21 NCAC 53 .0604             FAILURE TO SECURE SUFFICIENT CONTINUING EDUCATION/RENEWAL OF LICENSE

Licensed clinical mental health counselor associates, licensed clinical mental health counselors, and licensed clinical mental health counselor supervisors who fail to document sufficient continuing counselor education to renew their licenses by the expiration date of June 30 shall be notified in writing by the Board of the deficiencies, that their licenses have expired, and that the licensee shall not practice until it is renewed. Licensed clinical mental health counselor associates, licensed clinical mental health counselors, and licensed clinical mental health counselor supervisors who are unable to provide documentation of sufficient continuing counselor education to renew their licenses have the following options:

(1)           Within one year of expiration, licensed clinical mental health counselor associates, licensed clinical mental health counselors, and licensed clinical mental health counselor supervisors shall complete the required hours of continuing counselor education and an additional 20 hours of continuing counselor education for the purpose of renewal of the expired license. Continuing counselor education acquired during this additional time period for the purpose of renewal of an expired license shall not applied to the next renewal period. Once these requirements have been met, the license shall be renewed.

(2)           Request an extension in writing from the Board. Requests shall be received by the Board no later than May 1^st of the year of expiration. An extension shall be granted for:

(a)           military deployment;

(b)           major illness documented by a licensed healthcare provider, of self or a member of an immediate family, such as a partner, child, parent, sibling, or dependent; or

(c)           death of a member of an immediate family, such as partner, child, parent, sibling, or dependent.

Extensions shall be granted for a period of up to one year. If the extension is approved, any continuing counselor education acquired during the extension shall not be applied to the next renewal period. Once these requirements have been met, the license shall be renewed and the licensee may resume practice.

Failure to complete one of the above listed options shall mean that a license shall be reissued only upon a new application for a license, and all current licensure requirements shall apply to the new application.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 90-334(g),(h); 90-339;

Eff. July 1, 1995;

Amended Eff. July 1, 2014; January 1, 2010;

Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A, rule is necessary without substantive public interest Eff. April 27, 2019;

Amended Eff. July 1, 2022; January 1, 2020 (S.L. 2019-240, s. 3.(k)).