Mercer University, in cooperation with the College of Continuing and Professional Studies, Department of Counseling and Human Sciences, the Division of Extended Education, and Continuing Education has developed the Center for Continuing Counselor Education and Supervision.

Purpose:
The purpose of the Center for Continuing Counselor Education and Supervision (CCCES) is to provide a vehicle to address the needs of advanced training, supervision, and continuing education for Counseling and allied professionals in the Metro Atlanta area.  The Center is an active part in fulfilling the College of Continuing and Professional Studies and Mercer University's mission and commitment to lifelong learning and professional development.

Counseling in Georgia is a licensed profession and as such is governed through the Secretary of State's Office, Division of License and Examining Boards, and by the Composite Board for Professional Counselors, Social Workers and Marriage and Family Therapist (PC, SW, and MFT's).  The Composite Board is enjoined by Georgia Law in the Official Code of Georgia Annotated (OCGA), 43-10A, to establish and maintain licensing standards for Professional Counselors, Social Workers, and Marriage and Family Therapists.  The provisions of OCGA, Section 50-13-7 require the Office of the Secretary of State to compile and publish rules and regulations for the licensing requirements for PC, SW, and MFT's.  The Administrative Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia, thus established, section 135-5-.02 sets forth requirements for a License in Professional Counseling.  Several sections of the licensing requirements mandate minimum amounts of training including: Curricular requirements, post-degree experience, Supervision Requirements, License Exam Requirements, Requirements for Approved Supervisors, and Continuing Education Requirements for licensees.

The CCCES is, in a very comprehensive and efficient way, structured to offer programs at a reasonable cost to meet the above mentioned license and maintenance requirements. In addition to individual program options and services, the Center offers a multi-tiered program and package deals for Counselors, Pastors, Christian Counselors, and Counseling related professionals to pursue non-degree specializations, certifications, and add-on's through a recognized, regionally accredited University convenient to many working professionals in the Metro Area.

A Multi-Tiered Program

CCCES Program 1-License Exam Preparation Course:
Each person seeking the license as a Professional Counselor in the State of Georgia must pass a written examination.  The Administrative Rules and Regulations for the State of Georgia, section135-5-.01(b)3 states the requirement. CCCES offers a preparation course for those individuals preparing for the licensing exam.   The preparation course is offered twice each year in the months immediately prior to the licensing exams scheduled by the Composite Board.  Cost of the Exam Prep Course is $300 which includes class materials.  

CCCES Program 2-Supervision
Each person seeking the license as a Professional Counselor in the State of Georgia must complete 3-4 years of Directed experience under supervision by an approved supervisor.  Section 135-5-.02-2(i) states the requirement.  Some people upon graduating find employment that provides supervision as a part of the job or as a perk.  Those individuals have no problem completing the supervision component of their post degree experience.  Those individuals who do not have supervision built into their work site must seek out and pay for the 3-4 years post degree supervision requirement of 30 hours per year for licensing, two years of which must be supervision by a LPC Approved Supervisor.  Finding good supervision at a reasonable cost is cited as the #1 complaint among counseling graduates seeking to complete their licenses.

CCCES offers supervision acceptable to the Composite Board at a rate far lower than normally found in the private sector. 

CCCES Program 3-CEU's
Each person who possesses the license as a PC, SW, or MFT in the State of Georgia must meet bi-annual requirements of 35 hours of approved Continuing Education Units (CEU's).  5 hours of CEU's must be in Ethics, 20 hours in Core Counseling areas, and 10 hours may be in Allied or Related Content.  The Administrative Rules and Regulations for the State of Georgia, section135-5-.02 states the requirements.

Five-five hour workshops are offered per year.  Over the two year cycle for licensing, this totals 50 total hours of CEU credit. 

Faculty
Programs through CCCES generally occur on an academic year basis and are led by Ph.D. faculty of the Department of Counseling and Human Sciences.  All are experienced teachers and all are approved supervisors with over 100 years combined experience in the field of counseling, counselor education, and supervision.  All have been licensed since the inception of the license for professional counselors in Georgia.

Dr. David Lane, Executive Director of CCCES and Community Counseling Program Coordinator.  Dr. Lane is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Nationally Board Certified Counselor, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Clinical Member of AAMFT, and Nationally Certified Family Therapist.  He has over 27 years experience in the field of professional counseling, counselor education and supervision.

Dr. Art Williams, Chair, Department of Counseling and Human Sciences.  Dr. Williams is a Licensed Professional Counselor with over 26 years experience in professional counseling, counselor education and supervision.