Chapter B3 – Article 10. BHA Continuing Education

Sec. B3.10.100. BHA/P Continuing Education Requirements.

1. A behavioral health aide or practitioner who is an applicant for recertification under B1.30.100 [BHA recertification requirements]:
   1. as a behavioral health aide who has not completed the requirements for the next level of certification prior to the deadline for recertification; or
   2. as a behavioral health practitioner;
2. must provide evidence satisfactory to the Board that they have completed a minimum of 40 contact hours of continuing education approved by the Board on varied or updated topics during the 24 months prior to the current certificate expiration date, or in the case of a lapsed certificate or delayed application, 24 months prior to the application date, provided that:
   1. no fewer than 4 of the required contact hours must be regarding ethics and consent;
   2. no fewer than 4 of the required contact hours must be regarding confidentiality and privacy; and
   3. no fewer than 4 of the required contact hours must be regarding cross cultural communication and understanding and working with diverse populations:
      1. various ethnicities or cultural heritages, age groups, genders, lifestyles, family dynamics, or socioeconomic statuses, or diagnostic categories; or
      2. effective strategies for working with diverse populations, conducting self-assessments and navigating value differences, developing cultural awareness and an understanding of the potential influence on a person’s behavioral health; and
   4. the balance of the hours must be related to the knowledge and skills identified or related to those described in section B2.30.010 [BHA/P knowledge, skills, and scope of practice]; and
   5. a minimum of 20 CEUs are attended via face-to-face instruction.

Sec. B3.10.200. Approved Continuing Education Programs for BHA/P.

1. To be approved by the Board, a continuing education program must:
   1. contribute to the knowledge or skills described in section B2.30.010 [BHA/P knowledge, skills, and scope of practice] or expand on content or subject matter described in chapter B-5 [BHA/P curricula];
   2. directly relate to the scope of practice of a behavioral health aide or practitioner; and
   3. be no less than 1 hour in length.
2. A continuing education program that meets the requirements of section B3.10.200(a) [approved continuing education programs for BHA/P; competencies] and is offered or sponsored by any of the following organizations is considered approved by the Board:
   1. a certified BHA/P Training Center;
   2. Alaska Commission for Behavioral Health Certification (ACBHC);
   3. the Indian Health Service (IHS);
   4. Alaska Board of Social Work Examiners (ABSWE);
   5. Alaska Training Cooperative (AKTC);
   6. Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME);
   7. an accredited postsecondary education institution;
   8. American Counseling Association (ACA);
   9. American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC);
   10. American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA);
   11. American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM);
   12. American Psychological Association (APA);
   13. Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC);
   14. International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC);
   15. net (Safetalk);
   16. National Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC);
   17. National Association of Social Workers (NASW) or any state chapter of NASW;
   18. National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC);
   19. National Association of Direct Service Providers (NADSP); or
   20. QPR Institute.
3. Tribal Continuing Education Programs. A continuing education program provided by the tribe or tribal organization’s health program that meets the requirements of section 10.200(a) [approved continuing education programs for BHA/P; competencies] shall be approved by the Board. Submission of the plan or BHA Curriculum for the continuing education program or programs to the Board may be done prior to or after the program has been conducted. Approval may be granted for more than one program at a time. Re-approval need not be obtained for an approved program that is being repeated within a three year period after the most recent approval.
4. Self-Study Programs. A self-study continuing education program sponsored by one of the organizations listed in subsections B3.10.200(b) [approved continuing education programs for BHA/P; sponsorship] or (c) [approved continuing education programs for BHA/P; tribal continuing education programs] that meets the requirements of section B3.10.200(a) [approved continuing education programs for BHA/P; competencies] is considered approved by the Board.
5. A continuing education program not sponsored by one of the organizations listed in subsection B3.10.200(b) [approved continuing education programs for BHA/P; sponsorship] or (c) [approved continuing education programs for BHA/P; tribal continuing education programs] must be individually approved by the Board. Such approval can be provided at the time of application for recertification if the applicant submits evidence sufficient to permit the Board to determine whether the training meets the requirements of this section.