Ohio Administrative Code
Title 4753 - Ohio Speech and Hearing Professionals Board
Chapter 4753-4 - Continuing Education
Section 4753-4-01 - Continuing education
Universal Citation: OH Admin Code 4753-4-01
Current through all regulations passed and filed through September 16, 2024
(A) A licensee shall earn twenty continuing education hours within the two-year licensure period immediately preceding the licensee's renewal application.
(1) One
continuing education hour is equivalent to one clock hour of continuing
education. Only actual hours of education activity shall be counted. Lunches,
breaks and other interruptions of the education program shall not count toward
the required hours.
(2) Ten
continuing education hours shall be acquired in the area of licensure. For a
speech-language pathology license the ten hours shall be specific to the
clinical practice of speech-language pathology; for an audiology license the
ten hours shall be specific to the clinical practice of audiology. Ten
continuing education hours may be acquired in areas related to speech-language
pathology or audiology or both, including practice management, supervision,
ethics, and one hour of which may be proof of completion of a board approved
training program on human trafficking.
(3) An individual licensed as both an
audiologist and speech-language pathologist shall earn twenty continuing
education hours for each license within the two-year period immediately
preceding the licensee's renewal applications. Ten continuing education hours
shall be acquired in each area of licensure. The ten continuing education hours
shall be specific to the clinical practice of speech-language pathology and the
other ten continuing education hours shall be specific to the clinical practice
of audiology. Appropriate continuing education hours may be acquired in areas
related to speech-language pathology or audiology or both, including practice
management, supervision, ethics, and one hour of which may be proof of
completion of a board approved training program on human trafficking and may be
used for both licenses.
(4) At
least two continuing education hours shall relate to ethics.
(5) Continuing education hours may not be
carried over from one renewal period to the next and may not be used for more
than one renewal or relicensure.
(6) A licensee is not required to obtain
continuing education for the first renewal.
(7) An individual who previously held an Ohio
license in either speech-language pathology or audiology must as part of an
application for relicensure submit documentation of completing the continuing
education hours required, or as approved by the board.
(8) If the licensee presents evidence that
failure to obtain the required continuing education hours was due to personal
illness, military service or other circumstances beyond the licensee's control,
the board may grant an extension of time to obtain the required continuing
education hours.
(9) Any extension
of time to complete the continuing education requirements will be granted
solely at the discretion of the board. If the board grants an extension of time
to obtain the required continuing education hours, the board may require the
licensee to obtain, as additional continuing education hours, not more than
twice the number of missing hours in order to renew the license.
(10) The licensee shall provide full and
complete written documentation of the grounds supporting the reasons for which
an extension is sought. A licensee who requests an extension of time to
complete the required hours of continuing education shall not engage in active
practice of speech-language pathology and/ or audiology until the board grants
the licensee's request for extension and the licensee receives express written
authorization to do so.
(a) Military service
extensions may be granted only to a licensee who was absent from the united
states for at least a majority of the reporting period due to his/her military
service commitment under combat circumstances or pursuant to a state of
national emergency. At a minimum, the licensee must submit written
documentation from the appropriate military authorities verifying the
licensee's military service commitment and the periods during which the
commitment was being fulfilled under a combat or national emergency status; the
number of hours earned during the reporting period and a plan for completing
the balance of the required continuing education.
(b) Illness extensions may be granted only to
a licensee who has suffered a personal illness or personal disability of a
nature as to prevent him/her from engaging in the active practice of
speech-language pathology and/or audiology for at least a majority of the
reporting period. At a minimum, the licensee shall provide the board with
written documentation from the licensee's treating physician stating the nature
of the illness or disability, the period of the illness or disability, any
limitations on the licensee's activities which resulted from the illness or
disability; and a statement from the licensee reporting the number of hours
earned in the reporting period and a plan for completing the balance of the
required continuing education.
(11) The board may reduce the continuing
education requirements for an individual under extenuating
circumstances.
(B) Continuing education programs:
Continuing education hours may be earned in the following continuing education experiences:
(1)
Academic coursework, including distance learning, in areas of speech-language
pathology or audiology, or both, or related disciplines, taken through
accredited colleges or universities;
(2) Lectures and scheduled courses or
workshops at local, regional, national, or international conferences concerning
speech-language pathology or audiology, or both;
(3) Presentation or attendance at lectures,
workshops, or in-service programs; or
(4) Other professional activities such as
books, papers, publications, or audiovisual materials.
(5) Independent study activities.
(a) Continuing education hours may be earned
through independent study activities including:
(i) Professional journals which include
post-tests to document completion;
(ii) Audio or video tapes of programs
approved as a continuing education experience under this paragraph with a
post-test;
(iii) Internet programs
approved as a continuing education experience under this paragraph with a
post-test; or
(iv) Other
independent study activities approved by the board.
(b) The licensee shall complete the post-test
successfully for continuing education hours to be granted.
(c) If proof of passing the post-test is
obtained, there is no limit on the number of credit hours that may be earned
through independent study activities.
