Tag Archives: Maryland

Maryland Occupational Therapists Continuing Education and License Renewals

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Maryland-licensed occupational therapists have an annual license renewal with a June 30th deadline. Continuing education is due by December 31st. Twelve (12) continuing education hours are required to renew a license, and there is no limit on home study if AOTA approved. Eight (8) hours must relate to occupational therapy principles and procedures, and four (4) hours are allowed from occupational therapy role related activities.

Professional Development Resources is an American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) approved provider of continuing education (#3159). The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA.

Requirements for Continuing Education

Occupational therapists licensed in the state of Maryland have an annual license renewal with a deadline of June 30th. Continuing education is due by December 31st. Twelve (12) continuing education hours are required for license renewal, and there is no limit on home study if AOTA approved. Eight (8) hours must relate to occupational therapy principles and procedures, and four (4) hours are allowed from occupational therapy role related activities.

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Renewal Information for Maryland Psychologists

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Maryland Psychologists may earn up to 20 CE hours online!

Click to view APA-approved online CE!

Continuing Education:

Maryland-licensed psychologists are required to complete a minimum of 40 continuing education (CE) hours during each reporting period to renew their license.

A maximum of 20 CE hours are allowed from independent study courses that are approved by the American Psychological Association.

[Professional Development Resources is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Professional Development Resources maintains responsibility for all programs and content. Over 100 online (independent study) courses are available at www.pdresources.org, including courses on ethics, risk management and cultural diversity]

A minimum of 3 CE hours must be in activities whose content area is:

  • Laws pertaining to the practice of psychology;
  • Ethics and professional conduct in the practice of psychology; or
  • Managing risks associated with the practice of psychology; and

A minimum of 3 CE hours must be in activities designed to enhance competence in the provision of psychological services to culturally diverse populations.

During each reporting period, CE hours may be earned only once for the same activity.

Reporting Period:

The reporting period for psychologists with license numbers ending with an odd digit will be March 31 of odd years; and for those ending with an even digit or 0 will be March 31 of even years.

For psychologists receiving their license with less than 12 months before the end of their reporting period, CE hours are not required for that reporting period.

Psychologists receiving their license with 12 months or more before the end of their reporting period shall be required to complete 20 CE hours.

CE Audits:

The Board shall audit the continuing education documentation of all psychologists randomly selected by license numbers.

Within 30 days following notification by the Board, a psychologist who is audited shall provide:

  • Proof of completion of continuing education activities;
  • A completed continuing education reporting form; and
  • Any additional information that may be requested by the Board to evaluate completion of CE requirements.

Proof of completion as required of this regulation may include:

  • Certificates of attendance;
  • Transcripts or course syllabi;
  • Reprints of publications;
  • Test results; or
  • Any other proof of completion acceptable to the Board.

To earn CE credits for independent study, a psychologist shall:

  • Pass an examination on the activity; and
  • Be awarded a certificate of completion.

The Maryland Board of Examiners of Psychologists: http://www.dhmh.state.md.us/psych/

The Board of Examiners of Psychologists is a group of seven licensed psychologists and two consumer members appointed by the Governor to administer and regulate the laws regarding the practice of psychology in Maryland. The Board’s mission is to ensure that consumers in Maryland receive quality psychological services in accordance with the laws in Maryland. The Board has been in existence since July 1, 1981. The original Psychologist’s Certification Act was enacted into law in Maryland on July 1, 1957 by the General Assembly. The Board functions include licensing psychologists, approving psychology associates, renewing licenses, reviewing continuing education, promulgating regulations, interpreting the scope of practice, educating licensees, and investigating complaints.

Renewal Information for Maryland OTs

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Maryland OTs can earn all 12 hours for license renewal online!

Click to view AOTA-approved online CEUs!

