W. Va. Code R. § 27-3-6 - Approved programs of continuing professional education

6.1. The goal of the Board's continuing professional education requirements are to: enable licensees to maintain and/or expand professional expertise; become aware of new professional developments; provide responsible and quality service to clients and community; and continue to conduct professional practice in an ethical and appropriate manner. The Board will not grant credit for continuing education to promote personal growth of the licensee.

6.2. A licensee may obtain continuing education credits in 5 ways: programs offered by approved providers; approved programs of continuing professional education; post-approved programs; home study programs and publications and presentations as cited in subsections 4.3. and 4.4. of this rule. The Board or its designee shall approve providers, programs, and home study programs and offer post-program approval according to the following guidelines:

6.2.a. Guidelines for program approval:

6.2.a.1. Academic course offered in accredited education institutions by counseling degree programs are automatically granted program approval; and

6.2.a.2. Approved programs may be sponsored by departments of accredited educational institutions; national, regional, state, or local professional organizations or associations; public or private human service agencies or organization; private consultants; or individuals. The organization or individual shall make application for approval on a form designated by the Board and pay the appropriate fee. In order to obtain approved status from the Board, a program shall meet the following requirements:

6.2.a.2.A. Competent individuals as documented by appropriate academic training, master's level or above and professionally recognized experience shall present the program. Presenters should have an identifiable involvement with human services. In approving a particular presenter, the Board shall be guided by the following range of presenter qualifications:

6.2.a.2.A.1. Counselors with appropriate credentials and appropriate expertise in the content area shall clearly be accepted;

6.2.a.2.A.2. A related presenter with the ability to connect content to counseling practice shall usually be accepted;

6.2.a.2.A.3. Expert presenters with no apparent link to counseling may or may not be acceptable based upon the content to be presented and intended audience;

6.2.a.2.A.4. A presenter with no apparent professional qualifications nor link to counseling or human services shall not be accepted; and,

6.2.a.2.A.5. A presenter providing training in a practice area that would require licensure shall show evidence of current licensure in West Virginia or another state.

6.2.a.2.B. The program shall meet the professional needs of the intended clientele, which shall include counselors;

6.2.a.2.C. The program shall have a minimum duration of 1 contact hour;

6.2.a.2.D. The program shall have written goals and objectives that are responsive to the needs of prospective counselor attendees;

6.2.a.2.E. The program shall have an agenda, clearly listing the time and date of the program, including starting and ending times and refreshment and meal breaks;

6.2.a.2.F. The program shall be related to counselor content areas as cited in subsection 2.5. in this rule;

6.2.a.2.G. The program shall be disseminated via appropriate instructional methods, such as lecture, group discussion, video, film, interactive webinar or interactive teleconferencing;

6.2.a.2.H. The program shall include an evaluation component directly related to its stated goals and objectives;

6.2.a.2.I. The program shall be offered in a site that shall be accessible under the provisions of the Americans With Disabilities Act;

6.2.a.2.J. The organization or individual shall submit their program approval request for review, on a form designated by the Board, at least 60 days prior to the scheduled program date;

6.2.a.2.K. The program's promotional information shall state that program approval has either been applied for or has been granted; and,

6.2.a.2.L. The provider of the program shall provide program participants certificates of completion, which contain the following information:

6.2.a.2.L.1. The title and dates of the program and the Board's program approval number;

6.2.a.2.L.2. The name of the sponsoring agency or organization;

6.2.a.2.L.3. The name of the participant and the number of contact hours of continuing professional education earned by the participant;

6.2.a.2.L.4. The presenters name and his or her credentials; and,

6.2.a.2.L.5. The signature of the presenter and/or the official representative of the sponsoring organization.

6.2.b. Guidelines for provider approval:

6.2.b.1. The Board shall grant approved provider status for newly approved providers for a one year period and is subject to renewal if the provider meets the requirements of this rule;

6.2.b.1.A. An approved provider who does not pay a fee to re-certify within 30 days of notice forfeits all rights and privileges of an approved provider.

6.2.b.2. The Board shall refuse to renew the approved status of any provider who fails to comply with the requirements of this rule. The Board shall withdraw approved provider status for cause.

