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PLA > Professions > Behavioral Health and Human Services Licensing Board > Continuing Education Requirements Continuing Education Requirements

Social Workers, Clinical Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists, Marriage and Family Therapy Associates, Mental Health Counselors, Mental Health Counselor Associates, Addiction Counselors, and Clinical Addiction Counselors licensed in the State of Indiana are required to obtain at least forty (40) hours of continuing education, with at least twenty (20) hours of Category I Continuing Education and two (2) hours of Category I Ethics Continuing Education, in order to renew their license. 

                                                      Continuing Education Frequently Asked Questions
  1. How many continuing education hours do I need to renew my license?
    1. 40 hours of continuing education credits are required for each renewal cycle or 20 CEUs per year.
  2. What is the renewal cycle?
    1. April 1st – March 31st of every even numbered year.   
  3. Are there any required courses I must take?
    1. Yes, every licensee is required to take at least 1 hour of ethics in Category I continuing education each year.
  4. How many hours of continuing education do I need if I have been licensed less than 24 months?
    1. You will need 20 hours in order to renew your license.
  5. How many hours of continuing education do I need if I have been licensed less than 12 months?
    1. You do not need any continuing education in order to renew your license.
  6. What are Category I CEUs and how many do I need per licensure cycle?
    1. Category I is defined as continuing education that is formal programming, which includes the following:

(1) Formally organized courses.

(2) Workshops.

(3) Seminars.

(4) Symposia.

(5) Institutes.

(6) Home study programs, including:

(A) computer;

(B) audio;

(C) video; and

(D) instructional programs, accredited by board-approved organizations.

(7) Courses that are relevant to the license holder’s professional skills, which are part of the curriculum of an accredited university, college, or educational institution, shall earn fifteen (15) CEUs for each academic semester hour completed, or ten (10) CEUs for each academic quarter hour completed.

(8) Faculty teaching a course for the first time at an accredited university, college, or educational institution shall earn one and one-half (1½) CEUs for every hour taught.

 

You are required to obtain a minimum of 20 Category I CEUs per renewal cycle.

 

  1. What are Category II CEUs and how many do I need per licensure cycle?
    1. Category II is defined as continuing education that is self-directed, which includes the following:

(1) Journal clubs, earns one (1) CEU for each hour attended.

(2) Office in-services, earns one (1) CEU for each hour attended.

(3) Case conferences that are specifically designed for training or teaching, earns one (1) CEU for each hour attended.

(4) Services as an instructor, presenter, or supervisor in a relevant professional seminar, workshop, or training conference earns one (1) CEU for each hour of service, but only for the initial instruction, presentation, or supervision given.

(5) Research and publication of research results in a recognized professional journal or book form, earns ten (10) CEUs, but may only be claimed for the initial publication of the information.

(6) Providing peer review of another licensee’s therapy and skills, which includes consultation, conference, and critique, earns one (1) CEU for each hour spent with the peer for this purpose.

(7) Services on boards and commissions and holding office in professional organizations, specifically related to the licensee’s profession, earns one (1) CEU for each hour of service

 

You are not required to earn any Category II hours however, if you do use Category II hours towards you CEU requirement then you may acquire no more than 20 Category II CEUs per renewal cycle.

 

  1. How do I document Category II hours?
    1. You can record your hours on a Word document or spreadsheet.  You should include the date of the activity, the type of activity, and the amount of time you spent conducting the activity.
  2. How many hours in Category II hours can I count?
    1. You can count up to 10 Category II hours per year and a maximum of 20 per renewal cycle.
  3. Can I take all of my CEUs in one year or do they have to be split evenly throughout the renewal period?
    1. You can take as many CEUs as you like as long as you take at least 20 CEUs per year, a minimum of 10 of those hours must be Category I.
  4. Can continuing education credits transfer from one renewal period to the next?
    1. No. Credits can only be counted for the period in which they are taken.
  5. Do copies of my completed continuing education certificates need to be sent to the licensure board when I renew my license?
    1. No. Certificates are for your records and will only need to be submitted if you are audited.  However, it is required that licensees maintain copies of their CEU records for a period of four years in the event they are audited by the Board.
  6. What do I do if I am audited?
    1. Once you receive your audit letter you will need to either fax or mail in copies of continuing education certificates to the Board by the deadline stated on the letter.
  7. What happens if I didn’t receive the necessary CEUs during a licensure cycle or can’t produce the necessary documents during an audit?
    1. You will be required to make up the continuing education hours you are short and you will have to pay a fine.  The Board has adopted the proposed schedule as a general guideline for continuing education violations:

1 – 2 hours                      $100

3 – 5 hours                      $200

6 – 10 hours                    $350

11 – 15 hours                  $500

16 – 20 hours                  $750

21 – 40 hours                  $1000