As a licensed professional counselor (LPC) in the state of Maryland, 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 Maryland LPCs in order to renew their license every cycle.
Licensee Requirements for Maryland Licensed Professional Counselors
Maryland Licensed Professional Counselors have the same continuing education requirements as MFTs and psychologists in the state. They must earn at least 40 hours of continuing education every two years, with a minimum of 30 of those hours coming from “Category A” activities. Category A activities include the following: Board-approved programs, taking college courses (from an accredited institution), authoring professional publications, or creating and presenting a Board-approved program. The remaining 10 hours can be earned through “Category B” activities, which are typically activities considered to be less formal. A more complete breakdown of Category A versus Category B activities can be found here. Note: licenses must maintain record of their continuing education credits for at least four years should they be selected for an audit by the Board.
Key Takeaways:
- Maryland Licensed Professional Counselors are required to complete 40 hours of continuing education every two years
- At least 30 hours need to be from Category A activities
- Records should be maintained for at least four 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 if you are selected for an audit, and should be maintained for four years, 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 Maryland, LPCs can clarify anything about their license by contacting the Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists by phone at (410) 767-6500.
Reference Link:
https://health.maryland.gov/bopc/Pages/conteducationchapt5.aspx
