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Continuing Education Rules for License Renewal

National Practitioner Identifier

The federal Dept of Health and Human Services is creating a database of health providers in the US to help to streamline the health insurance system. As part of that effort they are now accepting applications from licensed health care providers (including licensed counselors, licensed social workers, etc.) to be included in their database and issued a unique ID number to identify you as a licensed health care provider.

If you are licensed and billing insurance, you will eventually want to get an ID number. It's free and only takes about 30 minutes to apply online. If you would like to pursue this you can go to their training website at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/center/provider.asp which will give you more information and take you through the process.

BBHE Rules changes effective

The following are highlights of the major changes in the administrative rules. This list is not all inclusive. A complete copy of the revisions may be obtained by visiting the AzBBHE website at http://www.bbhe.state.az.us/ or by calling the Board at (602) 542-1882.

· R4-6-210. Supervision Requirements. #4 Beginning on January 1, 2006, the Board shall not accept work experience acquired after December 31, 2005, by an unlicensed professional practicing under an exemption provided in A.R.S. §32-3271.

This change clarifies that the Board requires applicants to be licensed (at the associate level) while they are accumulating their post-graduate clinical hours. After December 31, 2005 , hours obtained by a professional who is not licensed will not count toward meeting the Board’s clinical experience requirements.

There are several categories of exemptions to the licensure law which allow selected groups to practice psychotherapy without being licensed. Examples would include the clergy, Behavioral Health Technicians and paraprofessionals in an agency licensed by DHS, DES employees, etc. If you want your clinical hours to count, you must have a license issued by the Board of Behavioral Health Examiners, even if you can practice legally under one of the exemptions. Of course, this does not apply to those who already hold a license to practice independently (LPC, LCSW, LISAC, LMFT).

· R4-6-211. Direct Supervision Requirements. Paragraph B: An applicant may submit a written request to the credentialing committee for an exemption from the requirement of subsection (A)(2). The credentialing committee shall review the exemption request and the direct supervisor’s other job responsibilities to determine whether the direct supervisor can provide an appropriate level of direct supervision to more than 15 supervisees at the same time. The credentialing committee shall not grant an exemption request for more than 30 supervisees.

This change allows a direct supervisor to supervise up to 30 supervisees with special written permission of the Board. This change was requested by the RBHA agencies to remove what they saw as an unreasonable limitation. · R4-6-212. Clinical Supervision Requirements. Paragraph B: An applicant may submit a written request to the credentialing committee for an exemption from the requirement of subsection (A). The credentialing committee shall review the exemption request and the clinical supervisor’s other job responsibilities to determine whether the clinical supervisor can provide an appropriate level of clinical supervision to more than 15 supervisees at the same time. The credentialing committee shall not grant an exemption request for more than 30 supervisees.

This change is analogous to the change to direct supervision requirements in rule R4-6-211.

· R4-6-212. Clinical Supervision Requirements.

This change “plugs a hole” in the original rules that required a supervisor that is a Licensed Behavioral Health Professional to have continuing education in the supervision process, but did not require any training or continuing education for psychologists or psychiatrists who provide supervision. Now the requirements for all clinical supervisors is the same.

· R4-6-501. Curriculum (for professional counselors). Major changes were made to the curriculum requirements for professional counselors. New requirements for counselors that did not graduate from a CACREP-accredited program begin on January 1, 2007 . In addition, beginning January 1, 2008 the course requirements increase from 48 graduate hours to 60 graduate hours. The changes in this area are too voluminous to list here. If you are a graduate student in a non-CACREP program, it is important that you download the current rules and review the new requirements carefully. The current rules may be obtained by visiting the AzBBHE website at http://www.bbhe.state.az.us/ or by calling the Board at (602) 542-1882.

· R4-6-601. Curriculum (for marriage and family therapists). Paragraph f: Practicum or Internship (2 courses) – studies that are limited to the provision of marriage and family therapy services to individuals, couples, and families within an educational or professional setting under the direction of a faculty member or supervisor designated by the college or university as provided in subsections (2)(f)(ii) or (iii).

i. The supervised practicum or internship shall consist of a minimum of 300 client contact hours under direct supervision; and

ii. A licensed marriage and family therapist shall supervise the required practicum or internship; or

iii. An applicant may submit a written request to the marriage and family therapy credentialing committee for an exemption from the requirement of subsection (2)(f)(ii). The request shall include the name of the behavioral health professional proposed by the applicant to act as the practicum or internship supervisor, a copy of the proposed supervisor’s transcript and curriculum vitae, and any additional documentation requested by the committee. The marriage and family therapy credentialing committee shall determine whether an individual is qualified to provide supervision by evaluating the proposed supervisor’s education, experience, and training.

This change tightens the practicum requirements for marriage and family therapists

· R4-6-701. Licensed Substance Abuse Technician Curriculum. Paragraphs D through J. This change clarifies the supervision requirements for LSATs. These changes are somewhat voluminous as well. Please download the changes from the BBHE website at http://www.bbhe.state.az.us/ or call the Board at (602) 542-1882 if you are interested in these changes.

· R4-6-703. Licensed Associate Substance Abuse Counselor Curriculum. Paragraphs 5 & 6: 5. The Board shall not accept coursework in a general survey course, such as Psychology 101, as meeting the coursework requirements in this Section.

6. The Board shall not accept coursework that does not include a significant clinical component, such as statistics coursework, as meeting the coursework requirements in this Section.

This change limits the coursework for a LASAC to clinical courses only.

· R4-6-703 Licensed Independent Substance Abuse Counselor Curriculum. Paragaphs 1,2 & 3: The Board shall not accept coursework in a general survey course, such as Introduction to Human Services, as meeting the coursework requirements in this Section. 2. The Board shall not accept coursework that does not include a significant clinical component, such as statistics coursework, as meeting the coursework requirements in this Section. 3. Graduate coursework completed outside of the master or higher degree and submitted to meet curriculum requirements shall constitute no more than three semester credit hours.

Like the previous change, this clarifies the coursework requirements to become a LISAC.

Tim Hofmann, Chair
AzCA Government Relations Committee

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