Linda Mitchell created ANY23-470:
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Summary: Continuing Education for Counselors - Benefits of Online
CEUs
Key: ANY23-470
URL: https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/ANY23-470
Project: Apache Any23
Issue Type: Bug
Reporter: Linda Mitchell
Continuing education for counselors (LPC, LPCC, LCP, and MHC) not only enriches
the licensed counselor's practice but also satisfies individual state
requirements for counselor CEUs for license renewals. These requirements are
not only intended to keep the counselor up with the latest trends in the field
but to update them on the latest risks and treatment options regardless of when
they first began to practice or their field of expertise.
The focus of licensed counselors can vary greatly from one practice to another.
For example: a licensed counselor in a school situation faces many different
issues with at risk clients than that of a LPC whose practice focuses mainly
upon the challenges of the aging population. Continuing education courses can
reflect the different challenges faced by professionals in their areas of
practice and the situations they and their clients face.
Whether or not there are formal counselor CE requirements depends upon the
state issuing the license; however, many individuals who work in a government
or a state agency may have CE requirements set by their individual agency. For
example: state agencies may require a specific number of CEUs for counselors
practicing under their auspices. Even if there are no continuing education
requirements in place, the challenges of a counselor's client population and
the techniques for approaching these challenges are constantly changing. It
takes more than just the occasional periodical to keep up with these changes.
Online continuing education for counselors can assist the extremely busy
professional counselor in keeping current with these changes and the needs of
their target population while allowing them to leverage their available time in
a more efficient fashion.
The minimum continuing education requirements in most states is from 20 to 40
hours depending upon the US state. Some states will also have additional
requirements that set a specific number of hours in a course requirement such
as ethics or risk assessment. Renewal of the license will usually involve
providing proof of completion in the applicable areas. License cycles for
counselors run from one to four years in length, again, depending on the state.
Satisfying Continuing Education for Counselors Requirements for License Renewal
Depending upon the individual state the continuing education requirements can
vary. Many states will permit a combination of educational experiences to count
toward the renewal of their counselor CEUs. A LPC working on a doctorate or
whose has papers published may also apply this experience to credit against
their license renewal requirements. Traditional classroom courses may also be
applied toward the State's CE requirements.
Perhaps one of the most innovative changes in continuing education for
counselors is that of allowing credit for online courses. Many professional
counselors are in private practice and the demands on their time are
relentless. Most find that keeping up a personal life as well as a practice can
be challenging and the requirements for CEUs may be simply one more thing on an
already too full schedule. However, with online courses from a state board
approved educational organization the burden of CE is notably less onerous,
since courses and study takes place on their schedule. Selecting a continuing
education class need not be a matter of taking what is available regardless of
the content or its applicability to their practice.
Methods and challenges are constantly changing and the focus of the LPC must
change with it. Additionally, changes in individual state [tpm
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laws require the licensed counselor be aware of their legal obligations as
well as the ethics of sometimes entirely new situations. There are rarely grey
areas in the laws that apply to the professional counselor and their
responsibilities in reporting, and it is imperative they keep up with changes
in the laws and current requirements. Continuing education for counselors in
ethics and legalities is almost a professional necessity regardless of whether
the state requires them for license renewal.
It is entirely possible to combine online counselor CEUs with offline seminars
and other educational experiences to satisfy a state's requirements for renewal
of the counselor's license. This can be particularly useful when the
professional's state or employer's requirements include courses not available
locally. In the real world very few professionals can take off on someone
else's schedule to attend coursework in another city or across the state.
Choosing Continuing Education for Counselors Courses
Counselors choosing continuing education courses or CEUs to meet state
requirements may have to choose specific course work according to their state
requirements but in many cases, the professional will have the freedom to
either explore new areas applicable to their current practice or investigate
related areas. Rather than a chore required by a state; continuing education
for counselors can permit them to expand their areas of expertise and bring new
approaches into their practices.
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