LPCC Continuing Education and Maintenance 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The primary purpose of mandatory CE requirements for LPCCs is to:
- Generate revenue for licensing boards
- Ensure ongoing competence and protect public welfare (Correct answer)
- Limit the number of active license holders
- Standardize counselor salaries across states
Correct answer: Ensure ongoing competence and protect public welfare
CE requirements exist to ensure that licensed counselors maintain current knowledge and skills, thereby protecting the clients they serve.
Question 2: A state board requires 40 CE hours per two-year renewal cycle. A counselor completes 45 hours. The extra 5 hours:
- Can always be carried over to the next renewal cycle
- Are forfeited unless the board has a specific carry-over policy (Correct answer)
- Must be reported to NBCC separately
- Automatically upgrade the counselor to a supervisor designation
Correct answer: Are forfeited unless the board has a specific carry-over policy
Excess CE hours are forfeited at the end of a renewal cycle unless the board's specific rules permit a carry-over.
Question 3: Which of the following best describes CE reciprocity between states for LPCCs?
- All states automatically accept CE completed in any other state
- CE reciprocity is uniform across all NBCC-credentialed counselors
- Reciprocity varies; counselors must verify that their state accepts out-of-state CE (Correct answer)
- CE completed abroad is always accepted if the provider is NBCC-approved
Correct answer: Reciprocity varies; counselors must verify that their state accepts out-of-state CE
CE reciprocity policies differ by state, so counselors must confirm that their licensing board accepts CE earned in another jurisdiction.
Question 4: A counselor who allows their LPCC license to lapse for 18 months and then seeks reinstatement would most likely be required to:
- Pass only the state jurisprudence exam again
- Complete CE hours as if they had continued practicing, plus any reinstatement CE (Correct answer)
- Restart the entire licensure process from the beginning
- Submit only a reinstatement fee with no additional CE
Correct answer: Complete CE hours as if they had continued practicing, plus any reinstatement CE
Most boards require lapsed license holders to demonstrate recent competence by completing CE hours proportional to the lapse period.
Question 5: Which organization accredits CE providers specifically for professional counselors and is most recognized by state LPCC boards?
- American Psychological Association (APA)
- National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) (Correct answer)
- National Association of Social Workers (NASW)
- American Medical Association (AMA)
Correct answer: National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)
NBCC-approved providers are the most universally recognized source of CE credit for licensed counselors across U.S. state boards.
Question 6: A newly licensed LPCC discovers that her state has a 'first renewal exemption' policy. This most likely means:
- She never has to complete CE for her first license period
- She is exempt from paying renewal fees during her first cycle
- She has reduced CE requirements for her initial renewal period only (Correct answer)
- She may supervise others without additional training during year one
Correct answer: She has reduced CE requirements for her initial renewal period only
Many states reduce CE hour requirements for new licensees during their first renewal cycle because recent training is presumed current.
Question 7: An LPCC wants CE credit for a self-study course without a post-test. Most state boards would:
- Accept it because self-study is inherently rigorous
- Reject it because a verification mechanism is required (Correct answer)
- Accept it only if the course is 10 or more hours
- Accept it as supervision credit instead
Correct answer: Reject it because a verification mechanism is required
Boards generally require a post-test, quiz, or other assessment to verify learning when CE is completed via self-study formats.
LPCC Continuing Education and Maintenance 3
The primary purpose of mandatory CE requirements for LPCCs is to: