Lawriter - OAC - 5123:2-5-05 Early intervention registration and certification standards.

5123:2-5-05 Early intervention registration and certification standards.

(A) Purpose

The purpose of this rule is to establish minimum qualifications through registration and certification standards for staff working in early intervention positions at county boards of mental retardation and developmental disabilities or their contract agencies.

(B) Application

These standards shall apply to persons directly providing, supervising the provision of, or assisting in the provision of early intervention services, who are employed by county boards of mental retardation and developmental disabilities or agencies contracting with a county board to provide early intervention services.

(1) A person who is employed to assist an early intervention specialist or an early intervention supervisor shall have program assistant level registration in accordance with this rule.

(2) An early intervention specialist shall have specialist level certification in accordance with this rule.

(3) An early intervention supervisor shall have supervisor level certification in accordance with this rule, except that a person employed as the superintendent of a county board who supervises the early intervention program for less than one-thousand-forty hours per calendar year (i.e., .5 full-time equivalent) is not required to hold early intervention supervisor level certification.

(4) Persons who are hired to provide services solely to the HMG system (e.g., family support specialists, HMG project directors, or service coordinators) shall meet Ohio department of health policies on personnel standards, and are not required to hold a credential issued by the department.

(1) "Applicant" means a person submitting a completed application to the department for early intervention registration or certification.

(2) "College course" means department-approved instruction of a minimum of two semester hours or three quarter hours of credit offered by a college or university.

(3) "College or university" means a state university or college as defined in section 3345.32 of the Revised Code, a state university or college of another state, or an institution that has received a certificate of authorization to confer degrees from the board of regents pursuant to Chapter 1713. of the Revised Code or from a comparable agency of another state.

(4) "Continuing professional development" means department-approved training by approved providers used by applicants to renew provisional grade and professional grade early intervention registration and certification. A unit of continuing professional development is fifty minutes of instruction.

(5) "County board" means a county board of mental retardation and developmental disabilities as established under Chapter 5126. of the Revised Code.

(6) "Department" means the Ohio department of mental retardation and developmental disabilities as established by section 121.02 of the Revised Code.

(7) "Director" means the administrative head of the department as established by section 121.03 of the Revised Code.

(8) "Early intervention" means services and supports provided as early as possible to enhance a family's ability to meet the developmental needs of their child. Early intervention services and supports are designed to identify the presence of a disability, delay, or risk factors which may lead to a delay, and provide interventions responsive to the preferences of the family that maximize the child's optimal growth and development. Early intervention services and supports may include any of the types of services listed under the "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act" (IDEA), Part C system, Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations, sections (c) and (d) of 303.12 (revised as of July 1, 2002). The identification of a need for any specific early intervention service or support results from the comprehensive, ongoing assessment of the child and family.

(9) "GED" means a general equivalency diploma.

(10) "Grades" mean the designations within the levels of early intervention registration and certification that differentiate the effective dates and minimum requirements (i.e., one-year substitute, one-year temporary, five-year provisional, and ten-year professional).

(11) "HMG" means "Help Me Grow," an Ohio family and children first initiative directed by the Ohio department of health and coordinated on the county level by the family and children first council. HMG is Ohio's birth through two system designed to create, nourish, and maintain a coordinated, community-based infrastructure that promotes transdisciplinary, family-centered services and supports to eligible expectant parents, newborns, infants and toddlers, and their families.

(12) "Levels" mean the categories used to differentiate employee positions within the validation of early intervention (i.e., program assistant registration, specialist certification, and supervisor certification).

(13) "Orientation program" means that within ninety days of initial employment by a county board or by an agency contracting with a county board to provide early intervention services, an applicant shall successfully complete thirty hours of training which shall include, but is not limited to, the following areas: overview of developmental disabilities; board operations and table of organization; county board rules; roles, functions, and responsibilities of early intervention personnel; medicaid accountability; rights of individuals with mental retardation or other developmental disabilities; health, safety, and welfare of individuals with mental retardation or other developmental disabilities; mandated reporting requirements; confidentiality; techniques and philosophy of intervention and training; services and supports and service delivery settings; team processes; conflict management; communication; and early intervention registration and certification standards.

(14) "Seminar" means department-approved instruction of thirty hours offered by an approved provider.

(15) "Superintendent" means a person certified by the department according to rule 5123:2-5-03 of the Administrative Code and employed in that capacity by a county board.

(D) Description

Program assistant, specialist, and supervisor levels are designated within the early intervention validation. Temporary, provisional, and professional grades are designated within each level. Substitute grade is designated within the program assistant level and the specialist level.

(1) Program assistant level registration

(a) Substitute grade

(i) The substitute grade registration shall be issued to an applicant hired to work, on an interim or intermittent basis for less than one-thousand-forty hours per calendar year (i.e., .5 full-time equivalent), in a position requiring program assistant level registration, who meets the following requirements:

(a) The applicant shall be at least eighteen years of age.

