Rhode Island licensed Mental Health Counselors and Marriage & Family Therapists have an upcoming license renewal deadline of July 1, 2010. Every clinical mental health counselor and marriage and family therapist who desires to continue licensure shall attest to the Department that the licensee has completed a prescribed course of continuing education in accordance with the requirements of the Board.
The application for license renewal shall include satisfactory evidence of completion of forty (40) credits of continuing education relevant to the practice of clinical mental health counseling or marriage and family therapy practice, completed over the two (2) year period preceding relicensure. A minimum of twenty (20) of the forty (40) credits of continuing education shall be completed within Category 1, Formal Programs. Continuing education programs sponsored or approved by the following organizations are deemed to be approved by the Board: American Counseling Association (ACA), American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA), National Board for Certified Counselors, Inc. (NBCC), American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT), Rhode Island Mental Health Counselors Association (RIMHCA), Rhode Island Counseling Association (RICA), Rhode Island Marriage and Family Therapist Association (RIMFTA), National Association of Social Workers (NASW), American Psychological Association (APA), American Medical Association (AMA) or such other nationally-recognized organizations, as approved by the Board.
The Board recognizes the following categories of continuing education programs and/or activities and established credit hours:
Category I: Formal continuing education program that may consist of graduate or post-graduate courses, workshops, and/or institutes, including web-based offerings.
Credit: 1 credit per hour; minimum 20 credits per two (2) year cycle.
Category II: Exceptional contributions to professional development that may consist of: a written publication in a peer-reviewed journal, teaching a relevant, semester-long course in an accredited institution, serving as an elected officer on national or international organizations (e.g., ACA, NBCC, AAMFT). Participation by duly appointed members of the Board in regular Board meetings and investigating committee meetings shall be considered acceptable on an hours served basis for Category II credit.
Credit: 10 credits for each publication or formal lecture; 20 credits for national or international contribution.
Licensure information obtained from the Rhode Island Board of Mental Health Counselors and Marriage & Family Therapists website (http://www.health.ri.gov/hsr/professions/mf_counsel.php) on June 15, 2010.
Professional Development Resources, Inc. (https://www.pdresources.org/index.aspx) is a nationally accredited provider of online and mail order home study continuing education courses for Professional Counselors and MFTs. Professional Development Resources is approved as a provider of continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB Provider #1046, ACE Program); by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC Provider #5590); by the American Psychological Association (APA); and by the National Association of Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC, Provider #000279). Over 150 accredited courses are available @ www.pdresources.org