(d) A maximum of ten hours of the required
twenty hours of continuing education may be obtained from internet programs
approved as a continuing education experience under this section without a
post-test. A maximum of twenty hours of continuing education may be obtained
from internet programs approved as a continuing education experience under this
section without a post-test for an individual licensed as both a
speech-language pathologist and audiologist.
(6) Any activity approved for continuing
education hours in related disciplines by any licensure board of the state of
Ohio or any other state;
(7) Any
activity approved for continuing education in related disciplines by any
department or agency of the state of Ohio or any other state, including any
activity approved for continuing education hours by a local professional
development committee for renewal of a teaching certificate/license issued by
the state's department of education to practice speech-language pathology or
audiology;
(8) Any activity,
including distance learning or independent or self-directed study, approved for
continuing education credit by an authorized provider of the "International
Association of Continuing Education and Training"; "American Academy of
Audiology"; or the "American Speech-Language-Hearing Association" or
(9) The equivalent as determined by the
board.
(10)
In accordance with division (B) of section
4745.04 of the Revised Code, up
to one-third of the biennial continuing education requirements may be completed
by providing volunteer services to indigent and uninsured persons. 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, and
number of hours of services.
(c)
Not be credited
for license holders in a paid position at the organization at which the
services are rendered;
(d)
Be provided without receiving any compensation or other
form of remuneration;
(e)
Be specific to the licensee's area of license, such as
specific to the clinical practice speech-language pathology or
audiology;
(f)
Be credited as one hour of continuing education for
each sixty minutes spent providing services as a volunteer, not to exceed six
hours of the total biennial continuing education requirement;
and
(g)
Not count toward the requirements of paragraph (A)(4)
of this rule to complete two hours of continuing education related to
ethics.
(C) Documentation of continuing education hours:
(1) Documentation shall be written
verification of successful completion by the applicant or licensee from a board
approved continuing education registry or the provider of the continuing
education hours.
(2) Documentation
shall include the name of the continuing education provider, date, subject,
number of clock hours, and attendance of the licensee.
(3) Continuing education and documentation
may be provided by the following:
(a)
Accredited colleges and universities;
(b) Any licensure board of the state of Ohio
or any other state or any continuing education provider approved by any
licensure board of the state of Ohio or any other state in related
disciplines;
(c) Any department or
agency of the state of Ohio or any other state including local professional
development committees for the Ohio department of education;
(d) The "American Speech-Language-Hearing
Association" or the "American Academy of Audiology";
(e) Any continuing education provider
approved for continuing education in related disciplines by an authorized
"International Association of Continuing Education and Training" provider;
"American Academy of Audiology" approved continuing education provider, or
"American Speech-Language-Hearing Association" approved continuing education
provider.
(f) Any continuing
education presenter for paragraphs (C)(3)(a) to (C)(3)(d) of this rule;
and
(g) The equivalent as
determined by the board.
(4) Licensees shall provide any and all
additional information the board may request to substantiate the continuing
education.
(5) Licensees shall
retain documentation of continuing education hours for inspection by the board
for four years after the date of renewal.
(D) Continuing education audit:
(1) The board may audit the continuing
education of any licensee.
(2)
Licensees to be audited shall receive notification of audit from the board. The
licensee being audited shall submit to the board documentation of continuing
education hours as defined by paragraph (C) of this rule.
(3) The board may disapprove continuing
education hours and shall notify the licensee of this action according to the
provisions of Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.
(4) The failure to comply with an audit
notification may, for purposes of disciplinary action pursuant to section
4753.10 of the Revised Code, be
considered to be unprofessional conduct in the practice of speech-language
pathology or audiology and/or misrepresentation in obtaining or attempting to
obtain a license.
(5) The board may
disapprove continuing education hours for renewal, relicensure, audit, or
ethical practice and shall notify the applicant or licensee of this action
according to the provisions of Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.
(6) Submission of false statement or
documentation of continuing education shall result in reprimand, probation,
suspension, revocation, or refusal to issue or renew a license according to the
provisions of Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.
(7) Failure to meet continuing education
requirements or failure to substantiate continuing education hours upon request
of the board shall result in reprimand, probation, suspension, revocation, or
refusal to issue or renew a license according to the provisions of Chapter 119.
of the Revised Code.
(8) If a
licensee submits the renewal form after the expiration date, the board shall
assess a late fee and may audit the licensee.
(E) Continuing education audit procedures:
(1) At each renewal period, the board shall
audit up to ten per cent of the renewal applications in each area of
licensure.
(2) The board members
shall be audited for the required continuing education hours.
(3) The board shall send notification of
audit to licensees to be audited.
(4) The licensee being audited shall submit
to the board a report of the continuing education hours required for renewal
along with the appropriate documentation.
Effective: 12/10/2017
Five Year
Review (FYR) Dates: 1/1/2020
Promulgated Under:
119.03
Statutory
Authority: 4753.05
Rule
Amplifies: 4753.09
Prior
Effective Dates: 09/10/1994, 01/01/1999, 09/01/2003, 08/23/2004, 12/10/2007,
02/17/2013, 01/01/2015
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Ohio may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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