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- Ohio Occupational Therapy Continuing Education Requirements
Ohio OT Continuing Education Requirements |
How many continuing education hours are required during a reporting period?
Occupational therapists licensed in Ohio must complete twenty (20) contact hours every two (2) years.
Occupational therapy assistants licensed in Ohio must complete twenty (20) contact hours every two (2) years.
New Licensees
Licensees are not required to obtain any continuing education units for the first renewal.
If the license was valid for a period of twelve (12) months or less, the licensee shall complete ten (10) contact hours of continuing education within the renewal cycle, including one contact hour of ethics, jurisprudence, or cultural competence.
What is the definition of “contact hour”?
A “contact hour” is one (1) 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.
How long is the reporting period?
All individuals licensed as an OT shall renew their license by June 30th in each odd-numbered year. When a license to practice as an OT is issued by the board on or after March first of an odd-numbered year, that license shall be valid through the June 30th of the next odd numbered year.
All individuals licensed as an OTA shall renew their license by June 30th in each even-numbered year. When a license to practice as an OTA is issued by the board on or after March first of an even-numbered year, that license shall be valid through the June 30th of the next even-numbered year.
Can CE credits be carried over into the next reporting period?
No. All continuing education activities must be earned in the two (2) 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.
Are there any specific requirements for continuing education?
Licensees shall complete at least one (1) contact hour of ethics, jurisprudence, or cultural competence education per renewal cycle. The one (1) hour ethics, jurisprudence, or cultural competence requirement may be fulfilled by completing an acceptable activity that contains at least one (1) 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.
License holders shall complete at least one (1) contact hour of mental health and/or substance use education per renewal cycle. The one (1) hour mental health and/or substance use requirement shall be fulfilled by completing an acceptable activity that contains at least one (1) 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.
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.
What types of activities can be used for the continuing education requirements?
|
Activity |
Documentation |
Hours Awarded |
Maximum Hours |
|
Attending professional workshops, seminars, and/or conferences Credit is obtained by attending presentations that have either been sponsored or approved by the occupational therapy section, the American occupational therapy association (AOTA), the Ohio occupational therapy association, offered by an AOTA approved provider, or which meets the following criteria:
It is conducted by individuals who have demonstrated expertise in the subject matter of the program. |
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, licensees 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 individuals, only one signature is required. |
One (1) contact hour may be earned for each hour of instruction. |
No limit. |
|
Presentations of occupational therapy programs, workshops, or seminars The presentation must be to health or education professionals and/or students, be at least one contact hour in length and relate to the clinical practice, management. |
Proof of presentation is the workshop, conference, or seminar contract, or the brochure, agenda, or other printed materials describing content and audience. |
Two (2) contact hours will be awarded for each hour of presentation. Continuing education credit will not be awarded for subsequent presentations of the same material. |
Maximum of eight (8) contact hours. |
|
Preparation to teach a clinical course in occupational therapy The course must be taught in an occupational therapy program accredited by the accreditation council for occupational therapy education (ACOTE). |
Proof of presentation is the course syllabus or other printed materials describing the content and goals of the course. |
Credit will only be awarded for preparation for a new course or substantive changes to an existing course. One (1) contact hour will be awarded for each hour of preparation. |
Maximum of eight (8) contact hours. |
|
Publications Publications of books, articles, or films related to clinical practice, management, or education of occupational therapy. Co-authorship is acceptable. The item must be published within the current renewal cycle. |
Proof of completion is the published article, title page of the book, or film. |
A maximum of five (5) contact hours for each published article. Ten (10) contact hours for a published book. Five (5) contact hours for a chapter in a book. Ten (10) contact hours for a film may be earned. |
No limit. |
|
Undergraduate or graduate courses Courses must 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. |
Ten (10) contact hours may be earned per completed course. |
No limit. |
|
Supervision of fieldwork: Supervising level I students A licensee must be a signing rater on the American occupational therapy association fieldwork performance evaluation (FWPE) to be eligible for continuing education credit. If more than one licensee is a signing rater on the FWPE, the contact hours earned shall be divided between the signing raters. |
Proof of student supervision is a certificate of supervision from the student’s school. |
One (1) contact hour may be earned for each student supervised. |
Maximum number of hours which may be earned from level I and level II supervision combined is sixteen (16) hours per renewal cycle. |
|
Supervision of fieldwork: Supervising level II students A licensee must be a signing rater on the American occupational therapy association fieldwork performance evaluation (FWPE) to be eligible for continuing education credit. If more than one licensee is a signing rater on the FWPE, the contact hours earned shall be divided between the signing raters. |
