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CEUs for Social Workers- How Do I Determine What CE Providers are Accepted by My State Board? (Second Question)
The question dealt with in the first article was, “Where do I go to find out what my state board for Social Workers requires in regards to continuing education?”. Question #2 will be answered in this article, which is, “How does my state decide which CE providers can offer approved social work continuing education?”. The answer to this question will help you determine where to go to fulfill your CE requirements.
Once you know what your state board requires of you to renew your license, next is finding out what they require of those providing the continuing education courses. The various state boards may or may not approve any given provider. Becoming aware of your state board’s requirements will be helpful in selecting a provider. Prior to finding the specifics for your state board, I will explain the three categories of pre-approved providers.
Some state boards require the CE provider to be approved by them directly. This means that the CE provider will have a specific provider number issued by that state board. For instance, if you are a licensed Social Worker in California, the CE provider chosen for your continuing education must have been issued a PCE# from the CA BBS. For those whose state board has the same requirement as California, make sure the CE provider you use have been issued a provider number by your state board.
A second option are those providers who have been approved by a national organization that the state board recognizes. For instances, a Social Worker in Connecticut can use a provider who has been approved by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC). Different states and different professional boards accept different national approvals, know which ones your state board accepts.
Another category are licensees that use providers approved by a different state but which govern their profession. For instance, a Social Worker in Alabama can use a provider who has been approved by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (CA BBS), since the CA BBS governs Social Workers. So, how do you find out which category your state board is in?
First, go to your state board’s website official home page. From there you will be looking for a link for the state board’s rules and regulations (or statutes, rules, etc.). After clicking on the link, look for the section labeled continuing education. The acceptable sources according to your state board will be explained here. For Oregon Social Workers, the section you are looking for is “Continuing Education Reporting Requirements”. In this section will be where you will find out which category your state board falls into and what providers they accept.
Equipped with the knowledge from you research you can venture onto the task of finding a CE provider. Your search will not be as frustrating have done your pre-work. So, make sure the providers you research have the proper approvals. If they don’t have them, keep looking. The next question to be answered will be, “How much continuing education can I earn online?”, stay tuned.
If you are an Social Worker seeking Social Worker Continuing Education, visit AspiraCE at http://www.aspirace.com. AspiraCE is an approved online CE provider for Social Workers across the United States. There are a variety of courses to choose from, great pricing structure, and excellent customer service. Visit AspiraCE for your Continuing Education for Social Workers today!