Rules & Regulations of the State of Tennessee
Title 0450 - Counselors and Marital/Family Therapists
Chapter 0450-01 - General Rules Governing Professional Counselors
Section 0450-01-.12 - CONTINUING EDUCATION

Universal Citation: TN Comp Rules and Regs 0450-01-.12

Current through September 24, 2024

(1) Basic Requirements.

(a) Each person registered with the Board is required to complete twenty (20) clock hours of continuing education every two (2) calendar years.

(b) Those persons who hold two (2) certificates and/or licenses regulated by the Tennessee Board for Professional Counselors, Marital and Family Therapists and Clinical Pastoral Therapists shall complete thirty (30) clock hours of continuing education every two (2) calendar years. A person who holds three certificates and/or licenses shall complete forty (40) clock hours of continuing education every two (2) calendar years. In each case, at least ten (10) clock hours shall be directly related to the practice of each profession for which the person is licensed or certified.

(c) Ethics and Jurisprudence Course Requirement:
1. Three (3) clock hours of the twenty (20) clock hour biennial requirement shall, pertain to the following subjects:
(i) Professional ethics; and/or

(ii) Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 63, Chapter 22; and/or

(iii) Official Compilation, Rules and Regulations of the State of Tennessee, Chapter 0450-01.

2. Those persons who hold two (2) certificates and/or licenses regulated by the Tennessee Board for Professional Counselors, Marital and Family Therapists and Clinical Pastoral Therapists shall have three (3) clock hours of the thirty (30) clock hour biennial requirement pertain to ethics and jurisprudence.

3. Those persons who hold three (3) certificates and/or licenses shall have three (3) clock hours of the forty (40) clock hour biennial requirement pertain to ethics and jurisprudence.

(d) Suicide Prevention Training required under the "Kenneth and Madge Tullis, MD, Suicide Prevention Training Act."
1. Current Licensees - Beginning January 1, 2020, all persons who hold an active license or registration under this part must complete a Board approved training program of not less than two (2) hours relative to suicide prevention at least once every five (5) years.

2. New Licensees - An applicant applying for initial licensure on or after January 1, 2020 is not required to complete a training program on suicide prevention for two (2) years after the date of initial licensure if the applicant can demonstrate successful completion of a two (2) hour academic training program that meets criteria established by the Board and that was completed no more than two (2) years prior to the application for initial licensure.

3. Hours Earned - The continuing education hours earned through the training program under Part 1 and Part 2 of this subparagraph count toward meeting the continuing education requirements listed in subparagraph (1)(a) of this rule.

(e) Those persons supervising applicants for licensure under the provisions of 0450-01-.10 shall have three (3) clock hours of the twenty (20) clock hour biennial requirement pertain to counseling supervision or related supervision topics.

(f) A person is not required to complete continuing education for a profession in the calendar year that his or her license was initially approved.

(2) Acceptable Continuing Education - Acceptable continuing education shall consist of master or doctoral level course work from a nationally or regionally accredited institution of higher education; attendance at educational events sponsored or approved by national, state, regional, or local professional associations in the field; or events related to the practice of the profession for which a nationally or regionally accredited institution of higher education grants CEUs.

(3) Multi-Media - Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (2) and part (5)(b)3., continuing education courses may be presented in the traditional lecture and classroom formats or, with successful completion of a written post experience examination to evaluate material retention, in Multi-Media formats.

(a) Multi-Media courses may include courses utilizing:
1. The Internet

2. Closed circuit television

3. Satellite broadcasts

4. Correspondence courses

5. Videotapes

6. CD-ROM

7. DVD

8. Teleconferencing

9. Videoconferencing

10. Distance learning

(b) A maximum of ten (10) clock hours may be received for multi-media courses during the two (2) calendar year period. Those persons who hold two (2) certificates and/or licenses regulated by the Tennessee Board for Professional Counselors, Martial and Family Therapists and Clinical Pastoral Therapists may receive a maximum of fifteen (15) clock hours for multi-media courses during the two (2) calendar year period. Those persons who hold three (3) certificates and/or licenses may receive a maximum of twenty (20) clock hours for multi-media courses during the two (2) calendar year period

(4) Documentation

(a) Each person registered with the board must retain proof of attendance and completion of all continuing education requirements. This documentation must be retained for a period of four years from the end of the calendar year in which the continuing education was acquired. This documentation must be produced for inspection and verification, if requested in writing by the board during its verification process. The board will not maintain continuing education files.

