Year after year, there are always several licensees that have questions on their continuing education obligations. Deciphering what is required can be a daunting task at times.
The expectations of each state will vary and can change at any time. Each licensee must keep themselves educated on their state's latest CE requirements. Every state posts the up-to-date version of their rules and regulations on their website. This is a good source to check during each renewal cycle to see if there have been any changes.
The MFT continuing education requirements for each state can be met from a number of online providers. These online providers may not be approved in all states for MFTs. Verify that the provider to be used has the appropriate approval to offer MFT continuing education courses in your state. The approvals received and provider numbers issued should be displayed on the online provider's website.
Here are some suggestions on ways to keep yourself informed regarding your CE requirements:
--Document your state board's phone number, website address, mailing address, fax number, etc.
--Ask to be added to your state board's mailing list for any newsletters or other communication methods of updates.
--Identify a CE provider that gives access to the various state board's websites via links. The same provider might have links to the websites of the national boards from which they have been approved as well. The CEU provider should have a page dedicated to these links. Unfortunately, not all providers have this information. The ones that do are providing a valuable resource.
--Begin the process early. Start months before your license expires. This will provide enough cushion to conclude your CE according to the most recent regulations provided by your board. You can also use the extra time to select courses that will challenge you beyond your current abilities, and not just settle for courses you are already comfortable with. There is no reason to put yourself into panic mode because you waited to long to get started. Think and plan ahead.