Continuing Education Frequently Asked Questions

After initial certification, certified counselors and certified advisers must complete 36 hours of continuing education every two years. At least six hours of the 36 hours must be in law and professional ethics related to counseling. At least three hours of training in suicide assessment, including screening and referral are required once every six years. Beginning January 1, 2024, at least once every four years, a certified counselor or certified adviser must complete two hours of health equity training. See WAC 246-810-027.

• A continuing education program or course must be relevant to counseling and must contribute to the advancement, extension, and enhancement of the professional competence of the certified counselor or certified adviser. Relevant courses include those that are related to counseling theory and practice, modality(ies) of the counseling services the certified counselor or certified adviser will provide, professional ethics, courses related to risk assessment, screening using the global assessment of functioning scale, referral of clients, and Washington state law applicable to counseling.
• Continuing education courses, seminars, workshops, training programs, and institutes must have a featured instructor, speaker(s), or panel approved by an industry-recognized institution of higher learning, or a local, state, national, or international organization listed in WAC 246-810-0293.
• Distance learning programs approved by an industry-recognized local, state, national or international organization or educational organization may meet these requirements. The programs must require a test of comprehension upon completion. Distance learning programs are limited to 20 hours per reporting period.
• Other learning experiences, such as serving on a panel, board or council, community service, research, peer consultation, or publishing articles for professional publications are acceptable if the experience contributes to the advancement, extension, and enhancement of the professional competence of the certified counselor or certified adviser. The experience is limited to six hours per reporting period. See WAC 246-810-029.

• Activities that meet the requirements of WAC 246-810-029 and are offered by the following entities are eligible for continuing education credit:
• American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
• American Counseling Association
• American Mental Health Counselors Association
• Psychological Association
• Association for Humanistic Psychology
• Association for Integrative Psychology
• Association of Social Work Boards
• Clinical Social Work Association
• Institutions of higher learning that are accredited by a national or regional accrediting body recognized by the Commission on Recognition of Postsecondary Accreditation
• National Association of Social Workers
• National Association of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Counselors
• National Board for Certified Counselors
• Society for Social Work Leadership in Health Care
• State Association and National Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
• Washington Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
• Washington Chapter of the National Association of Social Work
• Washington Mental Health Counselors Association
• Washington Professional Counselors Association
• Washington State Society for Clinical Social Work
• Other organizations recognized by the secretary and included on a list maintained by the department

See WAC 246-810-0293.

A certified counselor or certified adviser who prepares and presents lectures or education that contributes to the professional competence of other counselors or mental health providers may accumulate the same number of hours obtained for continuing education purposes by attendees. The hours for presenting a lecture or education on a specific topic may be used only for continuing education credit once during each reporting period. See WAC 246-810-0295.

Acceptable continuing education documentation for certified counselors and certified advisers include transcripts, signed letters from course instructors, certificate of completion, or other formal certification, as required in chapter 246-12 WAC, Part 7.

The certified counselor or certified adviser must provide documentation that demonstrates fulfillment of continuing education requirements only when requested by the secretary. When renewing your certification every two years, you'll make an attestation of having completed the hours. See WAC 246-810-0297.

The department does not pre-approve continuing education (CE) for certified counselors and certified advisers or CE providers. If you wish to provide CEs for certified counselors or advisers, you should contact the organizations listed in WAC 246-810-0293 to inquire their process for gaining endorsement.

Two hours of health equity training is required to be completed every four years. For more information on how this continuing education credit can be completed and approved courses, see the department’s health equity continuing education webpage.

See the department’s suicide assessment model list webpage to determine if your suicide assessment training was administered by an approved provider for this continuing education requirement. 

If your suicide assessment training was completed within the last six years from the date of application and it’s listed on the department’s approved model list, you may delay completion of the first required suicide assessment training for six years.