CHAPTER 32
CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR MARITAL AND
FAMILY THERAPISTS AND MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELORS
645—32.1(272C) Definitions. For the purpose of these rules, the following definitions shall apply:
“Active license” means the license is current and has not expired.
“Approved program/activity” means a continuing education program/activity meeting the standards set forth in these rules.
“Audit” means the selection of licensees for verification of satisfactory completion of continuing education requirements during a specified time period.
“Board” means the board of behavioral science.
“Continuing education” means planned, organized learning acts designed to maintain, improve, or expand a licensee’s knowledge and skills in order for the licensee to develop new knowledge and skills relevant to the enhancement of practice, education, or theory development to improve the safety and welfare of the public.
“Hour of continuing education” means at least 50 minutes spent by a licensee in actual attendance at and completion of approved continuing education activity.
“Inactive license” means a license that has expired because it was not renewed by the end of the grace period. The category of “inactive license” may include licenses formerly known as lapsed, inactive, delinquent, closed, or retired.
“License” means license to practice.
“Licensee” means any person licensed to practice marital and family therapy or mental health counseling in the state of Iowa.
645—32.2(272C) Continuing education requirements.
	32.2(1) The biennial continuing education compliance period shall extend for a two-year period beginning on October 1 of the even-numbered year and ending on September 30 of the next even-numbered year. Each biennium, each person who is licensed to practice as a licensee in this state shall be required to complete a minimum of 40 hours of continuing education approved by the board.
	32.2(2) Requirements of new licensees. Those persons licensed for the first time shall not be required to complete continuing education as a prerequisite for the first renewal of their licenses. Continuing education hours acquired anytime from the initial licensing until the second license renewal may be used. The new licensee will be required to complete a minimum of 40 hours of continuing education per biennium for each subsequent license renewal.
	32.2(3) Hours of continuing education credit may be obtained by attending and participating in a continuing education activity. These hours must be in accordance with these rules.
	32.2(4) No hours of continuing education shall be carried over into the next biennium except as stated for the second renewal. A licensee whose license was reactivated during the current renewal compliance period may use continuing education earned during the compliance period for the first renewal following reactivation.
	32.2(5) It is the responsibility of each licensee to finance the cost of continuing education.
645—32.3(154D,272C) Standards.
	32.3(1) General criteria. A continuing education activity which meets all of the following criteria is appropriate for continuing education credit if the continuing education activity:
	a. 	Constitutes an organized program of learning which contributes directly to the professional competency of the licensee;
	b. 	Pertains to subject matters which integrally relate to the practice of the profession;
	c. 	Is conducted by individuals who have specialized education, training and experience by reason of which said individuals should be considered qualified concerning the subject matter of the program. At the time of audit, the board may request the qualifications of presenters.
	d. 	Fulfills stated program goals, objectives, or both; and
	e. 	Provides proof of attendance to licensees in attendance including:
	(1)	Date(s), location, course title, presenter(s);
	(2)	Number of program contact hours; and
	(3)	Certificate of completion or evidence of successful completion of the course provided by the course sponsor.
	32.3(2) Specific criteria. Continuing education hours of credit may be obtained by completing the following:
	a. 	Attendance at workshops, conferences, symposiums and academic courses. Official transcripts indicating successful completion of academic courses which apply to the field of mental health counseling or marital and family therapy, as appropriate, will be necessary in order to receive the following continuing education credits:
1 academic semester hour = 15 continuing education hours
1 academic quarter hour = 10 continuing education hours
	b. 	Rescinded IAB 7/6/05, effective 8/10/05.
	c. 	A maximum of 20 hours of continuing education credit may be granted for any of the following activities not to exceed a combined total of 20 hours:
	(1)	Presenting professional programs which meet the criteria in 645—32.3(272C). Two hours of credit will be awarded for each hour of presentation. A course schedule or brochure must be maintained for audit. Presentation at a professional program does not include teaching class at an institution of higher learning at which the applicant is regularly and primarily employed. Presentations to lay public are excluded.
