(A) Pursuant to division (C) of section 4755.06 of the Revised Code, no person shall qualify for licensure renewal as an occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant unless the license holder has shown to the satisfaction of the occupational therapy section that the license holder has completed twenty contact hours of continuing education activities within the two year renewal cycle.
(1) License holders are not required to obtain any continuing education units for the first renewal.
(2) In the case of a license reinstatement, if the license was valid for a period of twelve months or less, the license holder shall complete ten contact hours of continuing education within the renewal cycle, including one contact hour of ethics, jurisprudence, or cultural competence pursuant to paragraph (A)(5) of this rule. The category limits contained in paragraph (B) of this rule do not apply if the license was valid for twelve months or less.
(3) A "contact hour" is one hour spent in a continuing education activity meeting the requirements of this rule. Contact hours exclude refreshment breaks, receptions, social gatherings, and meals that do not include an acceptable activity.
(4) All continuing education activities shall be earned in the two year period immediately preceding the thirtieth day of June of the year in which licensure renewal is required. Contact hours may not be carried over from one renewal period to the next.
(5) License holders shall complete at least one contact hour of ethics, jurisprudence, or cultural competence education per renewal cycle. The one hour ethics, jurisprudence, or cultural competence requirement may be fulfilled by completing an acceptable activity outlined in paragraph (B) of this rule that contains at least one hour addressing professional ethics, jurisprudence, or cultural competence. In addition, any presentation by the occupational therapy section meets the ethics, jurisprudence, or cultural competence requirement.
(6) License holders shall complete at least one contact hour of mental health and/or substance use education per renewal cycle. The one hour mental health and/or substance use requirement shall be fulfilled by completing an acceptable activity outlined in paragraph (B) of this rule that contains at least one hour addressing mental health and/or substance use. In addition, any presentation by the board's safe haven program that addresses mental health and/or substance use meets this requirement.
(7) The same contact hour cannot be used to fulfill both the ethics, jurisprudence, or cultural competence education and the mental health and/or substance use requirements.
(B) Pursuant to section 4755.062 of the Revised Code, the occupational therapy section may contract with the Ohio occupational therapy association (OOTA) to assist the section with the performing of its continuing education duties as prescribed in this rule. OOTA may accept, review, approve, or deny proposals for professional workshops, seminars, and/or conferences for continuing education units or for other continuing education activities reported by occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants. OOTA shall perform any other duties agreed upon by the section and OOTA necessary for the approval, maintenance, and/or reporting of continuing education activities for occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants. OOTA may charge applicants for continuing education a reasonable fee for the completion of its duties.
(C) Acceptable continuing education activities may include:
(1) Activities sponsored or approved by the occupational therapy section or OOTA on behalf of the section, the American occupational therapy association (AOTA), OOTA, the national board for certification in occupational therapy, or offered by an AOTA approved provider.
(2) Attending professional workshops, seminars, and/or conferences. There is no limit of contact hours in this category.
(a) Credit is obtained by attending presentations that have either been sponsored or approved by the occupational therapy section, AOTA, OOTA, offered by an AOTA approved provider, or which meets the following criteria:
(i) It contributes directly to professional competency;
(ii) It relates directly to the clinical practice, management, or education of occupational therapy practitioners; and
(iii) It is conducted by people who have demonstrated expertise in the subject matter of the program.
(b) Prior approval from the section is not required if paragraphs (C)(2)(a)(i) to (C)(2)(a)(iii) of this rule have been met.
(c) Proof of content is demonstrated by the original workshop or conference brochure, agenda, notes, or materials given to participants during the presentations.
(d) Copies of continuing education unit certificates or other original documents indicating credits awarded may also be used as verification of participation. If no other form of verification is available, license holders may obtain from the board verification of participation forms, which are to be signed by each presenter at the conclusion of each presentation. If a presentation is made by a panel of people, only one signature is required.