(b) The applicant shall hold a high school diploma or GED.

(ii) The substitute grade registration may be renewed annually under the following conditions:

(a) The superintendent of the employing county board shall verify that the applicant is working less than one-thousand-forty hours per calendar year (i.e., .5 full-time equivalent).

(b) During the effective period of the initial substitute grade registration, the applicant shall successfully complete an orientation program (as verified by the superintendent of the employing county board).

(c) During the effective period of subsequent substitute grade registrations, the applicant shall successfully complete ten units of continuing professional development.

(b) Temporary grade

(i) The temporary grade registration shall be issued to an applicant hired into a position requiring program assistant level registration who meets the following requirements:

(a) The applicant shall be at least eighteen years of age.

(b) The applicant shall hold a high school diploma or GED.

(ii) During the effective period of the initial temporary grade registration, the applicant shall successfully complete an orientation program (as verified by the superintendent of the employing county board) and a minimum of one seminar or college course required for provisional grade registration.

(iii) Provided the applicant completes the requirements as specified in paragraph

(D)(1)(b)(ii) of this rule, the temporary grade registration may be renewed one time.

(iv) During the effective period of the second temporary grade registration, the applicant shall successfully complete the remaining seminar or college course required for provisional grade registration.

(v) If the applicant fails to complete the requirements as specified in paragraph

(D)(1)(b)(ii) or (D)(1)(b)(iv) of this rule, no additional temporary grade program assistant level registration shall be issued to the applicant.

(i) The provisional grade registration shall be issued to an applicant who meets the following requirements:

(a) The applicant shall be at least eighteen years of age.

(b) The applicant shall hold a high school diploma or GED.

(i) Infant/toddler growth and development; and

(ii) Family dynamics.

(ii) The provisional grade registration may be renewed on the expiration date with the completion of fifty units of continuing professional development.

(iii) An applicant requesting renewal of the first provisional grade registration, who, at the time of application, is employed by a county board or by an agency contracting with a county board to provide early intervention services, shall have successfully completed an orientation program (as verified by the superintendent of the employing county board). Provided the orientation program is completed subsequent to the effective date of the initial provisional grade registration, the applicant may use the orientation program as thirty units of continuing professional development toward renewal of the initial provisional grade registration.

(d) Professional grade

(i) The professional grade registration shall be issued to an applicant who elects to upgrade the provisional grade registration by meeting the following requirements:

(a) The applicant shall meet both the initial and renewal requirements for provisional grade registration.

(b) The applicant shall hold an associate's degree or have achieved at least junior year standing at a college or university.

(c) The applicant shall have worked five years in a position requiring provisional grade program assistant level early intervention registration.

(ii) The professional grade registration may be renewed on the expiration date with the completion of one-hundred units of continuing professional development.

(2) Specialist level certification

(a) Substitute grade

(i) The substitute grade certification shall be issued to an applicant hired to work, on an interim or intermittent basis for less than one-thousand-forty hours per calendar year (i.e., .5 full-time equivalent), in a position requiring specialist level certification, who meets the following requirements:

(a) The applicant shall hold a bachelor's degree from a college or university.

(b) The applicant shall meet one of the following requirements:

(i) Hold a bachelor's or graduate degree from a college or university in education, health, social or behavioral science, social services, human services, or a related field; or

(ii) Completed six semester hours (or nine quarter hours) of department-approved early intervention college coursework; or

(iii) Hold a currently valid certificate or license issued by the Ohio department of education in pre-kindergarten, kindergarten to primary, elementary, high school home economics with a child development concentration, special education (handicapped), early education of handicapped, adapted physical education, early childhood education intervention specialist, professional pupil services license, or a related area; or

(iv) Worked two years in a full-time, supervised, paid position with children developmentally delayed or at risk, ages birth through five or have the equivalent work experience in a part-time position.

(ii) The substitute grade certification may be renewed annually under the following conditions:

(a) The superintendent of the employing county board shall verify that the applicant is working less than one-thousand-forty hours per calendar year (i.e., .5 full-time equivalent).

(b) During the effective period of the initial substitute grade certification, the applicant shall successfully complete an orientation program (as verified by the superintendent of the employing county board).

(c) During the effective period of subsequent substitute grade certifications, the applicant shall successfully complete ten units of continuing professional development.

(b) Temporary grade

(i) The temporary grade certification shall be issued to an applicant hired into a position requiring specialist level certification who meets the following requirements:

(a) The applicant shall hold a bachelor's degree from a college or university.

