Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Continuing Education and CEUCafe

1. Can I earn all 36 units--including BBS required courses--through CEUCafe?

Yes. Per the Board of Behavioral Sciences, all CEUs may be obtained through electronic means. You may even obtain credit for mandatory courses which include Spousal or Partner Abuse, HIV/AIDS, Aging and Long Term Care and Law and Ethics. You may choose nonfiction material that is relevant to the above-named topics. Non-mandatory courses may include any material that is relevant to your field as defined by the BBS.

Please note - Amended Regulation regarding obtaining CE: Effective February 1, 2003, licensees may obtain all of their hours of required continuing education through interactive, electronic means. This includes online, teleconferencing, and videotape viewing. For additional information about continuing education requirements visit the BBS website: http://www.bbs.ca.gov/licensees/ce_licensees.shtml

2. If I’m reading a book at home, why isn’t it considered a “home study” course?

The BBS distinguishes between home study and interactive, electronic means by virtue of the way the post-test is administered. Since you complete your post-test online, it is not considered home study.

3. How do I know if the material I want to use is acceptable for CEU credit?

Any non-fiction material relating to the MFT/LCSW scope of practice is acceptable. Courses can relate to direct patient/client care (theoretical frameworks, intervention techniques, etc.) or indirect patient/client care (legal issues, consultation, record keeping, office management, insurance matters, supervision, etc.).

According the BBS, course work needs to be related to the MFT's/LCSW's scope of practice, and incorporate at least one of the following:

• Aspects of counseling or social work that are fundamental to the understanding or practice of counseling or social work;
• Aspects of counseling or social work in which significant recent developments have occurred; and
• Aspects of other related disciplines that enhance the understanding or practice of counseling or social work.

The material you choose cannot be designed for lay people (financial gain, time management, career development, computers/software, etc.) as this is not considered acceptable for continuing education.

If you have specific questions about the material you would like to use, call or email us and we would be happy to discuss it with you.

4. What is the definition of "scope of practice" for MFTs and LCSWs?

Scope of Practice for Marriage and Family Therapists:

It is that service performed with individuals, couples, or groups wherein interpersonal relationships are examined for the purpose of achieving more adequate, satisfying, and productive marriage and family adjustments. This practice includes relationship and pre-marriage counseling. The applications of marriage, family, and child counseling principles and methods includes, but is not limited to, the use of applied psychotherapeutic techniques, to enable individuals to mature and grow within marriage and the family, and the provision of explanations and interpretations of the psychosexual and psychosocial aspects of relationships. (B&P 4980.02)

Scope of Practice for Licensed Clinical Social Workers:

It is a service in which a special knowledge of social resources, human capabilities, and the part that unconscious motivation plays in determining behavior, is directed a helping people to achieve more adequate, satisfying, and productive social adjustments. The application of social work principles and methods includes, but is not restricted to, counseling and using applied psychotherapy of a non-medical nature with individuals, families, or groups; providing information and referral services; providing or arranging for the provision of social services; explaining or interpreting the psychosocial aspects in the situations of individuals, families, or groups; helping communities to organize, to provide, or to improve social or health services; or doing research related to social work. (B&P 4996.9)

5.  The BBS requires additional coursework before I can be licensed as an MFT or LCSW. Can I complete this coursework through CEUCafe.com?

The BBS allows some of the coursework required prior to licensure to be obtained from an approved continuing education provider, such as CEUCafe.com. Please note: there is a difference between the MFT and LCSW requirements in terms of courses that are approved for credit through continuing education providers.

The allowed pre-licensure coursework for LCSWs:

• Child Abuse Assessment and Reporting (7 Hours)
• Human Sexuality (10 Hours)
• Alcoholism and Chemical Substance Abuse Dependency (15 Hours)
• Spousal/Partner Abuse (no hour requirement for those prior to 12/31/03; must be 15 hours for those after 1/1/2004)
• Aging and Long Term Care (10 Hours for those after 1/1/2004)

The allowed pre-licensure coursework for MFTs:

• Child Abuse Assessment and Reporting (7 Hours)
• Human Sexuality (10 Hours)
• Aging and Long Term Care (10 Hours)

See the BBS website for additional information about LCSW and MFT pre-licensure requirements. (A good place to start is the FAQs page: http://www.bbs.ca.gov/quick_links/faq.shtml)

6. How do I calculate the number of CE credits I will receive for the material I choose?

The number of CE credits is automatically calculated on self-submitted material based on the information you provide. You may receive credit for books, journal articles, or audio/video tapes that you have read during your current renewal period. For self-selected material, CEUs are given at the following rates:

• Books -- 40 pages = 1 CEU
• Journal Articles -- 5 pages = 1 CEU
• Audio/Video Tape, CD, DVD -- 1 hour = 1 CEU

7. How are self-selected courses evaluated?

After you select and purchase your course, log onto your account and click on the "take test" button that corresponds with your selected course to complete and submit your essay test and evaluation. Once your post-test is submitted, a qualified evaluator will check for relevance, accuracy, and content. When it is determined that it is acceptable for CEU credit, you will receive an email of acceptance and may print your Certificate of Completion via email link. We usually process submitted tests within a 4 hour period, but not longer than 24 hours. If you have submitted your test and have not received your certificate within this time frame, please call or email us at info@ceucafe.com for additional assistance.