(3) Presentations of occupational therapy programs, workshops, or seminars. The presentation shall be to health or education professionals and/or students, be at least one contact hour in length and relate to the clinical practice, management, or education of occupational therapy practitioners. Two contact hours will be awarded for each hour of presentation. A maximum of eight contact hours may be earned in this category. Proof of presentation is the workshop, conference, or seminar contract, or the brochure, agenda, or other printed materials describing content and audience. Continuing education credit will not be awarded for subsequent presentations of the same material.
(4) Preparation to teach a clinical course in occupational therapy. The course shall be taught in an occupational therapy program accredited by the accreditation council for occupational therapy education (ACOTE). Credit will only be awarded for preparation for a new course or substantive changes to an existing course. One contact hour will be awarded for each hour of preparation. A maximum of eight contact hours may be earned in this category. Proof of presentation is the course syllabus or other printed materials describing the content and goals of the course.
(5) Publications of books, articles, or films related to clinical practice, management, or education of occupational therapy. A maximum of five contact hours for each published article, ten contact hours for a published book, five contact hours for a chapter in a book, and ten contact hours for a film may be earned in these categories. Co-authorship is acceptable. The item shall be published within the current renewal cycle. Proof of completion is the published article, title page of the book, or film. There is no limit of contact hours in this category.
(6) Undergraduate or graduate courses. A maximum of ten contact hours may be earned per completed course. Courses shall be related to the management, practice, or education of occupational therapy. Proof of completion is an unofficial college or university transcript. An official college or university transcript may be requested at the discretion of the occupational therapy section. Proof of content is the catalog description. There is no limit of contact hours in this category.
(7) Supervision of fieldwork.
(a) The maximum number of hours which may be earned from level I and level II supervision combined is sixteen hours per renewal cycle.
(b) Continuing education credit can be earned by supervising level I students. One contact hour may be earned for each student supervised.
(c) Continuing education credit can be earned by supervising level II students. Six contact hours may be earned per student for eight weeks of supervision. Nine contact hours may be earned per student for twelve weeks of supervision.
(d) A license holder shall be a signing rater on the American occupational therapy association fieldwork performance evaluation (FWPE) or the school's designated student performance evaluation tool to be eligible for continuing education credit. If more than one license holder is a signing rater on the FWPE or evaluation tool, the contact hours earned shall be divided between the signing raters.
(e) Proof of student supervision is a certificate of supervision from the student's school.
(8) Self-study. Formal study packages, such as printed text, multi-media, or internet based activities, related to the clinical practice, management, or education of occupational therapy are acceptable. There is no limit of contact hours in this category. Proof of completion is the certificate of completion and/or a copy of the post test results.
(9) Distance learning. Credit for distance learning requires that there be opportunity for interaction with the program presenter and that the content is related to the clinical practice, management, or education of occupational therapy. The agenda and certificate of participation are required to verify completion. There is no limit of contact hours in this category.
(10) Apprenticeships. Supervised clinical experience aimed at developing specialized skills in occupational therapy is acceptable. Five contact hours shall be credited for each forty hour week. There is no limit to the amount of contact hours that can be earned under this category. Proof of completion is a signed letter from the clinical supervisor describing length and type of education experiences and an evaluation of the occupational therapist's or occupational therapy assistant's performance.
Apprenticeships shall be served under the supervision of a licensed occupational therapist whose license is in good standing and who has demonstrated expertise in the practice of occupational therapy or other people who have demonstrated expertise in specialized techniques as approved by the occupational therapy section.
(11) Research projects. A maximum of ten contact hours may be earned in this category. The hours will be granted only for completed, published or unpublished research projects related to the theory, clinical practice, management, or education of occupational therapy. Proof of completion is the published article or unpublished manuscript.
(12) Informal independent study. One contact hour will be given for reading an evidence based book chapter or research journal article relating to the clinical practice, management, or education of occupational therapy practitioners and identifying how the information presented can be applied to one's own practice, management, or education situation. Proof of completion is a copy of the article's title page and the first page, and a written report summarizing the information and outlining how it can be applied by the license holder. One hour will be awarded for each chapter/article. A maximum of four contact hours may be earned in this category per renewal cycle.
