcripts, grade card, or signed
statement from the presenter to demonstrate the licensee’s attendance
at the program or course.
Expect three weeks for your post program approval form to be evaluated.
You will then be sent an approval letter telling you how many CEU’s
you may count towards your renewal.
Do not renew your license until you have completed all CEU’s and
have gotten your notice of action letting you know how many CEUs
you may count towards your renewal.
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9. Sources of Continuing Education
C.E. Programs:
Programs are approved by the Board for one year. The Board’s list
of approved Programs does not show when and where the individual
CEU courses will be held. You will have to contact the Program’s
contact person to receive more information. As of this printing
the Board list 81 pages of approved programs. Each page contains
8 columns beginning left to right with:
1. Sponsor: the organization responsible for the program
2. Contact person: the person you call for information on
the program
3. Phone number:
4. Program: the program’s title
5. Dates: the month and year the program has Board approval
6. City: the city where the program will be held
7. Approval Code: will begin with an M showing that
this is a program, it will also include a letter that will represent
approval for your license type: C for counselors, S
for social workers and T for Marriage & Family Therapist.*
8. Hours: the hours the Board has approved
*Be sure to look at the program’s approval code to know that
the course is approved for your license type.
Program Listing
C.E. Providers:
Providers are agencies with 2 year blanket approval. The Board’s
list of approved Providers does not show when and where the individual
CEU courses will be held. You will have to contact the Provider
to receive more information. As of this printing the Board lists
20 pages of providers. Each page contains 6 columns beginning, left
to right with:
1. Name of the Provider: the organization responsible for
the program
2. City: one of the cities where the program will be offered
3. Phone:
4. Contact Person: the person you call for information on
the program
5. Provider approval code: Will begin with an R showing
that this is a provider, it will also include a letter that will
represent approval for your license type: C for counselors,
S for social workers and T for Marriage & Family Therapist.*
6. Renewal date: Expiration date of the provider's programs
*Be sure to look at the provider approval code to know that the
provider offers courses that have been approved for your license.
Provider Listing
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10. The Continuing Education Audit Process
The
Audit Process
Banking hours will allow a licensee who has completed more than
their 30 required hours to bank up to 12 hours of those extra
hours for the next renewal period.
If
you choose to take advantage of banking hours and you’re
audited, you will need to show 60 hours of CEUs for the last two
renewal periods; this is to prove you didn’t use the banked
CEU hours for the renewal period prior to the most recent.
The
CSWMFT Board conducts its random audit of 20% of all licenses that
have recently renewed. An audit is conducted four times a year,
a percentage of each license discipline makes up the 20% pulled.
You may be audited every time you renew or you may never be audited;
which is the definition of random. The audit may go to 50% or higher
due to the high failure rates of the past few years.
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