(b) The board will conduct a randomly selected audit of individual records to assure that the continuing education requirements have been met. An individual's records may be audited during consecutive renewal periods.

(c) If audited, the individual must, within 15 working days of a request from the board, provide evidence of continuing education activities. Such evidence must be by submission of one or more of the following:
1. Certificates verifying the individual's attendance at the continuing education programs described above.

2. An individual submitting a program as evidence of attendance at a continuing education event will also be required to submit two or more of the following for each program submitted: registration receipt, signed program, cancelled check, hotel bill, name badge, or an original letter on official stationary signed by a professional associate who attended.

3. An original letter on official institution stationery from the instructor of the graduate level course verifying that the course was completed and listing the number of credit hours of attendance completed by the individual.

4. Official transcript verifying credit hours earned. One semester credit hour is equivalent to 10 clock hours for the purpose of certification renewal. Credit for auditing will be for the actual clock hours in attendance, not to exceed the academic credit.

(5) Continuing Education Course Approval - Courses to be offered for credit toward the continuing education requirement must, unless otherwise provided, receive prior approval from the Board. Unless otherwise provided, all courses shall be offered within Tennessee.

(a) Course approval procedures
1. Pre-approved course providers - Continuing education courses which pertain to the practice of counseling shall be considered approved if provided or sanctioned by the following entities:
(i) American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy;

(ii) American Association of Pastoral Counselors;

(iii) American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists;

(iv) American Counseling Association;

(v) American Psychiatric Association;

(vi) American Psychological Association;

(vii) National Association of Social Workers;

(viii) Any state professional association affiliated with the national associations listed in subparts (i) through (vii);

(ix) National Board for Certified Counselors;

(x) Nationally or regionally accredited institutions of higher education, including graduate courses and continuing education courses; and

(xi) Any state regulatory agency for professional counseling in the United States.

2. Course approval procedure for other course providers
(i) Unless pre-approved as provided in part (5)(a)1., the course provider must have delivered to the Board's Administrative Office at least thirty (30) days prior to a regularly scheduled meeting of the Board that precedes the course, documentation which includes all of the following items which must be resubmitted if substantive changes are made after receipt of approval from the Board:
(I) Course description or outline;

(II) Names of all lecturers;

(III) Brief resume of all lecturers;

(IV) Number of hours of educational credit requested;

(V) Date of course;

(VI) Copies of materials to be utilized in the course; and

(VII) How verification of attendance is to be documented.

(ii) Notwithstanding the provisions of the introductory language of this paragraph, any clinic, workshop, seminar or lecture at national, regional, state and local meetings of counselors will be recognized for continuing education credit by the Board if
(I) The course provider has complied with the provisions of subpart (5)(a)2.(i); or

(II) The course provider is exempt from needing prior approval as provided in part (5)(a)1.

(iii) Notwithstanding the provisions of subparagraph (3)(a), out-of-state continuing education providers may seek course approval if they are a professional counseling regulatory agency or association from a state that borders Tennessee; and
(I) The course provider has complied with the provisions of subpart (5)(a)2.(i); or

(II) The course provider is exempt from needing prior approval as provided in part (5)(a)1.

3. Course approval procedure for individual licensees and certificate holders
(i) Any licensee or certificate holder may seek approval to receive credit for successfully completing continuing education courses by delivering to the Board's Administrative Office at least thirty (30) days prior to a regularly scheduled meeting of the Board that precedes the course, everything required in items (5)(a)2.(i)(I) through (VII) which must be resubmitted if substantive changes are made after receipt of approval from the Board; and

(ii) To retain course approval, the licensee or certificate holder must submit a course evaluation form, supplied by the Board, to the Board's Administrative Office within thirty (30) days after successfully completing the course.