(13) Jurisprudence examination. One contact hour may be earned for completing and passing the Ohio occupational therapy jurisprudence examination. This contact hour may be utilized only once per renewal cycle for continuing education credit. Proof of completion is the graded examination. This contact hour may be used to fulfill the ethics, jurisprudence, or cultural competence requirement established in paragraph (A)(5) of this rule.
(14) Mentorship. A maximum of four hours per renewal cycle can be earned by any of the following:
(a) Continuing education credit can be earned by mentoring a student completing a graduate level research or capstone project at an ACOTE accredited entry-level or a post-professional occupational therapist education program. One contact hour may be earned for every eighty hours of mentorship completed, with a maximum of four contact hours per renewal cycle. Proof of mentorship will be a certificate from the student's school and a time log documenting the mentor's activities and the time spent completing those activities. Faculty members mentoring students enrolled in the faculty member's own program are not eligible for continuing education credit for mentorship.
(b) Continuing education credit can be earned by mentoring a practitioner in the first year of practice or any practitioner entering a practice area or attempting to achieve certification in a practice area in which the mentee has no prior experience. One contact hour may be earned for every eighty hours of mentorship completed, with a maximum of four contact hours per renewal cycle. Proof of mentorship will be a written contract which includes the signatures of the mentor and the practitioner who has agreed to be mentored. The contract shall also include a time log documenting the mentor's activities and the time spent completing those activities.
(c) Continuing education credit can be earned by mentoring a practitioner of an AOTA fellowship program. The mentor shall spend a minimum of three hundred fifty hours with the fellow while the fellow delivers occupational therapy services in the identified practice area. Four contact hours may be earned for each AOTA Fellowship Program mentorship with only one mentorship eligible for contact hours per renewal cycle. Proof of mentorship will be the written contract developed by the AOTA fellowship program and documentation of successful completion by this program.
(15) Volunteer services to indigent and uninsured persons pursuant to section 4745.04 of the Revised Code. To qualify under this rule, volunteer services shall:
(a) Be provided at a free clinic or other non-profit organization that offers health care services based on eligibility screenings identifying the client as an "indigent and uninsured person" as that term is defined in division (A)(7) of section 2305.234 of the Revised Code.
(b) Be documented in writing in the form of a certificate or a written statement on letterhead from an administrative official at the organization where services were rendered, specifying at a minimum the license holder's name, license number, date(s) of qualifying volunteer services, number of hours of services, and describing the services that were rendered.
(c) Not be credited for license holders in a paid position at the organization at which the services are rendered.
(d) Be occupational therapy or occupational therapy assistant services provided in compliance with the Revised Code and Administrative Code.
(e) Be credited as one hour of CE for each sixty minutes spent providing services as a volunteer, not to exceed four hours of the total biennial CE requirement.
(f) Not count toward the one contact hour of ethics, jurisprudence, or cultural competence education or mental health and/or substance use education per renewal cycle as required by paragraph (A)(5) or (A)(6) of this rule.
(16) Competency assessment or knowledge/skills assessment activities. Credit for completion of competency assessment or knowledge/skill assessment activities, or both, completed either online or in person. A certificate of completion or similar document that includes the participant's name, activity, date, contact hours awarded, and sponsoring organization shall be submitted as proof of completion.
(D) Continuing education credit will not be granted to standard employer required annual competency training, such as CPR, blood-born pathogens, or HIPAA.
(E) The occupational therapy section shall conduct an audit of the continuing education records of not less than five per cent of the license holders each renewal year.
(1) License holders chosen for audit shall submit to the board by the date specified by the board copies of all records and documentation of the continuing education activities used to meet the requirements of paragraph (A) of this rule.
(2) Failure to provide proof of the required number of continuing education hours, in the appropriate categories, for the specified time period will result in the commencement of disciplinary action.
(3) Failure to respond to or acknowledge receipt of an audit notice will result in the commencement of disciplinary action.
(F) An occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant license shall not be renewed unless the license holder certifies that the person completed the required number of continuing education hours specified in paragraph (A) of this rule.
A license holder who falsifies a renewal application may be disciplined by the occupational therapy section for violating section 4755.11 of the Revised Code.
Last updated August 7, 2023 at 8:52 AM