Current through Rules and Regulations filed through March 20, 2024
(1) The purpose of continuing education is to
maintain and enhance the professional competency of speech-language
pathologists and audiologists licensed to practice in Georgia for the
protection of the health and welfare of the people of the State of
Georgia.
(2) A continuing education
unit (CEU) is defined as ten (10) clock hours of continuing professional
education. CEU hours may not be carried over from one licensure biennium to the
next.
(3) In order to renew a
license, the licensee must obtain a minimum of 2.0 CEUs (20 clock hours) during
each biennium period of licensure.
(4) Not more than 1.0 CEUs (10 clock hours)
can be acquired in any one 24 hour period.
(5) Individuals who hold licenses in both
Speech-Language Pathology and in Audiology shall be required to complete a
minimum of 2.0 CEUs in Speech-Language Pathology and 2.0 CEUs in
Audiology.
(6) CEU requirements for
newly approved license holders will be pro-rated during the first biennium
licensure period as follows:
(a) Licensees
whose applications are approved during the first six (6) months of the biennium
will be required to accrue two (2) CEUs.
(b) Licensees approved during the second six
(6) months of the biennium will be required to accrue one and one half (1
1/2) CEUs.
(c) Licensees
approved during the third six months of the biennium will be required to accrue
one (1) CEU.
(d) Licensees approved
during the final six (6) months are not required to accrue CEUs until the
following licensure biennium.
(7) CEU hours must be in educational
experiences directly related to the scope of practice of the licensee, and must
be designed to increase the competence of the licensee in the area of
licensure. Examples of activities that may provide CEU hours include:
(a) Scientific and educational lectures,
workshops, or seminars;
(b) College
courses taken for credit or through official audit:
1. College course credit shall be deemed to
be equivalent to CEUs as follows: One Semester Hour = 1.5 CEUs; One Trimester
Hour = 1.3 CEUs; One Quarter Hour = 1.0 CEU.
(c) Presentations by licensees: 0.5 CEUs (5
clock hours) will be awarded for the presentation of any lecture, workshop or
seminar. A licensee may only receive credit for one presentation per
biennium.
(d) Audio and video
conferences, online courses, and teleconferences; and self-study courses
accompanied by an examination by the CEU provider.
(e) Praxis Examination in the area of
licensure.
1. Two (2.0) CEUs will be awarded
for successful completion of the Praxis with a score of 650. Successful
completion of this examination during the biennium will satisfy all CEU
requirements for the license during that biennium.
2. The Board approved national examination
results that are used in order to receive a license may not be used again for
the renewal of that license.
3. A
person who is licensed in both Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology must
pass tests in both Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology to meet all
continuing education requirements. If the licensee passes the examination in
only one area, s/he must obtain 2.0 additional CEUs in the area for which the
examination was not passed.
(f) Not more than two (.2) CEUs of the
required twenty (2.0) per biennium will be awarded for courses in the area(s)
of ethics, record-keeping, documentation, Georgia laws and rules, Medicaid
regulations and/or Medicare regulations.
(8) Documentation of CEUs:
(a) Each licensee shall maintain for three
(3) years their own record of the CEU activities that they completed. The Board
will not maintain CEU files for licensees.
(b) Licensees shall retain documentation of
their continuing education activities and shall not send them to the Board
Office unless the Board requests the licensee to do so.
(c) Licensees shall attest on their biennial
licensure renewal application that they have satisfied the CEU requirements as
set out above.
(d) False
attestation of satisfaction of CEU requirements on a renewal application shall
subject the licensee to disciplinary actions, including revocation.
(9) Method of Auditing CEU's:
(a) The Board will audit a random fixed
percentage of applications. Licensees who are audited will be required to
document the CEU activities. Required documentation is a certificate or proof
of attendance which includes the sponsoring agency, the licensee's name, the
date of the activity, the length of the session, and either the signature of a
representative from the sponsoring agency or official certification by the
sponsoring agency. A description of the CEU activity may be required if the
title of the activity does not clearly state the content of the CEU activity.
If the licensee attends a multi-session
CEU activity, as in a state or national convention or meeting,
additional required information includes a specific listing of each session,
the length of each session, and a description of each session if the title does
not clearly state the content of the session.
(b) Current members of the Board, who are
licensees of the Board, shall be audited for each biennium that they serve on
the Board.
(c) Delinquent renewals
shall be subject to the CEU audit for that biennium.
O.C.G.A. §§
43-1-19, 43-1-25, 43-44-6, 43-44-8, and
43-44-11.