As a licensed professional counselor (LPC) in the state of Illinois, 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 Illinois LPCs in order to renew their license each year.
Licensee Requirements for Illinois Licensed Professional Counselors
Licensed professional counselors in Illinois are required to complete 30 hours of continuing education every two years, ahead of the March 31 expiration date in odd-numbered years. All of those hours must be earned through an approved sponsor or program. Approved sponsors and programs can be found in section “c)” of the administrative code. A few examples of approved sponsors and programs are those offered by the American Counseling Association, the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, and the American Psychological Association. Credits can also be earned through accredited schools, colleges, universities, and state agencies. Outside of courses or learning programs, continuing education credit can be earned by authoring papers, publications, books, dissertations, or through presentation preparation related to professional counseling. Additionally, verified teaching, specifically related to counseling, at an accredited institution can earn LPCs 1.5 hours of continuing education for every hour they teach.
Key Takeaways:
- LPCs in Illinois must complete 30 hours of continuing education every two years
- Licenses expire on March 31 of every odd-numbered year
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 30 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. Your hours and certificates are tracked, then you are notified when it’s time to submit for your renewal – something you’ll never have to monitor yourself again. 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 Illinois, LPCs can clarify anything about their license by contacting the Illinois General Assembly at the number (217) 782-3944 or at the email webmaster@ilga.gov.
Reference Link:
https://www.ilga.gov/commission/jcar/admincode/068/068013750C02200R.html
