The Georgia Composite Board of Professional Counselors, Social Workers, and Marriage and Family Therapists is a ten-member board consisting of three professional counselors, three social workers, three marriage and family therapists, and one consumer. The three members from each profession constitute a separate standards committee for their respective specialty. The members are appointed by the Governor. Persons wishing to bring matters for the Board’s consideration should submit written notification or request to Board office.

The Board is charged by law with regulating the practice of professional counseling, social work, and marriage and family therapy in order to protect the health, safety and welfare of the people of Georgia. It does so by enforcing the education and training requirements established by law for licensure in each profession, by adopting and enforcing a code of ethics governing licensees, by establishing and enforcing continuing education requirements, and by addressing unlicensed practice in these professions.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT RE CONTINUING EDUCATION HOURS:

Due to recent amendments adopted by the Board to rule 135-6-.03 Biennial Renewal Cycle. Amended, the Board has voted on the following policy effective July 9, 2010. This policy applies to the next renewal cycle (in 2012), becoming null and void on September 30, 2012.

• Continuing Education Hours obtained on or after July, 1, 2010 through September 30, 2012 may be used to meet the continuing education hour’s requirement for renewal of a license during the next biennium renewal cycle (i.e. expiration date of September 30, 2012), ONLY.

• Continuing Education Hours obtained on or after July 1, 2010 through September 30, 2010 that are used to meet the current (2010) licensure renewal cycle’s continuing education hour’s requirement may not be counted again for the renewal in 2012.

On June 11, 2009, the spread of the H1N1 flu virus caused the World Health Organization to raise the pandemic alert level to Phase 6, the highest level. Georgia officials are currently preparing for the H1N1 influenza campaign and the seasonal influenza campaign that will be conducted during fall and winter. The Department of Community Health is asking all health professionals to serve as emergency response volunteers by signing up to assist with the 2009-2010 novel H1N1 vaccine immunization plan. For more information and to sign up for the online volunteer pool at www.servga.org.