(b) The applicant shall meet one of the following requirements:

(i) Hold a bachelor's or graduate degree from a college or university in education, health, social or behavioral science, social services, human services, or a related field; or

(ii) Completed six semester hours (or nine quarter hours) of department-approved early intervention college coursework; or

(ii) During the effective period of the initial temporary grade certification, the applicant shall successfully complete an orientation program (as verified by the superintendent of the employing county board) and a minimum of one seminar or college course required for provisional grade certification.

(iii) Provided the applicant completes the requirements as specified in paragraph

(D)(2)(b)(ii) of this rule, the temporary grade certification may be renewed.

(iv) During the effective period of the second temporary grade certification, the applicant shall successfully complete a minimum of two seminars or college courses required for provisional grade certification.

(v) Provided the applicant completes the requirements as specified in paragraph

(D)(2)(b)(iv) of this rule, the temporary grade certification may be renewed.

(vi) During the effective period of the third temporary grade certification, the applicant shall successfully complete a minimum of two seminars or college courses required for provisional grade certification.

(vii) Provided the applicant completes the requirements as specified in paragraph

(D)(2)(b)(vi) of this rule, the temporary grade certification may be renewed.

(viii) During the effective period of the fourth temporary grade certification, the applicant shall successfully complete the remaining seminar or college course required for provisional grade certification.

(ix) If the applicant fails to complete the requirements as specified in paragraph

(D)(2)(b)(ii), (D)(2)(b)(iv), (D)(2)(b)(vi), or (D)(2)(b)(viii) of this rule, no additional temporary grade specialist level certification shall be issued to the applicant.

(i) The provisional grade certification shall be issued to an applicant who meets the following requirements:

(a) The applicant shall hold a bachelor's degree from a college or university.

(b) The applicant shall meet one of the following requirements:

(i) Hold a bachelor's or graduate degree from a college or university in education, health, social or behavioral science, social services, human services, or a related field; or

(ii) Completed six semester hours (or nine quarter hours) of department-approved early intervention college coursework; or

(i) Infant/toddler growth and development;

(ii) Disabilities and risk factors from birth;

(iii) Family dynamics from birth;

(iv) Assessment and evaluation;

(v) Team models and community collaboration; and

(vi) Intervention program planning and development.

(ii) The provisional grade certification may be renewed on the expiration date with the completion of fifty units of continuing professional development.

(iii) An applicant requesting renewal of the first provisional grade certification, who, at the time of application, is employed by a county board or by an agency contracting with a county board to provide early intervention services, shall have successfully completed an orientation program (as verified by the superintendent of the employing county board). Provided the orientation program is completed subsequent to the effective date of the initial provisional grade certification, the applicant may use the orientation program as thirty units of continuing professional development toward renewal of the initial provisional grade certification.

(d) Professional grade

(i) The professional grade certification shall be issued to an applicant who elects to upgrade the provisional grade certification by meeting the following requirements:

(a) The applicant shall meet both the initial and renewal requirements for the provisional grade certification.

(b) The applicant shall have successfully completed a minimum of ten post-baccalaureate semester hours (or fifteen post-baccalaureate quarter hours) from a college or university.

(c) The applicant shall have worked five years in a position requiring provisional grade specialist level early intervention certification.

(ii) The professional grade certification may be renewed on the expiration date with the completion of one-hundred units of continuing professional development.

(3) Supervisor level certification

(a) Temporary grade

(i) The temporary grade certification shall be issued to an applicant hired into a position requiring supervisor level certification who meets the following requirements:

(a) The applicant shall hold a bachelor's degree from a college or university in education, health, social or behavioral science, social services, human services, or a related field; or the applicant shall hold a master's degree from a college or university;

(b) The applicant shall have worked two years in a full-time, supervised, paid position with children developmentally delayed or at-risk, ages birth through five or have the equivalent work experience in a part-time position; and

(c) The applicant shall have completed two seminars or college courses required for provisional grade supervisor level certification.

(iii) Provided the applicant completes the requirements as specified in paragraph

(D)(3)(a)(ii) of this rule, the temporary grade certification may be renewed.

(v) Provided the applicant completes the requirements as specified in paragraph

(D)(3)(a)(iv) of this rule, the temporary grade certification may be renewed.

(vii) Provided the applicant completes the requirements as specified in paragraph

(D)(3)(a)(vi) of this rule, the temporary grade certification may be renewed.

(ix) If the applicant fails to complete the requirements as specified in paragraph

(D)(3)(a)(ii), (D)(3)(a)(iv), (D)(3)(a)(vi), or (D)(3)(a)(viii) of this rule, no additional temporary grade supervisor level certification shall be issued to the applicant.

