Section 24-6-5-1 - Renewal RequirementsA. Required Biennially Individuals holding full certification (CMHT) or licensure (LCMHT) are required to renew their professional credential every two (2) years on a certification/licensure schedule established by the Division.
(1) The Mental Health Therapist Program is organized by two-year Certification/ Licensure Periods. The first Certification/Licensure Period was July 1, 1997 through June 30, 2000 (three years). Subsequent periods will be every two years such as follows: Certification /Licensure Periods
2nd Period: July 1, 2000- June 30, 2002
3rd Period: July 1, 2002- June 30, 2004
4th Period: July 1, 2004- June 30, 2006
5th Period: July 1, 2006- June 30, 2008
(2) In accordance with the two-year Certification/ Licensure Period established by the Division, individuals holding full certification or licensure shall renew their professional certification and licensure on or before the established June 30th renewal deadline in order to maintain Current status.(3) The first established deadline for renewal was June 30, 2000; subsequent deadlines for renewal will be every other year, such as June 30, 2002, June 30, 2004, June 30, 2006, June 30, 2008, etc.(4) Prior to each renewal deadline, the Division plans to mail each certificant and licensee with either Current or Inactive status a renewal notice containing current forms and directions.B. Responsibility The responsibility for timely renewal is that of the certificant/licensee.
(1) Failure to receive a renewal notice from the Division shall not relieve the certificant/licensee from the renewal requirement.(2) Individuals who do not renew by the established deadline will be considered to have allowed their credential to lapse. As a result, the status for each such individual will be changed to Lapsed. See Chapter 5, Section 5, pp. 33-34, for more information on expiration of professional certification/licensure.C. Employment Requirement A certificant/licensee applying for renewal must either continue to be in the employ of a program as described in Chapter 3, Section 1, C., p. 7 or must have Inactive status. See Chapter 3, Section 7, C., (2), pp. 16-17, for more information on Inactive status. Additional information on reporting employment can be found in Chapter 5, Section 2, C., p. 31.
D. Ongoing Inservice/Training Requirement(1) A certificant/licensee applying for renewal must provide proof of a minimum of thirty (30) Contact Hours of successfully completed inservice/training (approximately fifteen [15] Contact Hours per year) as verified by the program's designated Staff Development Officer.(2) A certificant applying to upgrade to licensure at the time of renewal must provide proof of a minimum of thirty (30) Contact Hours of successfully completed inservice/training (approximately fifteen [15] Contact Hours per year) as verified by the program's designated Staff Development Officer. See Chapter 5, Section 1, E., p. 30 for more information on the Upgrade Option.(3) Whether applying for renewal or applying for an upgrade under the Upgrade Option, the Contact Hours must have been accrued during the current Certification/Licensure Period. See Chapter 5, Section 1, E., p. 30 for more information on the Upgrade Option.E. Upgrade Option(1) Although an individual may upgrade to full certification or licensure at any time he/she is eligible, the option also exists to upgrade at the time of renewal rather than renew certification/licensure. This is called the Upgrade Option and is available during the three months prior to the end of the Certification/Licensure Period (the months of April, May and June prior to the Mental Health Therapist Program's biennial renewal).(2) A certificant choosing the Upgrade Option must submit his/her complete upgrade application packet so that it is received by the Division between April 1st and the June 30th renewal deadline.(3) A certificant whose upgrade application packet submitted under the Upgrade Option is not received by the Division by the June 30th renewal deadline is expected to renew his/her certification. No upgrade application packet will be accepted for the Upgrade Option after the June 30th renewal deadline.(4) A certificant choosing the Upgrade Option is expected to report a minimum of thirty (30) Contact Hours of inservice training from the current two-year Certification/Licensure Period as part of his/her upgrade application packet.F. Not Applicable Renewal is not applicable to individuals holding provisional certification (PCMHT). At the conclusion of the two (2) year Provisional Certification Period, a PCMHT may upgrade to either full certification (CMHT) or licensure (LCMHT). See Chapter 3, Section 2, B., p. 8 for more information on provisional certification.
24 Miss. Code. R. § 6-5-1