As a licensed professional counselor (LPC) in the state of Georgia, it is your responsibility to adhere to continuing education requirements each period in order to renew your license. Beyond license renewal being key to you maintaining your practice, continuing education is essential to stay abreast of what is happening in your field – something your clients will always appreciate you taking seriously. Education is how we all continue to learn and further hone our skills and expertise, so it’s certainly something to be celebrated. Though education is fantastic, keeping on track with the many hours you need to fulfill can be a challenge. Thankfully, there is a fantastic resource available to help you with that. Before we dive into the resource, let’s start by outlining what is required of Georgia LPCs in order to renew their license each year.
Licensee Requirements for Georgia Licensed Professional Counselors
Licensed professional counselors in the state of Georgia are held to the same continuing education requirements as their social worker and marriage and family therapy counterparts. That requirement is 35 hours of continuing education ahead of the September 30 license expiration date of every even-numbered year. Of the required 35 hours, five of which must be specifically related to ethics in the field in order for a renewal application to be accepted. Additionally, 15 hours need to be “core,” meaning directly related to professional counseling, while the other 15 can be “related,” which means in the realm of counseling, but with flexibility for licensees to take courses or programs they feel they would benefit from professionally. For added flexibility, licensees can earn up to 10 hours of their 35 by participating in pre-recorded programs or courses, though, the other 25 need to be taken in a live, interactive, format.
Key Takeaways:
- Georgia LPCs need to fulfill a requirement of 35 hours of continuing education every two years
- Five of the 35 hours must be regarding professional ethics
- Licenses expire on September 30 of even-numbered years
Given licensed professional counselors are likely to achieve their continuing education certificates in increments, from various workshops, conventions, agencies, and institutions, there is a lot of documentation to keep track of (potentially 35 or more certificates throughout the course of two years). As proof is required when you apply for renewal, it’s imperative you keep all of those certificates in a safe place – easily accessible and easy to track your progress. CE Hub is the safe place you need to work through your continuing education with ease.
What is CE Hub?
CE Hub is an app built specifically for counselors. Recognizing the difficulty that is storing continuing education certificates and keeping track of your hours, CE Hub was created to take the stress out of continuing education requirements. Instead of worrying throughout the period that you may not be on track, or perhaps that you may have lost a document or two, CE Hub provides you the peace of mind you need to enjoy the learning process. Using the platform is simple: you sign up, upload your continuing education certificates as you obtain them, then CE Hub handles the rest. All of your continuing education credits are tracked for you, and you even receive a reminder when it’s time to renew your license. Alleviate the stress of continuing education requirements by taking advantage of CE Hub today!
Disclaimer: this content is for informational purposes only. Licensees should always confirm their continuing education requirements with their respective governing agency. In the state of Georgia, LPCs can clarify anything about their license by contacting the Georgia Board of Professional Counselors, Social Workers, and Marriage & Family Therapists at the number (844) 753-7825.
Reference Links:
https://rules.sos.ga.gov/gac/135-9
https://sos.ga.gov/index.php/licensing/plb/43/contact_the_board4
