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Texas OT Continuing Education

How many continuing education hours are required during a reporting period?

Occupational Therapists: OTs licensed in Texas must complete twenty-four (24) hours of continuing education every two (2) years.  

New Licensees: N/A 

Assistants:  OTAs licensed in Texas must complete twenty-four (24) hours of continuing education every two (2) years.  

Can CE credits be carried over into the next reporting period?

Each continuing education activity may be counted only one time in two renewal cycles.

Licensees who submit their renewal with all required items prior to the month when their license expires may count CE completed during their license's expiration month for their next renewal period.

Are there any specific requirements for continuing education?

Passing score on the online jurisprudence exam.

Training on Human Trafficking. As part of the minimum hours of required continuing education for each renewal, licensees must complete a training course on human trafficking that is approved by the Health and Human Services Commission. Documentation of completion of a training course is a certificate of completion or letter of verification indicating credit awarded.

    • Pre-Approved Credit and Additional Credit. The completion of one training course per renewal period to meet the training requirement is pre-approved for continuing education credit up to a maximum of two (2) contact hours. Additional continuing education credit may be earned for a training course exceeding 2 hours if the additional hours meet the requirements of this chapter.
    • Repeated Course. A specific training course completed during one renewal period to meet the training requirement may be completed again during the next renewal period to meet the training requirement for that next renewal. Up to a maximum of two (2) contact hours from the repeated course are exempt and may be applied toward license renewal.

What types of activities can be used for the continuing education requirements?

Activity

Documentation

Credits Earned/Maximum Allowed

Formal academic courses from an occupational therapy program.

Documentation of this type of CE credit shall include a transcript from the accredited college or university.

Completion of course work at or through an accredited college or university shall be counted as follows: three (3) CE hours for each credit hour of a course with a grade of A, B, C, and/or P (Pass). A three (3) credit course counts for nine (9) contact hours of continuing education.  No maximum.

Creation of a new course or courses at or through an accredited college or university may be counted for ten (10) hours maximum.

In-service educational programs, training programs, institutes, seminars, workshops, facility-based courses, and conferences with specified learning objectives.

Documentation of this type of CE credit shall include a certificate of completion or letter of verification.

Hour for hour credit on program content only. 

No maximum

Development of publications, media materials or research/grant activities.

Documentation of this type of CE credit shall include a copy of the actual publication or media material(s), or title page and receipt of grant proposal.

Published scholarly work in a peer-review journal.

Primary or second author, fifteen (15) hours maximum.

Other author, consultant, reviewer, or editor, five (5) hours maximum.

Grant or research proposals accepted for consideration.

Principal investigator or co-principal investigator, ten (10) hours maximum.

Consultant or reviewer, four (4) hours maximum.

Published book.

Primary author or book editor, fifteen (15) hours maximum.

Second or other author, seven (7) hours maximum.

Consultant or reviewer, five (5) hours maximum.

Published book chapter or monograph.

Primary author, seven (7) hours maximum.

Second or other author, consultant, reviewer, or editor, two (2) hours maximum.

Author, consultant, reviewer, or editor of other practice related publications such as newsletters, blogs, and trade magazines.

Two (2) hours maximum.

Developer of practice-related or instructional materials using alternative media such as video, audio, or software programs or applications to advance the professional skills of others (not for proprietary use).

Fifteen (15) hours maximum.

Home study courses, educational teleconferences, Internet-based courses, and video instruction.

These courses must have:

    • Specified learning objectives;
    • A post-test; and
    • A certificate of completion.

Educational teleconferences or Internet courses must reflect a predetermined number of contact hours.

No maximum.

Presentations by licensee.

Documentation of this type of CE credit shall include a letter of verification of presentation and number of hours for the presentation or copy of organization's brochure or conference guide noting the presentation, presenter(s), type of presentation.

Professional presentation, e.g. in-services, workshops, institutes: Any presentation counted only one time. Hour for hour credit. Ten (10) hours maximum.

Community/Service organization presentation: Any presentation counted once. Hour for hour credit. Ten (10) hours maximum.

Fieldwork Supervision.

Fieldwork supervision hours may be evenly divided between licensees, not to exceed two (2) fieldwork educators per student. Fieldwork supervision must be completed before the licensee's renewal date.

Documentation of this type of CE credit shall include verification provided by the school to the fieldwork educator(s) with the name of the student, level of fieldwork, school, and dates or hours of fieldwork or the signature page of the completed evaluation form. Evaluation scores and comments should be deleted or blocked out.

Ten (10) hours maximum.

