DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

[Filed February 11, 2019, 9:30 a.m., effective March 14, 2019]

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.

Purpose: WAC 246-810-029(3) Acceptable continuing education courses for a certified counselor and certified adviser, the department of health is adopting rule language that will increase the amount of allowable distance learning program hours from twelve to up to twenty hours per reporting period.

Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 246-810-029.

Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 18.19.050.

Adopted under notice filed as WSR 18-16-079 on July 30, 2018.

A final cost-benefit analysis is available by contacting James Chaney, Department of Health, P.O. Box 47852, Olympia, WA 98504-7852, phone 360-236-2831, fax 360-236-2901, TTY 360-833-6388 or 711, email James.Chaney@doh.wa.gov.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted at the Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.

Date Adopted: February 11, 2019.

John Wiesman, DrPH, MPH

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 09-15-041, filed 7/8/09, effective 7/8/09)

WAC 246-810-029Acceptable continuing education courses for certified counselor and certified adviser.

(1) 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 credential holder. Relevant courses include those that are related to counseling theory and practice, modality(ies) of the counseling services the credential holder 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.

(2) 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.

(3) 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 ((twelve))twenty hours per reporting period.

(4) 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.