All active and inactive licenses expire on June 30, 2012. The next renewal period will begin approximately in April 2012. Instructions will be mailed in March, 2012. In order to be eligible for licensure renewal in 2012, you must have earned 12 contact hours between January 1 and December 31, 2011. The 12 contact hours shall consist of a minimum of 8 contact hours related to occupational therapy principles and procedures and a maximum of 4 contact hours through occupational therapy role-related activities. Those individuals who were originally licensed after July 1, 2011 do not need any hours for the 2012 renewal.

All AOTA courses, as well as courses offered by AOTA Approved Providers, are granted pre-approval by the Maryland Board of Occupational Therapy Practice. Participants will need only to retain a copy of the certificate of completion as documentation verifying completion of approved contact hours.

Professional Development Resources is an AOTA approved provider of continuing education (#3159). The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA. Over 100 online and home study courses, focusing mainly on the mental health aspects of practice, are available for Maryland-licensed Occupational Therapists.

Maryland Board of Occupational Therapy Practice: http://dhmh.maryland.gov/botp/

The Board was formed in 1979 to regulate the practice of occupational therapy in the State of Maryland. The main goal is to protect the Maryland public through the licensure and regulation of occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants. The Board reviews the credentials of all applicants and strives to ensure that only qualified individuals are permitted to practice occupational therapy in Maryland. The Board is a place where the public can call with inquiries about licensed individuals. Also, consumers can file a complaint against practitioners they feel may be in possible violation of the law. Please contact the board at 410-402-8560 for more information.

Renewal Information for Maryland Social Workers

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Maryland Social Workers can earn up to 20 hours through ASWB-approved online courses

Click to view ASWB-approved online courses

Maryland Social Workers are required to renew their licenses every 2 years, on October 31st. 40 hours of continuing education are required to renew. 20 hours must be earned in Category 1 (live courses), including 3 hours in professional ethics. The remaining 20 hours may be earned through online courses offered by ASWB-approved providers (Category 2).

Professional Development Resources is approved as a provider of continuing education for social workers by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB Provider #1046, ACE Program). Over 100 online and home study courses are available for Maryland Social Workers @ http://www.pdresources.org/Courses/Social-Work/AllCourses/CourseID/1/

Continuing Education Requirements for Maryland-Licensed Social Workers

The current continuing education requirement is 40 credit hours (30 for LSWA’s) of continuing education in programs and categories approved by the Board for each two-year period of licensure.

Category I credit can only be given by Board Authorized Sponsors. An organization can be a Board Authorized Sponsor by meeting the requirements for automatically authorized sponsorship. If an organization does not fall into the automatically authorized group, then they must complete an approval process through the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners. In addition, the Board recognizes and accepts the continuing education approval process conducted by the Association of Social Work Boards , the National Association of Social Workers and the Clinical Social Work Federation.

Home Study Programs

A licensee can earn up to 20 (15 for LSWA’s) Category II continuing education credit hours from home study programs. The home study program must be provided by a Board approved Category I sponsor or by an automatically eligible sponsor.

Ethics Requirement

Effective November 1, 2003 all licensed social workers are required to obtain three (3) Category I continuing education credit hours, every two years, in the content area focusing on ethics and professional conduct, including boundary issues. The program must be given by a Board Approved Sponsor.

The content area must be related to social work ethics and professional conduct which may include maintaining appropriate boundaries with clients and a review of the social work statute and Code of Ethics as it relates to conduct which is consistent with generally accepted professional standards. In addition, the content of the program may address issues related to avoiding dual relationships and the acceptance of gifts.

Since many mental health professionals require their licensees to take similar ethics programs, you may be receiving notices of programs offered by their national professional associations who are approved by the Board to provide Category I continuing education credit hours. It would be appropriate to participate in their programs.

Category I Activities

Live real-time transactions between teachers and learners (may include face to face and interactive technology).

Courses, seminars, workshops, symposiums, conferences, staff development, case conferences, grand rounds and attendance or presentation of programs offered at professional or scientific meetings

  • At least 20 (15 for LSWA’s) of the required credit hours must be earned in this category.
  • All 40 (30 for LSWA’s) credit hours may be earned in this category.
  • At least 3 credit hours must be earned in ethics and professional conduct, including boundary issues.

