Section 12 AAC 18.210 - Continuing education requirement(a) An applicant for renewal of a social worker license who has been licensed for less than 12 months of the concluding license period shall document completion of 21 contact hours of continuing education activities acceptable to the board that were earned during the concluding license period and include a minimum of (1) six contact hours in substance abuse education; (2) six contact hours in cross-cultural education relating to Alaska Natives; (3) three contact hours in professional ethics; (4) three contact hours in teletherapy practice; and (5) three contact hours in suicide education. (b) For an applicant's first biennial renewal of a social worker license, if the applicant has been licensed for at least 12 months of the concluding license period, the applicant shall document completion of 45 contact hours of continuing education activities acceptable to the board that were earned during the concluding license period and include a minimum of (1) six contact hours in substance abuse education;(2) six contact hours in cross-cultural education relating to Alaska Natives; (3) three contact hours in professional ethics; (4) three contact hours in teletherapy practice; and (5) three contact hours in suicide education. (c) After an applicant's first biennial renewal of a social worker license, an applicant for renewal of a social worker license shall document completion of 45 contact hours of continuing education activities acceptable to the board that were earned during the concluding license period and include a minimum of (1) six contact hours in substance abuse education; (2) six contact hours in cross-cultural education, of which three hours include issues relating to Alaska Natives;(3) three contact hours in professional ethics; (4) three contact hours in teletherapy practice; and (5) three contact hours in suicide education. (d) Only hours of actual attendance during which instruction was given will be accepted as continuing education contact hours earned from an academic course that is audited by the licensee, and the total number of contact hours earned may not exceed the academic credit hours offered for that course. (e) Not more than 12 contact hours of continuing education activities required under this section may be completed in one day. (f) An applicant for renewal under this section may receive up to three hours of professional ethics continuing education credit under (a)(3), (b)(3), or (c)(3) of this section once every biennial licensing period for each 150 minutes of attendance at a regularly scheduled board meeting. (g) For purposes of this section, (1) one "contact hour" equals a minimum of 50 minutes of classroom instruction between instructor and participant; (2) one academic semester credit equals 15 contact hours; (3) one academic quarter credit equals 10 contact hours; (4) "relating to Alaska Natives" means a structured educational experience such as a course, lecture, workshop, or other organized training that focuses on the indigenous peoples of Alaska as it applies to social work practices; and(5) "teletherapy practice" means the use of audio, video, or data communications to perform functions or practices within the training required for licensure under AS 08.95 and this chapter and while physically separated from a client.Eff. 9/26/91, Register 119; am 10/14/99, Register 152; am 11/4/2015, Register 216, January 2016; am 3/26/2020, Register 233, April 2020; am 6/11/2023, Register 246, July 2023Authority:AS 08.95.030
AS 08.95.040