(b) Continuing education credit will not be allowed for the following:
1. Regular work activities, administrative staff meetings, case staffing/reporting, etc.

2. Membership in, holding office in, or participation on boards or committees, business meetings of professional organizations, or banquet speeches.

3. Independent unstructured or self-structured learning.

4. Training specifically related to policies and procedures of an agency may not be counted.

5. Non-counseling content courses - examples: finance or business management.

(6) Continuing Education for Reactivation of Certificate or License

(a) Reactivation of retired certificate or license
1. An individual whose certificate or licensure has been retired for one year or less will be required to fulfill continuing education requirements as outlined in this rule as a prerequisite to reinstatement. Those hours will be considered replacement hours and can not be counted during the next certification or licensure renewal period.

2. Any individual requesting reactivation of a certificate or license which has been retired must submit, along with the reactivation request, verification which indicates the attendance and completion of 10 hours of continuing education which must have been begun and successfully completed within 12 months immediately preceding the date of requested reinstatement. The continuing education hours completed to reinstate a retired certificate or license shall not be credited toward the continuing education hours required to be completed by the end of the calendar year following reinstatement.

3. The board, upon receipt of a written request and explanation, may waive or condition any or all of the continuing education for reactivation of a retired certificate or license in emergency situations.

(b) Reactivation of revoked licensure or certification - No person whose license or certificate has been revoked for failure to comply with continuing education may be reinstated without complying with these requirements. Continuing education will accumulate at the same rate as that for those licenses and certificate holders which are active. The required clock hours of continuing education must have been begun and successfully completed within twelve (12) months immediately preceding the date of reinstatement. A license or certificate which has been revoked for noncompliance with the continuing education requirement shall also be subject to the late renewal fee pursuant to rule 0450-01-.06.

(c) Reactivation of expired licensure - No person whose license or certificate has expired may be reinstated without submitting evidence of continuing education. The continuing education hours documented at the time of reinstatement must equal the hours required, had the license or certificate remained in an active status, and must have been successfully completed within twelve (12) months immediately preceding the date of reinstatement.

(d) Continuing education hours obtained as a prerequisite for reactivating a license or certificate may not be counted toward the calendar year requirement.

(7) Waiver or Extension of Continuing Education Requirements.

(a) The Board may grant a waiver of the need to attend and complete the required clock hours of continuing education or the Board may grant an extension of the deadline to complete the required clock hours of continuing education if it can be shown that compliance is beyond the physical or mental capabilities of the person seeking the waiver.

(b) Waivers or extension of the deadline will be considered only on an individual basis and may be requested by submitting the following items to the Board's Administrative Office prior to the expiration of the calendar year (December 31) in which the continuing education is due:
1. A written request for a waiver or deadline extension which specifies which requirements are sought to be waived or which deadline is sought to be extended, and a written and signed explanation of the reason for the request; and

2. Any documentation which supports the reason(s) for the waiver or deadline extension requested or which is subsequently requested by the Board.

(c) A waiver or deadline extension approved by the Board is effective only for the calendar year for which either is sought.

(8) Violations

(a) Any licensee or certificate holder who falsely certifies attendance and completion of the required hours of continuing education requirements, or who does not or can not adequately substantiate completed continuing education hours with the required documentation, may be subject to disciplinary action.

(b) Prior to the institution of any disciplinary proceedings, a letter shall be issued to the last known address of the individual stating the facts or conduct which warrant the intended action.

(c) The licensee or certificate holder has thirty (30) days from the date of notification to show compliance with all lawful requirements for the retention of the license or certificate.

(d) Any licensee or certificate holder who fails to show compliance with the required continuing education hours in response to the notice contemplated by subparagraph (b) above may be subject to disciplinary action.

(e) Continuing education hours obtained as a result of compliance with the terms of a Board Order in any disciplinary action shall not be credited toward the continuing education hours required to be obtained in any renewal period.

Authority: T.C.A. §§ 4-5-202, 4-5-204, 63-1-125, 63-22-102, 63-22-108, and 63-22-121.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Tennessee may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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