Certified sex offender treatment providers must complete 40 hours of continuing education every two years as required in chapter 246-12 WAC.

(1) Purpose and scope. The aim of continuing education for sex offender treatment providers is to ensure that professionals practicing in this specialty field are knowledgeable of current scientific and practice principles that affect the supervision and treatment of sex offenders in community-based treatment. Since the treatment of sex offenders in communities raises significant public safety concerns, continuing education is required to help sex offender treatment providers deliver the highest quality of professional service by being familiar with current developments in a rapidly changing profession. Certified sex offender treatment providers, regardless of certification status (e.g., full, affiliate, or provisional), shall meet the continuing education requirements set forth in this section as a prerequisite to license renewal.

(2) Specific requirements.

(a) A minimum of 30 hours of the CE shall be earned through attendance at courses, workshops, institutes, or formal conference presentations with direct, specific relevance to the assessment and treatment of sex offenders.

(i) Consultative or supervisory training obtained from other certified sex offender treatment providers is not creditable under this CE definition.

(ii) Independent study of audio or video tapes of seminar presentations not actually attended are creditable under this definition, up to a maximum of 10 hours in any two-year period. Credit for independent study will only be granted if accompanied by documentation of the learning activity, such as a written summary of the independent study activity.

(iii) CE credit for assessment and treatment of sex offender training courses presented to other professionals may be claimed by the certified provider who provides the training one time only (usually the first time it is taught, unless there is substantial revision), up to a maximum of 10 hours in any two-year period.

(iv) Courses specifically oriented toward assessment or treatment of sex offenders may be claimed as CE. The following are examples of subjects that qualify under this definition:

(A) Ethics and professional standards;

(B) Relapse prevention with sex offenders;

(C) Plethysmographic assessment;

(D) Sexual arousal assessment and reconditioning;

(E) Risk assessment with sex offenders;

(F) Psychopharmacological therapy with sex offenders;

(G) Family therapy with sex offenders;

(H) Research concerning sexual deviancy;

(I) Sexual addiction; and

(J) Therapy/clinical methods specific to sex offenders.

(b) In addition to the 30 hours of CE with direct, specific relevance to the assessment and treatment of sex offenders, 10 hours of the total requirement may be earned through participation in training courses with indirect relevance to the assessment and treatment of sex offenders. The following subjects qualify under this definition:

(i) Victimology/victim therapy;

(ii) General counseling methods;

(iii) Psychological test interpretation;

(iv) Addiction/substance abuse;

(v) Family therapy;

(vi) Group therapy;

(vii) Legal issues; and

(viii) Health equity training under (c) of this subsection.

(c) Beginning January 1, 2024, individuals certified under this chapter are required to complete at least two hours of health equity training every four-year renewal cycle. The training must meet the minimum standards under RCW 43.70.613 and comply with course requirements in WAC 246-12-800 through 246-12-830. Sex offender treatment providers who complete health equity training for their underlying credential are not required to take a separate training for their sex offender treatment provider credential during the same four-year period.

(3) Program or course approval. The department shall accept any CE that reasonably falls within the above categories and requirements. The department relies upon each individual provider's integrity with the intent and spirit of the CE requirements.

(4) CE requirement for newly certified providers. The prorated CE requirements in this subsection apply only to the first renewal following certification. If proof of CE is not required at the first renewal (dependent on birthdate), the prorated amount shall be added to the full 20 hour annual requirement for the second year following certification.

(a) Providers who are newly certified within six months of their renewal date shall not be required to submit proof of continuing education for the preceding 12-month period.

(b) Providers who are newly certified from six to nine months prior to the renewal date shall be required to submit proof of 10 hours of the annual CE requirement for the preceding 12-month period.

(c) Providers who are newly certified from nine to 12 months prior to the renewal date shall be required to submit proof of the full 20 hour annual CE requirement at the renewal date.