Wyo. Code R. 078-0001-14
Effective Date: 06/03/2015 to 02/02/2016
Rule Type: Superceded Rules & Regulations
Reference Number: 078.0001.14.06032015
(a) Licenses and certifications may be renewed every two (2) years by providing the Board with the following:
(b) Each licensee and certificate holder shall earn a minimum of forty-five (45) contact hours of continuing education during each renewal period.
(i) Contact hours for purposes of this section shall be the actual number of hours during which instruction was received. A contact hour shall consist of not less than fifty (50) minutes of actual instruction or presentation. For academic courses, one (1) semester credit equals fifteen (15) contact hours. One (1) quarter credit equals ten (10) contact hours.
(ii) Only those hours acquired during the renewal period will be considered.
(A) For initial renewal, the renewal period begins on the license or certification issue date and ends on the licensee's or certificate holder's birth date immediately following the second anniversary of the issue date. Subsequent renewals shall take place every two (2) years.
(iii) The following standards shall govern acceptability of continuing education activities:
(A) These activities shall have significant intellectual or practical content, and the primary objective shall be to increase the participant's competence within each licensed or certified discipline.
(B) The scope of practice for each discipline in these rules and regulations may be used as a basis of what knowledge and skills are acceptable to the Board as continuing education activities.
(C) Providers of acceptable continuing education shall have a graduate degree.
(D) Continuing education credit will be allowed for making presentations designed to increase other mental health professionals' knowledge base. One (1) hour of credit will be allowed for each hour of presentation, up to a maximum of six (6) hours during each renewal period. Credit may be received only once for a particular presentation topic.
(I) Individuals employed by universities and colleges may not claim credit units for conducting courses that are a part of the regular course offering of those institutions, even if those courses are offered in the evening or summer, or for individuals enrolled in a degree program or vocational or technical schools.
(iv) Licensees and certificate holders shall attest to the number of continuing education hours completed.
(v) Licensees and certificate holders shall report their continuing education activities in a manner determined by the Board.
(A) Licensees and certificate holders shall maintain copies of any certificates of attendance, letters certifying attendance, transcripts, or any official documents which serve as proof of participation or attendance for at least two (2) years from the date submitted for renewal.
(B) Proof of attendance shall contain the activity title, dates, contact hours attended, sponsor, presenter, qualifications of the presenter, the name of the licensee or certificate holder, and shall be signed by the sponsor or the presenter.
(vi) Licensees and certificate holders are responsible for maintaining their own continuing education documentation.
(vii) Approximately sixty (60) days prior to the renewal date the Board should send a renewal notice to the licensee's or certificate holder's last address of record.
(viii) Renewal applications shall not be accepted more than one hundred twenty (120) days prior to the expiration date.
(ix) Renewal applications received by the Board which are postmarked after the expiration date, or after the next business day in cases when the expiration date falls on a weekend or holiday, will not be accepted by the Board, and the license or certification will become null and void for failure to timely and sufficiently secure renewal. Electronic renewal applications will not be accepted after midnight on the expiration date.
(x) Failure to receive a notice for renewal from the Board does not excuse a licensee or certificate holder from the requirement for renewal under the Act and these rules.
(c) Each person holding a LAT, CAP, or CAPA shall complete at least fifteen (15) hours of continuing education in addictions topics during the renewal period.
Section 2. Continuing Education Audit. Continuing education may be audited by the Board for verification of compliance with these requirements.
(a) Failure to provide the documents requested for audit within thirty (30) days may subject the licensee or certificate holder to disciplinary action.
(b) If the Board disallows any continuing education hours as a result of an audit, the licensee or certificate holder shall have three (3) months from notice of such disallowance to either;
(i) provide further evidence that the disallowed continuing education hours meet the criteria established by these rules, or
(ii) provide evidence of having completed appropriate continuing education during the required time frame which may substitute for the disallowance, or
(iii) remedy the disallowance by completing the number of additional continuing education hours necessary to fulfill the requirements in this Chapter. These additional continuing education hours shall not be reported on subsequent applications for license renewal.
(c) If the continuing education hours disallowed are not remedied within the time frame permitted, then the license or certificate holder shall be subject to disciplinary action.
(a) A licensee or certificate may be exempted from a portion of the continuing education required for the renewal of their license or certificate if during the current renewal period:
(i) The licensee or certificate otherwise meets all renewal requirements and is a civilian called to active duty in the armed forces of the United States for a period of time exceeding one hundred and eight (180) or more consecutive days in any calendar year.
(ii) The licensee or certificate otherwise meets all renewal requirements and experiences a physical disability, illness or other disabling situation exceeding one hundred and eight (180) or more consecutive days in any calendar year.
(b) The number of hours exempted shall be in proportion to the length of deployment, disability or situation.
(c) The licensee or certificate claiming an exemption shall provide supporting documentation from a third party acceptable to the Board.
Section 4. Retired Licensees and Certificate Holders. Persons who are retired from active practice are exempt from the requirement for continuing education for renewal. Retired
persons exercising this exemption may not, under any circumstances, provide the services regulated by the Act and these Rules within the state of Wyoming. To do so is unlicensed practice in violation of the Act. In order to qualify for the exemption, the licensee or certificate holder shall;
(a) Notify the Board in writing they have retired from active practice.
(b) A replacement wall certificate shall be issued which clearly distinguishes that the licensee or certificate holder is retired. There shall be a one-time fee for each replacement certificate as provided in Chapter 13.
(c) The licenses and certificates of retired persons shall expire and be renewable on the same two (2) year cycle as their original active license or certificate for the purposes of maintaining accurate contact information.
(d) There is no fee for the renewal of a license or certificate on retired status.
(e) A retired licensee or certificate holder may return to active practice by completing forty-five (45) hours of continuing education activities within the two (2) years immediately preceding re-application, submitting a professional disclosure statement, and paying the full renewal fee for the remainder of the current license or certificate period.
Section 5. Re-licensure. A licensee who has allowed their license to expire may apply for re-licensure within five (5) years of the license expiration date without re-examination. However, applicants shall be required to meet all other current licensure standards in place at the time of re-licensure. In addition, the applicant shall provide verification of having completed forty-five (45) hours of continuing education activities within the two (2) years immediately preceding re-application.
Section 6. Re-certification. A certificate holder who has allowed their certification to lapse may apply for re-certification within five (5) years of the certification expiration date without re-examination. However applicants shall be required to meet all other current certification standards in place at the time of application. In addition, the applicant shall provide verification of having completed forty-five (45) hours of continuing education activities within the two (2) years immediately preceding re-certification. Certified Mental Health Workers are not eligible for re-certification.