Section 839IAC1-6-3. Continuing education requirements

   (a) A renewal period is defined as the two (2) year period beginning with April 1 of even-numbered years. A licensure year is defined as April 1 through March 31 of the following year.

  (b) A licensee who renews a license as a social worker, clinical social worker, marriage and family therapist, marriage and family therapist associate, mental health counselor, mental health counselor associate, addiction counselor, or clinical addiction counselor shall complete not less than twenty (20) CEUs per year, in compliance with section 1(b) of this rule, for a total of forty (40) CEUs for the two (2) year renewal period.

  (c) A minimum of one (1) CEU of the required ten (10) Category I CEUs per year shall have a content area focusing on ethics and professional conduct, including boundary issues, from a Category I provider.

  (d) If a licensee holds more than one (1):

(1) social worker;

(2) clinical social worker;

(3) marriage and family therapist;

(4) marriage and family therapist associate;

(5) mental health counselor;

(6) mental health counselor associate;

(7) addiction counselor; or

(8) clinical addiction counselor;

license issued under IC 25-23.6, then CEUs obtained to meet the CEUs required for renewal of one (1) license may be applied towards the CEUs required for renewal of each license held.

  (e) CEUs shall:

(1) be obtained within the biennial renewal period in which the licensee is applying; and

(2) not be carried over from one (1) biennial renewal period to another.

  (f) A holder of a license issued under IC 25-23.6 must retain a record of the continuing education required by section 2(a) of this rule for four (4) years following the end of the biennial renewal period in which it was obtained.

  (g) Continuing education used to satisfy the continuing education requirements of another state, in which the licensee also holds a license to practice as a mental health professional, may be applied towards the CEUs required for renewal of a license issued under IC 25-23.6.

  (h) A holder of a license issued under IC 25-23.6 who has been licensed for less than two (2) full years before the first renewal date for that license shall meet the following continuing education requirements for the licensee's first renewal period:

(1) A licensee who has been licensed for at least twelve (12) months, but less than twenty-four (24) months, shall complete at least one-half (1/2) of the CEUs required for renewal of that license. At least fifty percent (50%) of these CEUs shall be obtained from Category I, and not more than fifty percent (50%) shall be obtained from Category II.

(2) A licensee who has been licensed for less than twelve (12) months shall be exempt from the CEUs required for renewal of that initial license.

(Behavioral Health and Human Services Licensing Board; 839 IAC 1-6-3; filed Dec 29, 1998, 10:57 a.m.: 22 IR 1514; readopted filed Dec 2, 2001, 12:30 p.m.: 25 IR 1316; filed Jun 1, 2006, 9:45 a.m.: 29 IR 3375; filed Jun 29, 2011, 9:12 a.m.: 20110727-IR-839090811FRA; filed Aug 1, 2012, 11:01 a.m.: 20120829-IR-839110676FRA)