As a licensed professional counselor (LPC) in the state of Iowa, 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 Iowa LPCs in order to renew their license every cycle.
Licensee Requirements for Iowa Licensed Professional Counselors
In the state of Iowa, licensed professional counselors share the same continuing education requirements as their MFT colleagues. They must complete 40 hours of continuing education every two years in order to renew their license upon the September 30 renewal deadline in even-numbered years. Of the required 40 hours, at least three need to specifically relate to ethics in professional counseling. Additionally, only courses or programs that are considered appropriate for continuing education will be able to be counted toward your continuing education hours. Those activities are defined as: activities that are deemed organized learning with a goal to improve the development of LPCs, teaches subject matter that is essential to professional counseling, is conducted by a qualified individual, fulfills the goals and objectives of the program, and provides proof of attendance. For a detailed list of approved continuing education activities, reference section 32.3(2) of Chapter 32 of the Professional Licensure.
Key Takeaways:
- LPCs in Iowa need to complete 40 hours of continuing education every two years
- A minimum of three hours must be on ethics in counseling
- The renewal deadline is September 30 in 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 40 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 Iowa, LPCs can clarify anything about their license by contacting the Bureau of Professional Licensure at the number (515) 281-0254 or emailPLPublic@idph.iowa.gov.
Reference Links:
https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/ACO/chapter/645.32.pdf
https://idph.iowa.gov/Licensure/Iowa-Board-of-Behavioral-Science/Licensure/Renewal
