become a ce provider - MCEAP

MCEAP CE Provider Guidelines (download a copy here)

What is the MAMHCA Continuing Education Authorization Program (MCEAP)?

The Massachusetts Mental Health Counselors Association (MaMHCA) is the designated entity of the Board of Registration of Allied Mental Health and Human Services Professions to approve sponsors of Continuing Education (CE) activities for Licensed Mental Health Counselors in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

General Guidelines for Approved Providers

1. Approved workshops must enhance or upgrade mental health counseling knowledge or skills.
2. Activities must be targeted to a clinical mental health professional audience.
3. Workshops must be a minimum of one contact hour.
4. The target audience must be clinical mental health professionals.
5. Programs focusing on ethics must include information on the ethical codes of the American Counseling Association (ACA) and/or the American Mental Health Counseling Association (AMHCA).
6. A change in course content or presenters, after workshop approval, may void approval of the workshop. Notify MAMHCA of changes as soon as possible to avoid disqualification of the activity.
7. Providers must be prepared to accommodate persons with disabilities.

Instructional Staff Requirements

All instructional staff or presenters must be qualified by means of specialized training and experience in the subject matter being taught.

Instructional staff must meet one of the following criteria unless MAMHCA/MCEAP waives the requirement:

1. Massachusetts Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) or Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor (CCMHC).
2. Other licensed mental health professional with at least a Masters Degree and a minimum of two years experience in mental health counseling
3. Non-clinical mental health professional with a Masters degree and relevant experience.

Applications & Submissions

Please submit application information at least six weeks prior to each program.

• Applications will not be reviewed unless payment and all requested information are received.
• Allow 4 to 6 weeks to be notified of the program status.
• Notification will be delivered to the contact person of record via email

Approvals

• Approved provider status is granted for individual offerings of CE activities, series events, conferences with multiple breakouts and online presentations. Upon notification of approval, the provider will receive a MaMHCA/MCEAP certification number.
• A program can be offered again within (1) year of the initial approval

Denial & Appeal Process

Applicants that do not meet MAMHCA/MCEAP requirements will not be approved.

• The reason for denial will be specified in a written response from MAMHCA.
• Applicants will be given thirty days from the postmark date of the notification of the denial to submit documented evidence as to why approval should be granted.
• Within one month from the receipt of the additional material, MAMHCA will notify you of its decision

Approved Provider Responsibilities

Providers of approved programs are required to do the following:

• Create and distribute certificates of attendance to participants who achieve 100% attendance as required by the MA Board of Registration (there may be extenuating circumstances which would allow for 80% attendance).
• Keep attendance, evaluation, and program records for 4 years (two licensing cycles).

Promotion and Advertising

When advertising your program, you are required to use the following language:

• If an authorization number HAS been issued at the time of advertising, appropriate wording is: “This program has been approved by MaMHCA/MCEAP for _________ CEs
• If an authorization number HAS NOT been secured at the time of printing, appropriate wording is: “Application for MaMHCA/MCEAP continuing education credits has been submitted. Please contact us at (your organization’s phone number/email/website/etc.) for the status of CE’s for LMHCs”

Compliance with Ethical Requirements

1. Staff affiliated with the agency, instructors and participants must follow the principles set forth in the ACA and AMHCA Code of Ethics in all aspects of their involvement in the Continuing Education activities.
2. The CE provider must indicate an established policy regarding cancellations and refunds unless the program is an in-house or free program.
3. The provider must have an established policy regarding the handling of complaints filed by participants. Complaints must be handled in an ethical and timely fashion.
4. All promotional materials must accurately reflect the information provided in the CE Provider application that was approved.

MCEAP Application here!