30 Miss. Code. R. 2201-6.2 - Continuing Education Requirements

A. General Guidelines

1. Continuing education shall be defined as continuing education hours (CEH). One CEH is equivalent to one (1) contact (clock) hour, which equals fifty to sixty minutes in a continuing education activity.

2. Accrual of continuing education begins after the date the license was issued or renewed.

3. CEH accrued beyond the required number of hours may not be applied toward the next renewal period. LPCs' renewal period runs from July 1 to June 30, every two (2) years. P- LPCs' renewal period runs from July 1 to June 30, every year.

B. Documentation

1. At the time of renewal, the Board will conduct a mandatory audit of 10 percent (10%) of the Licensees who will be randomly chosen. The audit is to ensure that the CEH requirement has been met. Audited licensees may be requested to submit additional documentation within thirty (30) calendar days of the date of receipt of the audit notice. The Board will review the records and respond to the licensees with a statement of compliance or non-compliance.

2. Each Licensee is responsible for keeping a personal record of attendance and completion of all continuing education hours. This documentation should be retained for two years from the end of the license renewal year. Do not forward documentation of CEH to the Board office unless requested. You may upload CEH documentation to the online portal as they are accrued.

3. If an audited Licensee fails to comply with the CEH requirements, the Licensee will have three (3) months to comply. Failure to comply within the three (3) month period will result in Suspension Status.

C. Continuing Education Criteria

1. CEH are meant to encourage personal and professional development throughout the Licensee's career. For this reason, a wide range of options are offered to accommodate the diversity of counselors' training, experience, and geographic locations.

2. A Licensee may obtain the CEH through one or more of the options listed below.

a. Continuing Education Pre-approved. Continuing Education approved by the following entities, and others, that meet standards similar to or exceeding those required by the Board:

i. American Counseling Association (ACA),

ii. American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA),

iii. Mississippi Counseling Association (MCA),

iv. Mississippi Licensed Professional Counseling Association (MLPCA) with approval from Mississippi Counseling Association (MCA),

v. American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT), and

vi. The National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC).

Licensees may contact any one of the above aforementioned associations or their divisions, regions, and state branches to find out which organizations, groups or individuals are approved providers.

Licensees may receive one CEH for each hour of direct participation in a structured educational format as a learner.

Credit cannot be granted for: business/governance meetings; breaks; or social activities including meal functions, except for actual time of a content speaker.

b. Continuing Education Not Pre-approved. For those organizations, groups or individuals that do not carry provider status by one of the above associations, the CEH will be subject to approval by the Board at the time of renewal. The Board will not pre-approve any type of CEH. The CEH must be given by a qualified presenter. A qualified presenter is considered to be someone at the master's level or above and trained in the mental health field or related services. One may receive one clock hour of CEH for each hour of direct participation in a structured educational format as a learner.

Credit cannot be granted for: business/governance meetings; breaks; or social activities including meal functions, except for actual time of a content speaker. Verification for workshops, seminars, or conventions should consist of copies of certificates of attendance, and other documentation, which clearly indicates learning objectives.

c. Coursework. CEH may also be gained by taking coursework from a regionally accredited institution in one of the 11 approved content areas for continuing education listed. One may take a course for credit or audit a course. In a college or university program, one quarter hour is equivalent to 10 clock hours and one semester hour is equivalent to 15 clock hours. One three-hour university course is equivalent to 45 CEH. Verification for coursework can consist of either a copy of transcripts for coursework taken for credit or a letter of attendance from an instructor for courses audited.

d. Home Study. The ACA Newsletter Counseling Today, the AMHCA Newsletter, The Advocate, video presentations and approved teleconferences are all approved home study options. Each option must carry a provider number from either NBCC, or other Board approved mental health organizations. Each activity will specify the number of CEH that will be granted upon completion. Verification consists of a certificate issued by NBCC, or certificates from other professional mental health organizations that will be reviewed by the Board.

e. Presentations. Presenters may get credit for original presentations at a rate of five clock hours per one-hour presentation. Presenters must meet the qualifications stated in Subparagraph 2.b above. The presentation must be to the professional community; not to the lay public or a classroom presentation. Verification of Licensee's presentation consists of obtaining a letter from the workshop/convention coordinator or a copy of the conference brochure or booklet stating the topic, date, and number of hours of presentation.

f. Publishing. Authors may receive five clock hours per article or chapter in a book. The article must be published in a professional peer-reviewed journal. Verification will consist of a reprint of the article/chapter or a copy of the article/chapter, cover of the book/journal and page listing the editor or publisher.

g. Counseling (10 hours maximum per renewal period). One may receive one clock hour of continuing education per counseling hour as a client. To qualify, one must be a client receiving services from a licensed mental health professional having qualifications equal to or exceeding those currently required of LPCs. Consultation and supervision hours do not qualify. Verification will consist of a letter from the counseling mental health professional verifying client therapy hours.

h. Research. Licensees may receive one clock hour of continuing education per hour of planning or conducting of, or participating in, counseling or counseling-related research, with a maximum of ten clock hours. To qualify, this activity must constitute an original and substantive educational experience for the learner. Verification will consist of a letter from the faculty member or researcher.

i. Organizational and Regulatory. Licensees may receive one clock hour of continuing education per hour of service to the Board or to a Board approved counseling service organization. To qualify, this activity must constitute an original and substantive educational experience for the learner. Verification will consist of a letter or certificate from the Board or from the Board approved counseling service organization.

3. Continuing Education credit will not be allowed for the following:

a. Regular work activities, administrative staff meetings, case staffing/reporting, etc.

b. Training specifically related to policies and procedures of an agency may not be counted.

c. Non-counseling content courses.

D. Types of Documentation Needed for Verification

1. Copy of certificate of attendance for workshops, seminars, or conventions.

2. Copy of transcript for coursework taken for credit/letter of attendance from instructor for courses audited.

3. Home study verification form or certificate issued by sponsoring organization.

4. Letter from workshop/convention coordinator or copy of workshop/convention brochure or booklet verifying presentations.

5. Copy of article, cover, and editorial board page for publications.

6. Letter from counseling mental health professional verifying number of hours in counseling as a client.

7. Letter from the faculty member or researcher verifying number of hours in research.

8. Letter or certificate from the Board, or from the Board approved counseling service organization, verifying number of hours of service.

Notes

30 Miss. Code. R. 2201-6.2

Miss Code Ann. §§ 73-30-7(6) (Rev. 2018) & 73-30-29 (Rev. 2015)

Amended 10/7/2017 Amended 1/10/2020 Amended 1/2/2023