As a licensee you're required to know your rulebook. Not an option. What might further surprise you is that your board requires you to be familiar with at least (8) other TX Codes (laws) and (1) Federal level Code. This is all spelled out in your rulebook on page 39.

The bottom-line here is that if you ever find yourself in front of your board defending your license, "I didn't know", will not be accepted as a valid legal or emotional excuse for whatever it was you did. It's up to you to learn this stuff.

Two Things to Know About Your Rulebook

Ok, those two things I'll frame as Part 1 and Part 2. The first 79 pages of your rulebook, Part 1, are the things that govern the administrative branch of BHEC, your governing authority.

Part 2 is pages 80 through the remainder of the book. Those pages are board-specific rules/guidelines. So now you know, the first half is BHEC talking to you, the remainder is your board giving you a heads up before you drop the ball. Download and read your rulebook!

The Importance of Page 39

Your rulebook isn't the only body of work that your board requires you to know. As mentioned above there are at least (9) other bodies of code you are required (there's the "r" word again!) to be actively familiar with. Those Codes are all listed on page 39 of all 4 boards' rulebooks and they are:

• • TX Health Code
  • TX Family Code
  • TX Human Resources Code
  • TX Civil Practices and Remedies Code
  • TX Occupations Code
  • TX Education Code
  • TX Criminal Procedure Code
  • TX Insurance Code
  • 18 US Code-Health Care Fraud

Your rulebook makes many references to each of these (9) codes, and those codes are also frequently quoted in your rulebook. It's a spider's web of regulation and not knowing it makes you the low-hanging fruit. So what's a counselor to do to learn this stuff?

Your Defensive Solution

If you review The Counseling Landscape you'll see that the code requirements spelled out above make up a very large chunk of the greater body of things you need to know as a counselor. Most of it wasn't covered in grad school. PracticeMentors.us is where you'll find training on all of these topics including workshops for understanding your rulebook and the (9) codes referenced above. Let me be specific:

• The Counseling Landscape Workshop Part 1-BHEC, Your Rulebook, and The Complaint Process
• The Counseling Landscape Workshop Part 2-State Codes Pt 1 and Practice Marketing
• The Counseling Landscape Workshop Part 3-State Codes Pt 2 and More Practice Marketing
• The Counseling Landscape Workshop Part 4-Chapter 611 and the Release of Records

Your rulebook and all required codes are covered thoroughly in these 4 workshops.

Summary

We offer other workshops, too, but if you complete the four all-day workshops listed above you will:

• • Understand BHEC, who they are and why you care.
  • Know your board's rulebook inside and out.
  • Be familiar with all (9) required codes.
  • Never have to play the "I didn't know" card in front of your board.

No, it's not Harry Potter type reading but Harry won't help you when it's your turn on the hot seat, either. The information and help are out here, we've put that together for you. The next step is yours.

You got this!

Plan Smart. Be Safe. Serve Others.

Kathleen Mills, LPC-S, CEAP