	(2)	Scholarly research or other activities, the results of which are published in a recognized professional publication such as a refereed journal, monograph or conference proceedings. The scholarly research must be integrally related to the practice of the professions.
	(3)	Publication in a refereed journal. The article in a refereed journal for which the licensee is seeking continuing education credit must be integrally related to the practice of the professions.
	(4)	Distance learning conferences or courses will be allowed if the following criteria are met:
	1.	The program is offered through electronic transmission.
	2.	The program allows for interaction between the presenter and the participants.
	3.	The program issues the participants an official transcript, certificate of attendance or verification of successful completion of the course which applies to the field of mental health counseling or marital and family therapy.
	(5)	Home study courses will be allowed if the following criteria are met:
	1.	The program is recognized by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) or American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) or meets all of the criteria in 645—32.3(272C).
	2.	An official transcript, verification or certificate of completion is presented after successful completion of the course.
	(6)	Viewing multimedia presentations will be allowed if the following criteria are met:
	1.	There is a sponsoring group or agency.
	2.	There is a facilitator or program official present.
	3.	The program official may not be the only attendee.
	4.	The program meets all of the criteria in 645—32.3(272C).
	(7)	Computer-assisted instructional courses or programs pertaining to the practice of mental health counseling or marital and family therapy will be allowed if the following criteria are met:
	1.	The courses and programs are approved by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) or American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) or their affiliates or meet all of the criteria in 645—32.3(272C).
	2.	An official transcript, certificate of completion, or verification that includes the following information is presented after successful completion of the course:
	●	Date course/program was completed.
	●	Title of the course/program.
	●	Number of course/program continuing education hours.
	●	Official signature or verification of the course/program sponsor.
	(8)	Teaching in an approved college, university, or graduate school. The licensee may receive credit on a one-time basis for the first offering of the course.
	(9)	Authoring papers, publications, and books. The licensee shall receive five hours of credit per page with a maximum of 20 hours of credit.
	32.3(3) Required specific criteria:
	a. 	Three hours of the 40 continuing education hours shall be in ethics.
	b. 	Effective with the biennial continuing education compliance period that begins October 1, 2022, persons serving in a supervisory role must complete three hours of continuing education in supervision.
[ARC 2845C, IAB 12/7/16, effective 1/11/17]
645—32.4(154D,272C) Audit of continuing education report. Rescinded IAB 6/1/11, effective 7/6/11.
645—32.5(154D,272C) Automatic exemption. Rescinded IAB 1/14/09, effective 2/18/09.
645—32.6(154D,272C) Grounds for disciplinary action. Rescinded IAB 1/14/09, effective 2/18/09.
645—32.7(272C) Continuing education waiver for active practitioners. Rescinded IAB 7/6/05, effective 8/10/05.
645—32.8(272C) Continuing education exemption for inactive practitioners. Rescinded IAB 7/6/05, effective 8/10/05.
645—32.9(154D,272C) Continuing education exemption for disability or illness. Rescinded IAB 1/14/09, effective 2/18/09.
645—32.10(272C) Reinstatement of inactive practitioners. Rescinded IAB 7/6/05, effective 8/10/05.
645—32.11(272C) Hearings. Rescinded IAB 7/6/05, effective 8/10/05.
These rules are intended to implement Iowa Code section 272C.2 and chapter 154D.
[Filed 2/1/01, Notice 10/18/00—published 2/21/01, effective 3/28/01]
[Filed 12/6/01, Notice 10/3/01—published 12/26/01, effective 1/30/02]
[Filed 6/15/05, Notice 4/13/05—published 7/6/05, effective 8/10/05]
[Filed 12/11/08, Notice 10/22/08—published 1/14/09, effective 2/18/09]
[Filed ARC 9547B (Notice ARC 9416B, IAB 3/9/11), IAB 6/1/11, effective 7/6/11]
[Filed ARC 2845C (Notice ARC 2738C, IAB 9/28/16), IAB 12/7/16, effective 1/11/17]