Proof of student supervision is a certificate of supervision from the student’s school. |
Six (6) contact hours may be earned per student for eight (8) weeks of supervision. Nine (9) contact hours may be earned per student for twelve (12) weeks of supervision. |
Maximum number of hours which may be earned from level I and level II supervision combined is sixteen (16) hours per renewal cycle. |
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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. |
Proof of completion is the certificate of completion and/or a copy of the post test results. |
One (1) contact hour may be earned for each hour of study. |
No limit. |
|
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. |
One (1) contact hour may be earned for each hour of instruction. |
No limit. |
|
Apprenticeships Supervised clinical experience aimed at developing specialized skills in occupational therapy is acceptable. |
Proof of completion is a signed letter from the clinical supervisor describing length and type of education experiences and an evaluation of the OT’s or OTA’s performance. |
Five (5) contact hours shall be credited for each forty (40) hour week. |
No limit. |
|
Research Projects 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. |
Not specified. |
Maximum of ten (10) contact hours. |
|
Informal Independent Study 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 licensee. |
One (1) hour will be awarded for each chapter/article. |
Maximum of four (4) contact hours. |
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Jurisprudence Examination This contact hour may be used to fulfill the ethics, jurisprudence, or cultural competence requirement. |
Proof of completion is the graded examination. |
One (1) 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. |
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Mentorship Continuing education credit can be earned by mentoring a student completing a graduate level research/capstone project at an ACOTE accredited entry-level or a post-professional occupational therapist education program. Faculty members mentoring students enrolled in the faculty member's own program are not eligible for continuing education credit for mentorship. |
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. |
One (1) contact hour may be earned for every eighty (80) hours of mentorship completed. |
Maximum of four (4) contact hours. |
|
Mentorship 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. |
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. |
One contact hour may be earned for every eighty hours of mentorship completed, with a maximum of four contact hours per renewal cycle. |
Maximum of four (4) contact hours. |
|
Mentorship Continuing education credit can be earned by mentoring a practitioner of an AOTA fellowship program. |
Proof of mentorship will be the written contract developed by the AOTA fellowship program and documentation of successful completion by this program. |
The mentor shall spend a minimum of three hundred fifty (350) hours with the fellow while the fellow delivers occupational therapy services in the identified practice area. |
Four (4) contact hours may be earned for each AOTA Fellowship Program mentorship with only one (1) mentorship eligible for contact hours per renewal cycle. |
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Volunteer Services 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. Not be credited for license holders in a paid position at the organization at which the services are rendered. |
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. |
Credited as one (1) hour of CE for each sixty (60) minutes spent providing services as a volunteer. |
Four (4) hours of the total biennial CE requirement. |
|
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. |
Credited as one (1) hour of CE for each sixty (60) minutes. |
No limit |
What types of courses are not allowed?
Continuing education credit will not be granted to standard employer required annual competency training, such as CPR, blood-born pathogens, or HIPAA.
What type of approval is needed for the courses?
Credit is obtained by attending presentations that have either been sponsored or approved by the occupational therapy section, the American occupational therapy association (AOTA), the Ohio occupational therapy association, offered by an AOTA approved provider, or which meets the following criteria:
- It contributes directly to professional competency;
- It relates directly to the clinical practice, management, or education of occupational therapy practitioners; and
- It is conducted by individuals who have demonstrated expertise in the subject matter of the program.
Prior approval from the section is not required if the above criteria has been met.
Audit
The occupational therapy section shall conduct an audit of the continuing education records of not less than five percent of the licensees each renewal year.
Licensees 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.
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.
Failure to respond to or acknowledge receipt of an audit notice will result in the commencement of disciplinary action.
Waiver
In individual cases involving disability, illness or undue hardship, the occupational therapy section may grant waivers of the continuing education requirements, or extensions of time within which to fulfill these requirements not to exceed two calendar years.
- To apply for a waiver or extension due to undue hardship, the licensee must submit a signed letter to the section describing the hardship no later than April first of the renewal year.
- To apply for a waiver or extension due to disability or illness, the licensee must obtain, complete, and submit the waiver or extension form to the occupational therapy section no later than April first of the renewal year. This form or appropriate letter must also be signed by a licensed physician in good standing verifying that the licensee suffers from a disability or illness.
- The deadlines may be waived at the discretion of the occupational therapy section.
Reference
Ohio Admin Code § 4755-9-01
Ohio Admin Code § 4755-9-02