If you are licensed or are pursuing licensure in the state of Georgia as a Counselor, Social Worker or Marriage & Family Therapist, there are some important proposed updates coming from the licensing board. In short, I am impressed and happy to see these updates.
Read the Proposed Rules
It is important that you read these rule updates yourself. The board sends a link to those who are registered to receive them. I think it goes out to all licensees. It is public information. Here is the link: http://sos.ga.gov/index.php/licensing/plb/43/composite_board_proposed_rules.
Synchronous Continuing Education
What I am most impressed by is how our board and thus Georgia is proposing some much needed updates by defining synchronous and asynchronous continuing education hours. If you don’t know what those terms mean you might consider what you recall or retained from your telemental health training. Synchronous is happening in real time. Involved parties are communicating with each other during the continuing education event “live” so to speak. For example, you join a video conference where you can interact with the facilitator. Another example of synchronous would be if you attend an event at a colleague’s office or other in-person training space where you engage with them in person.
Asynchronous Continuing Education
Whereas asynchronous continuing education involves a time delay. For example you listen to and watch a recorded webinar after the fact. You can send an email or perhaps make a call to the facilitator but they are not engaging with you in real time while you are participating in the recorded event. By defining and distinguishing synchronous and asynchronous continuing education the Georgia Composite Board for Counselors, Social Workers and Marriage & Family Therapists is making access easier for clinicians to obtain distance continuing education and have it count toward licensure.
Access for All
Colleagues who live in remote areas in Georgia or who live overseas will not have to come to to a populated area or travel back to Georgia or the US to obtain their CE’s. Based on my understanding of what these proposed rule changes mean, the 10 hour limit for continuing education obtained online would then actually apply to asynchronous continuing education only and not synchronous continuing education (like a video conference event).
I Could Have Covered All of the Rule Updates
There were a number of very interesting and I think necessary updates which is why I highly recommend you read the notice. The board allows for feedback regarding rule updates. It appears this will be voted on or at least discussed further during the April 2020 board meeting.
Offering Video Conference Based Training Soon!
I will definitely offer synchronous video conference based training when this rule goes into effect. I hope it passes and goes into effect as soon as possible. The physical demands of holding training events in person present a barrier for me. I still plan to offer some live in-person synchronous continuing education. I have been working on the back end to solidify what will work and how to set up the registration process. Please note that at this time my plan is to offer 3 hour supervision related continuing education events. Once registration is open, I will announce the dates in my weekly blog email. Thank you for your patience!
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