Current through Register Vol. 24-18, September 15, 2024
Certified sex offender treatment providers must complete 40
hours of continuing education every two years as required in chapter 246-12
WAC.
(1) Purpose and scope. The aim of
continuing education for sex offender treatment providers is to ensure that
professionals practicing in this specialty field are knowledgeable of current
scientific and practice principles that affect the supervision and treatment of
sex offenders in community-based treatment. Since the treatment of sex
offenders in communities raises significant public safety concerns, continuing
education is required to help sex offender treatment providers deliver the
highest quality of professional service by being familiar with current
developments in a rapidly changing profession. Certified sex offender treatment
providers, regardless of certification status (e.g., full, affiliate, or
provisional), shall meet the continuing education requirements set forth in
this section as a prerequisite to license renewal.
(2) Specific requirements.
(a) A minimum of 30 hours of the CE shall be
earned through attendance at courses, workshops, institutes, or formal
conference presentations with direct, specific relevance to the assessment and
treatment of sex offenders.
(i) Consultative
or supervisory training obtained from other certified sex offender treatment
providers is not creditable under this CE definition.
(ii) Independent study of audio or video
tapes of seminar presentations not actually attended are creditable under this
definition, up to a maximum of 10 hours in any two-year period. Credit for
independent study will only be granted if accompanied by documentation of the
learning activity, such as a written summary of the independent study
activity.
(iii) CE credit for
assessment and treatment of sex offender training courses presented to other
professionals may be claimed by the certified provider who provides the
training one time only (usually the first time it is taught, unless there is
substantial revision), up to a maximum of 10 hours in any two-year
period.
(iv) Courses specifically
oriented toward assessment or treatment of sex offenders may be claimed as CE.
The following are examples of subjects that qualify under this definition:
(A) Ethics and professional
standards;
(B) Relapse prevention
with sex offenders;
(C)
Plethysmographic assessment;
(D)
Sexual arousal assessment and reconditioning;
(E) Risk assessment with sex
offenders;
(F)
Psychopharmacological therapy with sex offenders;
(G) Family therapy with sex
offenders;
(H) Research concerning
sexual deviancy;
(I) Sexual
addiction; and
(J) Therapy/clinical
methods specific to sex offenders.
(b) In addition to the 30 hours of CE with
direct, specific relevance to the assessment and treatment of sex offenders, 10
hours of the total requirement may be earned through participation in training
courses with indirect relevance to the assessment and treatment of sex
offenders. The following subjects qualify under this definition:
(i) Victimology/victim therapy;
(ii) General counseling methods;
(iii) Psychological test
interpretation;
(iv)
Addiction/substance abuse;
(v)
Family therapy;
(vi) Group
therapy;
(vii) Legal issues;
and
(viii) Health equity training
under (c) of this subsection.
(c) Beginning January 1, 2024, individuals
certified under this chapter are required to complete at least two hours of
health equity training every four-year renewal cycle. The training must meet
the minimum standards under
RCW
43.70.613 and comply with course requirements
in WAC 246-12-800 through
246-12-830. Sex offender
treatment providers who complete health equity training for their underlying
credential are not required to take a separate training for their sex offender
treatment provider credential during the same four-year
period.
(3) Program or
course approval. The department shall accept any CE that reasonably falls
within the above categories and requirements. The department relies upon each
individual provider's integrity with the intent and spirit of the CE
requirements.
(4) CE requirement
for newly certified providers. The prorated CE requirements in this subsection
apply only to the first renewal following certification. If proof of CE is not
required at the first renewal (dependent on birthdate), the prorated amount
shall be added to the full 20 hour annual requirement for the second year
following certification.
(a) Providers who are
newly certified within six months of their renewal date shall not be required
to submit proof of continuing education for the preceding 12-month
period.
(b) Providers who are newly
certified from six to nine months prior to the renewal date shall be required
to submit proof of 10 hours of the annual CE requirement for the preceding
12-month period.
(c) Providers who
are newly certified from nine to 12 months prior to the renewal date shall be
required to submit proof of the full 20 hour annual CE requirement at the
renewal date.
Statutory Authority:
RCW
43.70.280. 98-05-060, § 246-930-410,
filed 2/13/98, effective 3/16/98. Statutory Authority:
RCW
18.155.040. 94-13-179, § 246-930-410,
filed 6/21/94, effective 7/22/94; 92-12-027 (Order 275), § 246-930-410,
filed 5/28/92, effective 6/28/92.