Documentation

An official transcript for academic courses; or a certificate of participation, which is signed and dated by the approved sponsor indicating credit hours earned.

Category II Activities

Programs which are less structured or are not Board-authorized. Workshops, conferences, in-service trainings, structured peer-case conferences, journal clubs, preparation and presentation of a scientific or professional paper at a meeting of a professional or scientific organization; authoring, editing or reviewing a professional publication; preparing and presenting Category I activities. Audio-visual instructional programs and home-study courses provided by a Board approved Category I sponsor.

  • Twenty (20) (15 for LSWA’s) of the required 40 credit hours may be earned in this category.

Documentation

A certificate of participation, if available; or if a certificate of participation is not available: the dates when the program was presented; the name(s) of the presenter(s); topics presented; and an outline of the presentation (this could be from your notes). Post-test passing score for audio-visual and home study programs or a certificate of participation if available. Proof of presentation made, reprints of publications, letters from educational institutions when credit is claimed for the instruction of students; dates, times and names of participants in structured peer-case conferences and journal club activities.

Other Items

No credit can be earned for activities related to consultation or the provision of and participation in planned supervisory activities as a supervisor or supervisee.

Social workers shall retain records documenting completion of continuing education requirements for 1 year after the licensing renewal date. The Board conducts a random audit of licenses renewed each year.

Attention !!!

Personal growth courses (e.g. yoga, qi gong, meditation) intended for lay audiences will not be approved for social workers for CEUs. For approval, the audience must be all professionals, the topic theory-based and supported by research, and the technique’s application to social work clients must be shown. The CEU Criteria are listed in a pdf

Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners: http://www.dhmh.md.gov/bswe/index.html

 

Maryland Social Workers Can Now Earn up to 20 Hours of CE from Home Study!

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The Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners revised their rules and regulations regarding continuing education (CE) this year. Maryland-licensed Social Workers are now allowed to earn up to 20 hours of CE via online and home study coursework under Category II credit (previously limited to 10 hours per 2-year renewal period).

Maryland-licensed Social Workers are required to renew their licenses biennially on October 31st. 40 hours of continuing education are required each renewal to show an on-going commitment to life-long learning. 20 of the 40 required hours must come from Category 1 (live) courses, including 3 hours in ethics. The remaining 20 hours can now come from online and home study courses offered by approved-providers.

The Board recognizes and accepts the continuing education approval process conducted by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) and automatically accepts courses offered by ASWB-approved providers.

Professional Development Resources is approved as a provider of continuing education for social workers by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB Provider #1046, ACE Program) and offers over 150 continuing education courses in online and home study format for social workers throughout the United States.

Maryland Professional Counselors & MFTs Can Earn 10 Hours of CE Through Distance Learning

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Maryland licensed professional counselors and MFTs are required to earn 40 hours of continuing education every 2 years for their license renewal on December 31st. 30 of these required hours must be earned through Category A activities. Category A activities include the following: a course; workshop; seminar, or symposium. Author, editor, or review of a juried publication.).

Up to 10 hours may be earned through Category B activities. 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. NOTE: The board specifically states that “home study” courses are not allowed if they DO NOT require a posttest and DO NOT issue a certificate of completion.

The Maryland State Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists accepts courses offered by NBCC approved providers as pre-approved.

Professional Development Resources offers online and mail order continuing education courses which require successful completion of an online posttest and a program evaluation. Upon successful completion, a certificate of completion is immediately available for printing from the student’s online account.

Professional Development Resources is approved by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC) to offer home study continuing education for NCCs (Provider #5590). We adhere to NBCC guidelines.

Maryland licensed professional counselors and MFTs may earn up to 10 hours of Category B credits through courses offered by Professional Development Resources at: http://www.pdresources.org/Index.aspx