MFT Continuing Education - Defining the Requirements

To become a licensed Marriage and Family Therapists requires the completion of a Masters degree as well as many tenuous hours of clinical supervision. Once the license has been obtained there are continuing education requirements in order to keep the license active. These requirements vary somewhat from state to state. Most states specify certain course content to be obtained and most states have some sort of minimum number of CEUs needed for each renewal period. In the past the daunting task for the MFT was finding the time and resources to attend workshops, seminars and conferences that usually took place outside of their local area. The good news is that now there are far more options via the internet which are not as time devouring and costly.

The MFT in any state will often meet a variety of clients from various demographics. The MFT CEU requirements were instituted in order to assure that even though the therapist has graduated, their education in their field has not stopped. There are periodic changes in the laws and changes in family dynamics that are ongoing; therefore, the therapist needs to evolve with them. New insight and perspective is critical in this rapidly changing world where the average family dynamics are evolving more quickly than ever before

MFT continuing education may be satisfied at least in part, in some states by therapists who publish research papers or studies in professional journals. The requirements as well as limits on publication for CEUs vary from state to state. While family dynamics, ethics and laws are in flux especially in times of economic pressure, the demands on the MFT's time increase. What this means in terms of satisfying CE requirements is that there is simply less time to keep up with more.

Options for Fulfilling MFT Continuing Education

Attending an in-person seminar or workshop has been the main-stay for achieving CEUs for MFTs. This, however, can be difficult for some. Fortunately, most states don't make this a necessity for all of their continuing education requirements. All CE courses have to be completed within the time frame of the their license renewal period, which ranges from 2 to 4 years. And now there are a more choices and how to accomplish this.

One of the options, as previously stated, to fulfill CEUs for MFT continuing education is the submission of published research papers. Most states will allow this, but with limitation, usually up to 10 hours of credit. It will be important to note that specific documentation will need to be submitted with the request to use this method.

All licensed Marriage and Family Therapists must attend some face-to-face seminars as part of their CE fulfillment. The good news is that every state now permits licensees to use online CE providers to obtain a third to all of their CEUs. Each will vary in the total amount allowed through this venue. So, now as the thriving therapist provides tools for their clients to deal with their burdens, they too have a tool to deal with their burden of continuing education, in regards to time and finances. Now they have more resources to put back into their practice.

States will vary on the overall allowance of online programs to meet the requirements of MFT continuing education. This is why every licensed professional needs to stay on top of their own state board's CE rules and regulations. Some states are leading the way in the promotion of online CE programs. The CA BBS permits all 36 required CEUs to be earned from an approved online CE provider. The only stipulation is that the program needs to be an interactive electronic CE program. If the program falls under more of a self-study program without the interactive electronic component, then these type of programs can only make up 18 of the 36 units required. California updated these rules in February of 2003. This is an example of the changing environment and the reliability of the online system of providers.

What this means in practical terms is that the continuing education requirements for MFTs can now be chosen to fit the therapist's schedule along with a greater variety of educational opportunities for the busy professional. A MFT whose practice includes very high-risk families may have a different focus from that of a therapist whose family practice focuses almost totally upon the dynamics of marriage; and their choices in continuing education courses can reflect this difference in focus. Additionally, distance learning opportunities can permit the MFT to explore new areas and assess new techniques to further expand their knowledge and their available guidance and intervention tools.

Something to keep in mind as one looks into acquiring CE units online is the specific requirements of their own state board. There will be some important variations between states. Also, make sure that which ever online provider is used, that they have obtained approval to offer CE in the MFT's state of licensure. A qualified provider will have posted all of their approvals and provider numbers.

Aspira is a leader in online MFT continuing education, proving to be a valuable option in obtaining CEUs for MFTs. Aspira offers many courses to choose from in an easy to navigate website. Visit Aspira at www.aspirace.com today!