A licensee may earn two (2) contact hours for each Level 1 student supervised:

  • Forty (40) hours of Level 1 equals one (1) hour of CE; or
  • Eighty (80) hours of Level 1 equals 2 (two) hours of CE.

A licensee may earn eight (8) contact hours for each Level 2 student supervised:

  • Eight (8) weeks equals six (6) hours of CE; or
  • 12 weeks equals 8 hours of CE.

Mentorship.  Participation as a mentor or mentee for the purpose of the development of occupational therapy skills by a mentee under the guidance of a mentor skilled in a particular occupational therapy area. Both the mentor and mentee must hold a regular OT or OTA license in a state or territory of the U.S. Supervision hours as per §373.3 of this title (relating to Supervision of an Occupational Therapy Assistant) are not eligible for continuing education hours.

Documentation shall include a signed mentorship agreement between a mentor and mentee that outlines specific goals and objectives and designates the plan of activities that are to be met by the mentee; the names of both mentor and mentee and their license numbers and issuing states; an activity log that corresponds to the mentorship agreement and lists dates and hours spent on each objective-based activity; a final evaluation of the outcomes of the mentorship agreement completed by the mentor; and a final evaluation of the outcomes of the mentorship agreement completed by the mentee.

Participation as a Mentee: A licensee may earn one hour of CE for each three (3) hours spent in activities as a mentee directly related to the achievement of goals and objectives up to a maximum of fifteen (15) CE hours.

Participation as Mentor: A licensee may earn one hour of CE for each five (5) hours spent in activities as a mentor up to a maximum of ten (10) CE hours.

Participation in volunteer activities related to occupational therapy including service on a committee, board, or commission of a state occupational therapy association, AOTA, NBCOT, or TBOTE for the purpose of tangible outcomes such as official documents, publications, and official reports.

Documentation of this type of CE credit shall include a copy of the actual publication or official document/report which reflects the licensee's name.

Maximum of ten (10) contact hours.

NBCOT Navigator™ Activities.

Documentation of this type of CE is a certificate of completion or letter of verification. Self-reflections and self-assessments, reading list and research portal activities, professional development plans, or similar activities are not eligible for CE credit.

Licensees may earn up to two (2) contact hours of CE for the completion of NBCOT Navigator activities. For such activities, one (1) NBCOT CAU is the equivalent of .25 CE hours.

Any deviation from the continuing education categories will be reviewed on a case by case basis by the Coordinator of Occupational Therapy or by the Continuing Education Committee.

A request for special consideration must be submitted in writing a minimum of sixty (60) days prior to expiration of the license.

What type of approval is needed for the courses?

Educational activities that meet the criteria for continuing education as per this chapter that are approved or offered by the American Occupational Therapy Association or the Texas Occupational Therapy Association are pre-approved by the Board.

What type of courses or activities are not allowed?

Unacceptable Activities. Unacceptable professional development activities not eligible for continuing education regardless of the provider or pre-approved status include but are not limited to:

    • Any non-instructional time frames such as breaks, meals, introductions, and pre/post testing.
    • Business meetings.
    • Exhibit hall attendance.
    • Courses that provide information about the work setting's philosophy, policies, or procedures or designed to educate employees about a specific work setting.
    • Courses in topics concerning professionalism or customer service.
    • Courses such as: social work; defensive driving; water safety; team building; GRE, GMAT, MCAT preparation; general foreign languages; disposal of hazardous waste; patient privacy; CPR; First Aid; HIPAA; and FERPA.

What are the reporting requirements?

Continuing education documentation includes, but is not limited to: an official transcript, AOTA self-study completion certificates, copies of official sign-in or attendance sheets, course certificates of attendance, and certificates of completion.

Documentation must identify the licensee by name and must include the date and title of the course, the name and signature of the authorized signer, and the number of contact hours awarded for the course. When continuing education units (CEUs), professional development units (PDUs), or other units or credits are listed on the documentation, such must be accompanied by documentation from the continuing education provider noting the equivalence of the units or credits in terms of contact hours.

Those renewing a license more than 90 days late must submit proof of continuing education for the renewal.

How long must continuing education records be retained?

Continuing education documentation must be maintained for two (2) years from the date of the last renewal for auditing purposes

Audit

The Board shall select for audit a random sample of licensees. The audit will cover a period for which the licensee has already completed the continuing education requirement.

Licensees randomly selected for the audit must provide to TBOTE appropriate documentation within thirty (30) days of notification.

The licensee is solely responsible for keeping accurate documentation of all continuing education requirements.

Reference

Tex. Admin. Code § 367.2

Tex. Admin. Code § 367.3

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