District of Columbia Counselors/Therapists CE Requirements, Accreditations & Approvals

Dist. Columbia Counselors / Therapists

NetCE has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6361. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. NetCE is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

Continuing Education (CE) credits for psychologists are provided through the co-sponsorship of the American Psychological Association (APA) Office of Continuing Education in Psychology (CEP). The APA CEP Office maintains responsibility for the content of the programs.

As a Jointly Accredited Organization, NetCE is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. NetCE maintains responsibility for this course.

Designated courses have been approved by NetCE, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for educational credits, NAADAC Provider #97847. NetCE is responsible for all aspects of their programming. Please refer to individual course details for approval information.

The District of Columbia Board of Professional Counseling accepts courses from any provider who is APA, NBCC, ASWB and/or NAADAC approved.

The District of Columbia Board of Marriage and Family Therapy accepts courses from any provider who is APA and/or NBCC approved.

Continuing Education Requirement

The District of Columbia Board of Professional Counseling and Board of Marriage and Family Therapy accepts NetCE courses.

LPCs are required 40 hours every two years, all of which may be completed by home study.*

A minimum of 6 of the 40 hours must be in ethics, 4 hours must be in trauma counseling, and 2 hours must be in cultural competency focusing on patients who identify as LGBTQ.

MFTs are required 30 hours every two years, 15 of which may be completed by home study.*

A minimum of 6 of the 30 hours must be in ethics and 2 hours must be in cultural competency focusing on patients who identify as LGBTQ.

All licensees must complete 10% of the total hours required for renewal on topics designated by the Director of the DOH as a public health priority. LPCs must complete 4 hours and MFTs must complete 3 hours.
Current topics include:

• Responsible opioid prescribing and effective pain management;
• Nutrition and obesity prevention;
• Identifying and reporting abuse (child and adult), neglect (child and adult), human trafficking, and domestic violence;
• Sexual health (including sexual history, discussing sexual experiences, sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS, HPV vaccines, connections to cancer, latent tuberculosis, safe sex, and birth control);
• Ethics and appropriate patient interactions (including boundaries, patient privacy, and telehealth communication);
• Smoking, vaping, and tobacco (including dangers, smoking cessation, and non-smoke tobacco products);
• Preparing patients for an emergency and handling vulnerable populations in an emergency;
• Identifying impairment (physical or mental) in patients and providers (including complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Occupational Safety and Health Act);
• Vaccinations (including legal requirements and appropriate exemptions); and
• Implicit bias, cultural competence, and Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) in health care.

NEW Effective August 11, 2021, the DC Department of Health now requires all licensees to complete 2 contact hours of continuing education on COVID-19 vaccine efficacy and effectiveness on or before September 30, 2021.

*NetCE courses are considered home study.

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License Renewal Instructions

For More Information

LPCs:
Please contact the District of Columbia Board of Professional Counseling at (202) 724-8819 or (877) 672-2174, and refer to https://dchealth.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/doh/publication/attachments/Professional%20Counseling%20Regulations.pdf for additional information regarding your continuing education.

MFTs:
Please contact the District of Columbia Board of Marriage and Family Therapy at (202) 478-5791 or (877) 672-2174, and refer to https://dchealth.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/doh/publication/attachments/Marriage%20and%20Family%20Therapy%20Regulations%206-7-2019.pdf for additional information regarding your continuing education.