All new initial licenses shall expire on the last day of the
licensee's birth month. The initial licensing period shall be at least
13 months and no more than 24 months. Subsequent licensing periods
will be 24 months. In order to maintain eligibility for the licensure
as a sex offender treatment provider, the mental health or medical
license of each renewal shall be current and active. All renewal applicants
shall comply with the following:
(1) Number of continuing education (CE) hours. All
renewal applicants shall acquire by the end of the 2-year cycle, a
minimum of 24 hours of documented continuing education. S ix hours
shall be in ethics, 12 hours shall be in sex offender assessment and
treatment, and 6 hours shall be in victim-related training. All accredited
mental health continuing education hours are accepted.
(2) All renewal applicants shall submit renewal forms
provided by the council and renewal fees defined in §810.5 of
this title (relating to Fees).
(3) The council shall employ an audit system for continuing
education reporting. The licensee shall be responsible for maintaining
a record of his or her continuing education experiences. The certificates
or other documentation verifying earning of continuing education hours
are not to be forwarded to the council at the time of renewal unless
the licensee has been selected for audit.
(4) The audit process shall be as follows.
(A) The department shall select for audit a random
sample of licensees for each renewal. Audit forms shall be sent to
the selected licenses.
(B) All licensees selected for audit will furnish documentation
of certificates, an affidavit identifying the continuing education
experience satisfactory to the council, or any other documentation
requested by the council to verify having earned the continuing education
hours listed on the continuing education report. The documentation
shall be provided to the council upon request.
(C) Failure to furnish this information or knowingly
providing false information during the audit process or the renewal
process are grounds for disciplinary action against the licensee.
(5) To ensure approval of continuing education hours,
licensees should request pre-approval of hours from the council before
attending continuing educational training. Instructors or sponsoring
bodies may request pre-approval of hours from the council before conducting
continuing education trainings. Continuing education activities related
to the assessment and treatment of sex offenders or sexual assault
victim related training shall be instructor-directed activities such
as conferences, symposia, seminars, and workshops.
(6) Continuing education hours will be credited for
approved, didactic presentations within the context of a professional
conference or seminar. On the job training and field trips shall not
be credited with continuing education hours.
(7) Licensees shall request pre-approval from the council
for all online courses and courses taken at an institution of higher
learning. All renewal applicants may count a maximum of 12 online
hours per biennial renewal period, not including ethics hours.
(8) All renewal applicants may count a maximum of 6
hours per biennial renewal period for the presentation of continuing
education training, lectures, or courses in the specific area of sex
offender assessment and treatment, sexual assault issues and/or victim
training.
(9) Continuing education extension.
(A) A licensee who has failed to complete the requirements
for continuing education may be granted a 90-day extension by the
executive director.
(B) The request for an extension of the CE period shall
be made in writing and shall be postmarked at least 30 days prior
to the expiration date of the license.
(C) If an extension is requested, a late fee equal
to one-half of the renewal fee stated in §810.5(b)(2)(B) of this
title will be assessed.
(D) Credit earned during the extension period cannot
be applied toward the next CE period.
(E) A person who fails to complete the CE requirements
during the extension period or who does not request an extension and
holds an expired license, shall not use the title of LSOTPV or ASOTP,
practice as a sex offender treatment provider, or provide sex offender
treatment.
(10) A license shall be renewed upon completion of
the required CE within the given extension period, submission of the
license form, and payment of the applicable late renewal fee.
(11) A person who fails to complete CE requirements
for renewal and failed to request an extension to the CE period may
not renew the license. The person may obtain a new license by complying
with the current requirements and procedures for obtaining a license.
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| Source Note: The provisions of this §810.4 adopted to be effective October 22, 2006, 31 TexReg 8520; amended to be effective April 24, 2011, 36 TexReg 2396; amended to be effective October 1, 2015, 40 TexReg 6748; amended to be effective November 22, 2020, 45 TexReg 8170 |