(b) Provisional grade

(i) The provisional grade certification shall be issued to an applicant who meets the following requirements:

(b) The applicant shall have worked four years in a full-time, supervised, paid position with children developmentally delayed or at-risk, ages birth through five or have the equivalent work experience in a part-time position; and

(i) Infant/toddler growth and development;

(ii) Disabilities and risk factors from birth;

(iii) Family dynamics from birth;

(iv) Assessment and evaluation;

(v) Team models and community collaboration; and

(vi) Intervention program planning and development.

(d) The applicant shall have successfully completed college courses in two of the following ten areas:

(i) Business, health care, public, or social agency administration;

(ii) Public or administrative law;

(iii) Budgeting/finance;

(iv) Principles of leadership/supervision;

(v) Information management or statistical analysis;

(vi) Human resources management;

(vii) Marketing/public relations;

(viii) Organizational theory and development;

(ix) Negotiation, conflict resolution, and mediation; or

(x) Strategic planning, management, and implementation.

(ii) The provisional grade certification may be renewed on the expiration date with the completion of fifty units of continuing professional development.

(i) The professional grade certification shall be issued to an applicant who elects to upgrade the provisional grade certification by meeting the following requirements:

(a) The applicant shall meet both the initial and renewal requirements for the provisional grade certification.

(b) The applicant shall hold a master's degree from a college or university.

(c) The applicant shall have worked five years in a position requiring provisional grade supervisor level early intervention certification.

(ii) The professional grade certification shall be renewed on the expiration date with the completion of one-hundred units of continuing professional development.

(E) Renewal of temporary grade early intervention registration or certification issued prior to the effective date of this rule

(1) Persons who hold, upon the effective date of this rule, currently valid temporary grade early intervention registration or certification, shall obtain the comparable level of initial provisional grade early intervention registration or certification by either:

(a) Completing the requirements for provisional grade early intervention registration or certification pursuant to paragraph (D) of this rule; or

(b) Completing the requirements for provisional grade early intervention registration or certification pursuant to rule 5123:2-5-05 of the Administrative Code that was in effect immediately prior to the effective date of this rule.

(2) Persons who obtain initial provisional grade early intervention registration or certification pursuant to paragraph (E)(1) of this rule shall renew the registration or certification pursuant to paragraph (D) of this rule.

(F) Renewal of provisional grade or professional grade early intervention registration or certification issued prior to the effective date of this rule

(1) Persons who hold, upon the effective date of this rule, currently valid provisional grade or professional grade early intervention registration or certification, shall renew the registration or certification one time by completing the requirements pursuant to rule 5123:2-5-05 of the Administrative Code that was in effect immediately prior to the effective date of this rule. For the purpose of redistributing expiration dates of registrations and certifications more evenly across the calendar year, the department may, at its discretion, reissue provisional grade registrations or certifications for effective periods in excess of five years but not to exceed six years and may reissue professional grade registrations or certifications for effective periods in excess of ten years but not to exceed eleven years.

(2) Subsequent renewals shall be made pursuant to paragraph (D) of this rule.

(G) Renewal of special temporary grade, registered program assistant level early intervention registration

(1) Persons who hold, upon the effective date of this rule, currently valid special temporary grade, registered program assistant level early intervention registration may annually renew the registration with the completion of fifteen units of continuing professional development.

(2) Persons who allow their special temporary grade, registered program assistant level early intervention registration to lapse subsequent to the effective date of this rule shall not be permitted to renew the registration.

(H) Renewal of expired provisional grade or professional grade early intervention registration or certification

(1) Registrations or certifications expired for less than one year may be renewed upon completion of all renewal requirements of the expired registration or certification.

(2) Registrations or certifications issued subsequent to December 4, 1992 that have expired for one or more years may be renewed upon completion of all renewal requirements of the expired registration or certification, completion of fifteen additional units of continuing professional development, and payment of the fees required by rule 5123:2-5-06 of the Administrative Code.

(3) Registrations or certifications issued prior to December 4, 1992 that have been expired for one or more years may not be renewed; the applicant will be required to meet the requirements for initial registration or certification pursuant to paragraph (D) of this rule.

(I) Right of appeal

An applicant whose application for registration or certification is disapproved based upon the applicant's failure to meet the requirements of this rule, may request in writing, within thirty days of the rejection, an administrative review by the director or the director's designee.

(J) Denial, suspension, or revocation

Registrations and certifications under this rule are subject to denial, suspension, or revocation in accordance with rule 5123:2-5-04 of the Administrative Code.

Replaces: 5123:2-5-05

Effective: 01/01/2005
R.C. 119.032 review dates: 01/01/2010
Promulgated Under: 119.03
Statutory Authority: 5123.04, 5123.082, 5126.25
Rule Amplifies: 5123.04, 5123.082, 5126.20, 5126.22, 5126.221, 5126.25
Prior Effective Dates: 8/27/87, 5/13/88, 6/9/89, 12/4/92