8. What kinds of questions are asked on the essay test for a self-selected course?

The post-test questions are as follows:

• Summarize the overall theme or purpose of this material.
• Discuss the points you found most significant in this material.
• Discuss how you would apply this material to the practice of your profession.
• Write a critique of this material.

A concise paragraph in response to each question is sufficient to demonstrate familiarity with the subject matter. You must also agree to the following statement: I certify that the material I have chosen for continuing education credit was read, listened to, or viewed in its entirety within my current license renewal period. I further certify that I personally and solely completed the post-test and course evaluation honestly and accurately.

Your certificate will not be available until you complete the post-test.

9. What kinds of questions are on the post-test for a CEUCafe course?

For CEUCafe courses (including preselected books), you must complete an online post-test that includes true/false and/or multiple choice questions. There is no limit on the number of times that you may take the post-test in order to receive a passing score of 70%. You will not be charged if you take the test again.

After you select and purchase your course, read the course materials. Then, log on to your CEUCafe account and click on the "take test" button that corresponds with your course in order to complete the post-test. Your answers are not saved if you leave in the middle of the test, so we recommend that you print out a copy of the test questions to answer offline, and then enter all the answers at once. As soon as you pass the post-test, your certificate of completion will be available to view and print immediately.

10. I passed the post-test, but I want to know the answers to the questions I missed!

Send an email to info@ceucafe.com and we will email you the answers to any test you successfully passed.

11. How will I obtain my certificate of completion? 

For self-selected material, when your post-test has been approved you will be notified by email that your certificate is ready to be printed. You may also request via email that your certificate be mailed to you. For CEUCafe courses and preselected books, your certificate of completion will be available as soon as you pass the post-test. 

12. It's been over 24 hours since I submitted my post-test on a self-selected course. I've checked my email, but haven't received any messages from CEUCafe.com.

We e-mail your certificate as an attachment. If your e-mail account preferences are set up to reject messages with attachments, or to reject auto-respond messages, or to send unknown e-mails to a junk folder, this might be why you haven't received our e-mail messages.  You can alternatively log on to your CEUCafe.com account and get your certificate. Call or e-mail us if you are still having trouble accessing your certificate. 

13. What if I need additional copies of my CEU certificate?

Log onto your CEUCafe account anytime to see a list of your completed courses and print additional copies of your certificate at any time.

14. Is my credit card and other personal information secure? 

Yes, your credit card information is submitted using a Secure Socket Layer (SSL). On your URL address bar you will notice the "https://". This indicates that the payment information you are submitting is encrypted and secure. We do not keep your credit card information on file, nor do we ever share any of your personal information with anyone.

15. I entered a valid credit card number, but it was denied. 

Our credit card processing service matches the zip code on your credit card billing statement with the zip code you use when you registered at CEUCafe as an additional security measure. If you entered your business address when you registered at CEUCafe, it might not match your credit card billing information. You can update your CEUCafe account information by logging on to your account, and then clicking “My Profile” on the menu bar.

16. When will my credit card be billed? 

Your credit card will be processed electronically after you have chosen your course.  We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express through our secure online payment process with Bank of America.

17. What if the online course materials do not meet my learning objectives? 

We want you to be satisfied with your CEUCafe learning experience! If the course materials do not meet your learning objectives, please contact us via phone or e-mail at info@ceucafe.com and we will promptly refund the purchase price of your course, no questions asked.

18. What if I forgot my password? 

Click the “forgot password” link on the Login page.

19. I logged onto my account, but I don’t see the course I purchased. 

Did you create more than one account with different usernames? If so, you might be logged onto the wrong account. You can request via email or phone that we check for multiple accounts under the same license number and that we delete any duplicate, inactive account(s).

20. I purchased a CEUCafe course, but I can’t download the materials. 

Do you have an updated version of Adobe Reader installed on your computer? Go to Adobe.com to download the latest version of this free software. Do you have a Macintosh computer with a recent version of the Safari web browser? If so, there have been some reported technical issues with the Macintosh operating system and some pdf files. You may want to consult with someone from Apple, or do an online search for possible fixes. We are also continuing to look for a fix on our end. Email or call for updated information if you think this problem might apply to you.

We know that the journey to obtain your license may not have been easy. We also know that education is an ongoing pursuit. As you continue your professional journey, we believe that the learning process is most relevant when you have the freedom to develop your unique interests and passions. Whatever your interest, you can choose CE course material that fits your personal learning objectives.

When you're ready to start, click "Earn CEU's Now" to create an account. Then, you can choose the type of course you want to take, either self-selected material, or one of our CEUCafe courses.

Enjoy your journey!