6.2.b.3. Programs offered by a provider while that provider does not have approved status shall not be accepted by the Board toward fulfillment of license renewal requirements unless program approval for the programs were obtained as set forth in this rule;

6.2.b.4. Provider status is automatically accorded to counseling degree programs, as cited in subsection 2.5. of this rule, in accredited educational institutions. Transcripts or grade cards shall serve as evidence of completed coursework. If the licensee audits an approved course, a letter from the professor is required to verify actual number of hours of attendance, which is used to determine hours of continuing education credit granted;

6.2.b.5. The Board may grant approved status to providers not automatically approved in paragraph 6.2.b.4. of this rule. The providers shall include but are not limited to: national, regional, state, or local professional organizations, public or private human service agencies, private consultants or individuals. The applicant for approved provider status shall:

6.2.b.5.A. Make application for approval status on a form provided by the Board and pay the appropriate fee, at least 2 months prior to the date of the first scheduled program offering. A list of proposed programs and program goals shall be included with the application;

6.2.b.5.B. Submit to the Board, no later than 2 months before the end of the probationary period, a synopsis of all programs during the previous 10 months;

6.2.b.5.C. Apply for renewal of approved provider status 2 months prior to the desired one -year period and pay the appropriate fee;

6.2.b.5.D. Provide or arrange for appropriate educational facilities, instructional aids, and offer programs and facilities that are accessible under the provisions of the Americans With Disabilities Act;

6.2.b.5.E. Have program presenters who have professionally recognized skills to conduct the programs being offered in accordance with subdivision 6.2.a. of this rule;

6.2.b.5.F. Conduct programs that satisfy one or more of the program areas in counseling as cited in subsection 2.5. of this rule;

6.2.b.5.G. Include an evaluation component in all programs offered;

6.2.b.5.H. Maintains records of program content, presenter qualifications and individual participation, and a summary of evaluations forms for five years and make the records available if requested by the Board; and,

6.2.b.5.I. Furnish to each participant a certificate of completion that includes the following information:

6.2.b.5.I.1. The title and date of the program and the Board's program approval number;

6.2.b.5.I.2. The name of the sponsoring agency or organization;

6.2.b.5.I.3. The name of the participant and the number of contact hours earned by the participant;

6.2.b.5.I.4. The presenters' names and their credentials;

6.2.b.5.I.5. The signature of the presenter and/or the official representative of the sponsoring organization; and

6.2.b.5.I.6. An approved provider that offers a program on counseling ethics shall incorporate the Code of Ethics of the American Counseling Association as a substantial part of the program.

6.2.c. Post program approval:

6.2.c.1. A licensee shall apply on a form prescribed by the Board for post-approval of counseling programs which they attended, for relevant out of state continuing professional education programs and for relevant graduate coursework in related disciplines.

6.2.c.1.A. A licensee shall apply for post-program approval, on a form designated by the Board, within 90 days of completing program;

6.2.c.1.B. To obtain a post-program approval, the licensee shall provide the following:

6.2.c.1.B.1. Documentation that the program presenters met the requirements in paragraph 6.2.a.2.A. of this rule;

6.2.c.1.B.2. A copy of the program brochure and other documentation, if necessary, demonstrating that the program met the requirements of paragraph 6.2.a.2.B. through paragraph 6.2.a.2.I. of this rule; and,

6.2.c.1.B.3. A certificate of completion, transcript, grade card, or signed statement from the presenter to demonstrate the licensee's attendance at the program or course.

6.2.d. Home study approval:

6.2.d.1. Home study programs may be sponsored by departments of accredited educational institutions; national, regional, state, or local professional organizations or associations; public or private human service agencies or organizations; private consultants; or individuals. In order to obtain approval from the Board, the sponsoring organizations of a home study program shall meet the following requirements:

6.2.d.1.A. Home study program content shall satisfy 1 or more of the program areas in subsection 2.5. of this rule;

6.2.d.1.B. A home study program shall contribute to the current knowledge of master's level counselors. Program materials should not be more than 6 years old. Materials that are more than 6 years old shall include a statement for review regarding the reason that the material is still relevant and valuable to the counselor;

6.2.d.1.C. Home study programs focusing on ethics in counseling practice shall include information on the ethical codes of the American Counseling Association;

6.2.d.1.D. Information on how the home study material may be used by the counselor with their clients shall be included either in the learning instrument or as an addendum;

6.2.d.1.E. The home study program shall have the following components:

6.2.d.1.E.1. Appropriate learning instruments such as, but not limited to, a book, tape, internet-based text, video, subscription to a professional periodical or volumes of past periodicals;

6.2.d.1.E.2. An assessment component, such as, but not limited to, a quiz, test or essay;

6.2.d.1.E.3. An evaluation component; and,

6.2.d.1.E.4. An instruction sheet with clear information regarding how to obtain continuing education credit;

6.2.d.1.F. A home study provider shall file with the Board the required application forms in a manner prescribed by the Board and pay the appropriate fee. A sample of the entire home study program including a sample of the certificate of completion shall be included with this application. The certificate of completion shall contain all information cited in paragraph 6.2.a.2.L of this rule.

Notes

W. Va. Code R. § 27-3-6