Rhode Island Code of Regulations, Part 13, Section 216-RICR-40-05-13.5 - Physical Therapist Assistant / License Requirements | Rhode Island Code of Regulations

13.5.1 License Requirement

A. Pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-40-9, it is unlawful for any person to represent him or herself as a physical therapist assistant in this state unless the person has been licensed pursuant to the provisions of the Act and this Part.

B. The right of use of the title of physical therapist assistant shall be in accordance with R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-40-9.

13.5.2 Qualifications for Licensure

Any applicant for licensure shall meet all of the requirements as set forth in R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-40-6.1.

13.5.3 Application for Licensure

A. An applicant for licensure to practice as a physical therapist assistant in this state must submit the following:

1. Application for licensure on forms provided by the Department that shall be completed and submitted to the Board;

2. The non-refundable, non-returnable application fee as set forth in the Fee Structure for Licensing, Laboratory and Administrative Services Provided by the Department of Health (Part 10-05-2 of this Title);

3. Supporting official transcripts of educational credentials as set forth in § 13.5.2 of this Part;

4. The examination scores of the national examination approved by the FSBPT submitted directly to the Board.

5. Full Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) check from the Rhode Island Attorney General's Office.

B. License by Endorsement. An applicant for licensure to practice as a physical therapy assistant by endorsement in this state must submit the following:

1. Application for licensure on forms provided by the Department that shall be completed and submitted to the Board;

2. The non-refundable, non-returnable application fee as set forth in the Fee Structure for Licensing, Laboratory and Administrative Services Provided by the Department of Health (Part 10-05-2 of this Title);

3. The examination scores of the national examination approved by the FSBPT submitted directly to the Board.

4. A statement from the board of physical therapy in each state in which the applicant has held or holds licensure to be submitted to the Board of this state, attesting to the licensure status of the applicant during the time period the applicant held licensure in said state.

5. Out-of-state applicants must obtain their full BCI report from their state of residence.

C. Foreign Trained Applicants. Applicants from foreign physical therapy assistant schools must present evidence that their educational credentials are equivalent of those requirements set forth in §13.5.2 of this Part by an agency approved by the Board. Furthermore, foreign trained applicants must meet all of the requirements for licensure to the satisfaction of the Board and in accordance with the statutory and regulatory provisions of this Part. An applicant for licensure in this state must provide the following:

1. Application for licensure on forms provided by the Department that shall be completed and submitted to the Board;

2. The non-refundable, non-returnable application fee as set forth in the Fee Structure for Licensing, Laboratory and Administrative Services Provided by the Department of Health (Part 10-05-2 of this Title);

3. Provide written proof of authorization to practice as a physical therapist assistant without limitation(s) in the country(ies) where the professional education occurred and/or in country(ies) where the applicant practiced as a physical therapy assistant;

4. Have successfully passed the national examination as required in §13.5.2 of this Part.

5. Any applicant for licensure as a physical therapist assistant who has received his or her physical therapy assistant training in a country other than the United States of America, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, Canada except Quebec Province, Australia or New Zealand, shall submit to the Board evidence of attainment of a passing score, as determined by the Board, on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) examination, which test shall have been taken within the two (2) years immediately preceding the filing of the application for licensure. Such evidence must be submitted with the application for licensure.

6. Full Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) check from the Rhode Island Attorney General's Office.

13.5.4 Examinations for Licensure of Physical Therapist Assistants

A. By Examination:

1. Applicants, except those exempt pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-40-7.1, shall be required to pass a national examination as set forth in R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-40-6.1.

a. The Board will adopt the criterion-referenced passing point recommended by FSBPT.

B. Without Examination by Endorsement

1. A license may be issued without examination in accordance with the provisions of R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-40-7.1.

a. Until such time as a license has been issued, the candidate for licensure by endorsement may not practice as a physical therapist assistant in Rhode Island.

C. Re-Examination

In order to qualify for re-examination after three (3) failures, the applicant must request a formal meeting with the Board, at which time requirements consisting of additional coursework and/or training for re-examination will be determined and must be fulfilled prior to admittance to a future examination.

