Telehealth Explorer Blog

Filter by Search or Category Selection

Telehealth CE Requirements for California’s Behavioral Health Clinicians

Telehealth CE Requirements for California’s Behavioral Health Clinicians

AB 1759 (Chapter 520, Statutes of 2022) will go into effect on July 1, 2023. One of the changes to this law is that the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) will require that licensees who are renewing as well as new license applicants must take 3 hours of “training or coursework in the provision of mental health services via telehealth, which must include law and ethics related to telehealth.”

The required training can be obtained in one of two ways: a) from a graduate program (with written certification that the coursework meets the criteria) or b) by completing 3 hours of continuing education training from a provider that is acceptable by the BBS.

Telehealth Law and Ethics training for California BBS licensees is a one-time requirement, the coursework can be a part of a larger CE program (as long as there is proof that the required content was covered), and there is no age limit on the coursework.

If you are currently licensed in California, then upon your renewal on or after July 1, 2023, you will be required to attest that you have completed the required coursework and maintain documentation for your own records.

  • If you previously took a course that meets the Telehealth Law and Ethics requirement, then simply maintain the certificate of completion for your files.
  • If you took a CE course (or courses) in order to fulfill this requirement, those hours can count toward your 36-hour continuing education hours required for renewal, and you will need to keep the certificate for your files.

If you are a new applicant to the California BSS on or after July 1, 2023, you will be required to submit proof that you completed this training with your application.

Telehealth Certification Institute offers a variety of courses that will fulfill the CE requirement of AB 1759, including this course taught by Ray Barrett, TCI's founder and CEO. We are an approved provider by NBCC and ASWB, both of which offer hours that are accepted by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. Please visit this page for our CE details.

You can find Telehealth Law & Ethics courses here, and if you have any questions, please reach out to our friendly support team who are always happy to assist.

 

BBS References

AB 1759 FAQ

BBS Registrant FAQ

California Telehealth FAQ

Testimonials