Maryland Department of Health Continuing Education and License/Certification Renewal

4201 Patterson Avenue

Baltimore, MD 21215

410-764-4732 - Main Number

410-764-4740 - Licensure Coordinator

410-358-1610 - FAX

www.dhmh.state.md.us/bopc/

Continuing Education and License/Certification Renewal

Purpose

The Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists has established regulations for continuing education. When a counselor or therapist applies for the renewal of a license or certificate, that licensee or certificate holder shall be required to certify to the Board the completion of continuing education activities in counseling therapy theory and practice and to provide documentation to that effect upon the Board’s request.

Scope

The objectives of continuing education are:

1.	Maintenance of professional competency in counseling and therapy;
2.	Improvement of professional skills and knowledge in counseling and therapy;
3.	Preparation for new roles or responsibilities in the practice of counseling or therapy;
4.	Expansion of the science of counseling and therapy theory, method, or practice;
5.	Assurance of completion of continuing education requirements before license and certification renewal;


LICENSE RENEWAL

Continuing Education Requirements

A.	Definitions

B. Continuing Education required.
1. Forty hours are required. At least 30 hours must be in “Category A” activities. Not more than 10 hours maybe in “Category B activities.” 2. “Category A” activities include the following: a course; workshop; seminar, or symposium. Author, editor, or review of a juried publication. 3. “Category B” activities include attending or presenting informal courses, in-house colloquia, invited speaker sessions, in-house seminars, and case conferences which are specifically designed for training, teaching; individualized learning, such as receiving formal professional supervision (except administrative supervision), participating in distance learning programs with evidence of appropriateness, minimum mastery of materials and completion. 4. The following are excluded from continuing education credit: Business Meetings, professional committee meetings, and meetings concerned with the management of a professional practice. Presentations and publications intended for a lay audience and Home Study.
C. WHAT HAPPENS IF A LICENSEE DOES NOT COMPLETE CE IN TIME FOR RENEWAL? If the licensee or certificate holder does not complete the required number of CE hours by the license expiration date, the licensee or certificate holder will not be able to renew the license. The license will expire and will remain expired until the licensee or certificate holder completes the hours. It is illegal to practice in Maryland with an expired license. The licensee or certificate holder will need to complete the CE hours before the board will renew the license. D. IS THERE A WAY TO RETAIN A LICENSE WITHOUT HAVING TO COMPLETE THE CE REQUIREMENTS FOR RENEWAL? Yes, the licensee or certificate holder may request “inactive status.” The licensee or certificate holder cannot practice in Maryland while the license is inactive. The licensee or certificate holder can reactivate an inactive by showing evidence of completing CE hours and paying the required fees. E. WHO ARE BOARD APPROVED SPONSORS? Programs sponsored by the American Counseling Association, the National Board for Certified Counselors, the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, the National Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors, the International Certification & Reciprocity Consortium/Alcohol & Other Drug Abuse, or their regional or state affiliates. Also, programs sponsored by accredited institutions of higher education and state department of health and mental hygiene.

Additional Information - Refer to COMAR 10.58.05 for complete regulation.

1.	“Continuing education unit (CEU)” means 60 minutes of activity approved by the Board to fulfill the continuing education requirements.
2.	“Activity” means any program, publication, course, institute, seminar, l lecture, conference, workshop, symposium, or professional meeting that meets the criteria and objectives of continuing education.

1.	Forty hours are required. At least 30 hours must be in “Category A” activities. Not more than 10 hours maybe in “Category B activities.”
2.	“Category A” activities include the following: a course; workshop; seminar, or symposium. Author, editor, or review of a juried publication.
3.	“Category B” activities include attending or presenting informal courses, in-house colloquia, invited speaker sessions, in-house seminars, and case conferences which are specifically designed for training, teaching; individualized learning, such as receiving formal professional supervision (except administrative supervision), participating in distance learning programs with evidence of appropriateness, minimum mastery of materials and completion.
4.	The following are excluded from continuing education credit: Business Meetings, professional committee meetings, and meetings concerned with the management of a professional practice. Presentations and publications intended for a lay audience and Home Study.