D. Graduate Practice

1. Every student upon graduating from a physical therapist assistant educational program accredited by CAPTE who has filed a physical therapist assistant application for licensure may, upon receiving a permit from the Department, perform as a physical therapist assistant, under the supervision of a physical therapist licensed in this state.

a. During this interim period, the applicant shall identify himself or herself only as a "graduate physical therapist assistant" or use the abbreviation "GPTA."

b. If an applicant fails to take the examination within ninety (90) days from the effective date of graduate status, without due cause or fails to pass the examination and receive a license, all the aforementioned privileges set forth in §§13.5.4(D)(1) and 13.5.4(D)(1)(a) of this Part shall automatically cease.

c. The provisions of §13.5.4(D) of this Part shall apply only to students upon graduating from a physical therapist assistant educational program accredited by CAPTE and shall not apply to any physical therapist assistant previously licensed under any licensure jurisdiction.

13.5.5 Issuance and Renewal of License

A. A license to practice as a physical therapist assistant in this state, unless sooner suspended or revoked, shall expire on the first (1st) day of May of the next even year following the date of issuance of the original license.

B. Every licensed person who desires to renew his or her license shall file a renewal application and documentation in accordance with R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-40-10 together with the renewal fee as set forth in the Fee Structure for Licensing, Laboratory and Administrative Services Provided by the Department of Health (Part 10-05-2 of this Title).

C. Any person who allows his or her license to lapse by failing to renew it on or before the thirty first (31st) day of March of the next even year may be renewed by the Department on payment of the current renewal fee plus an additional fee as set forth in the Fee Structure for Licensing, Laboratory and Administrative Services Provided by the Department of Health (Part 10-05-2 of this Title).

1. Any person using the title "physical therapist assistant" during the time that his or her license has lapsed shall be subject to the penalties provided for violations of this Part and the Act.

D. Continuing Education Requirements

1. Applicants for biennial licensure renewal shall meet continuing education requirements as prescribed in this Part.

2. On application for renewal of license, physical therapist assistants shall attest to completion of twenty-four (24) hours biennially in scope of practice-specific offerings that may include, but not be limited to: formal presentations, conferences, coursework from a regionally accredited college/university and/or self-study courses, such as on-line courses (one (1) continuing education hour awarded for each hour completed). Teaching and/or clinical supervision of student affiliates by licensed physical therapist assistants in APTA approved programs shall be approved for a maximum of three (3) hours per licensure cycle. Such programs or offerings shall be approved or sponsored by a Board-approved organization as set forth in §13.4.5(E) of this Part.

3. It shall be the sole responsibility of the physical therapist assistant to obtain documentation (e.g., course descriptions, proof of attendance) from the sponsoring organization, agency, or institution of his/her participation in a continuing education program and/or activity. These documents shall be retained by each licensee for no less than four (4) years and are subject to random audit by the Department.

4. A licensee who fails to complete the continuing education requirements described in this Part may be subject to disciplinary action pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-40-13.

5. A license may be denied to any applicant who fails to provide satisfactory evidence of completion of continuing education relevant to physical therapy as required in this Part.

6. Physical therapist assistants initially licensed by examination after the May 1st renewal date shall be exempt from the continuing education requirements stated in this Part until the date of the next renewal cycle (i.e., April 30th of the next even-numbered year).

7. The Department may extend for only one six (6) month period these educational requirements if the Department is satisfied that the applicant has suffered hardship, which prevented meeting the educational requirements.

13.5.6 Supervision

A. Pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-40-1(8), a licensed physical therapist shall be responsible for the supervision, at all times, of the performance of patient care services and treatments provided by physical therapist assistants, supportive personnel and students, consistent with the provisions of §13.4.7 of this Part.

B. The physical therapist assistant may be the supervisor for physical therapist assistant students, but must be on the premises and immediately available.

C. The physical therapist assistant may be the supervisor for supportive personnel, but must be on the premises, in line-of-sight, and immediately available.