Section 24-8-5-1 - Biennial Renewal RequirementsA. Timely Submission of Renewal Application(1) In accordance with the two-year licensure period established by the Division, Licensees shall renew professional certification/licensure on or before the established December 31st renewal deadline in order to maintain current status. The first established deadline for renewal is December 31, 1999; subsequent deadlines for renewal will be every other year, such as December 31, 2001; December 31, 2003; December 31, 2005; etc.(2) The responsibility for timely renewal is that of the Licensee. Failure to receive a notification of renewal shall not relieve the Licensee from renewal requirements, including that of timely renewal.B. Employment (1) A Licensee applying for renewal must continue to be in the employ of a program as described in Chapter 3, Section 1, A., p. 6.(2) If the Licensee applying for renewal is no longer in the employ of a program as described in Chapter 3, Section 1, A., p. 6, he/she must have inactive status as described in Chapter 3, Section 6, B., (2), p. 14.C. Ongoing Inservice/Training (1) Requirements (a) A Licensee applying for renewal must provide proof of a minimum of 40 contact hours of successfully completed ongoing inservice/ training (approximately 20 contact hours per year) as verified by the Staff Development Officer at the Licensee's place of employment.(b) In order to be applicable for renewal, reported contact hours must have been accrued during the immediately preceding two-year licensure period.(c) A suggested form for reporting ongoing inservice/training contact hours is included in Chapter 9; however, staff development reporting forms currently in use by programs are acceptable as long as they contain the same information.(2) Contact Hour Options (a) Contact hours may be accrued through staff development inservice/training provided through the Licensee's place of employment (including DMH- required training as indicated in the Minimum Standards for Community Mental Health/Mental retardation Services), DMH -sponsored training events, or other conferences/workshops/ CE s., etc., approved by the Division.(b) Up to one- half of the required minimum number of contact hours (20 of the required 40 minimum contact hours) may be obtained by presenting ongoing inservice/training activities.(c) Additional hours of graduate-level college credit in mental health/ mental retardation/management- related courses from an approved educational institution may also be reported as ongoing inservice/training. These hours must have been attended and successfully completed during the immediately preceding two-year licensure period. An official college transcript(s) should accompany the Verification of Ongoing Inservice /Training Form(s) reporting such training experiences, but may be received directly from the approved educational institution, if necessary. One three semester hour applicable college course shall be considered to be the equivalent of 30 contact hours.24 Miss. Code. R. § 8-5-1