Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 9, September 27, 2024
(A) Courses used to meet the continuing education requirement must meet at least one of the following conditions:
(1) Courses offered by an American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) or American Academy of Audiology (AAA) Continuing Education Sponsor.
(2) Courses offered by one of the following organizations: South Carolina Academy of Audiology, South Carolina Speech-Language-Hearing Association, National Institute of Hearing Instruments Studies (NIHIS), Academy of Rehabilitative Audiology, American Auditory Society, Academy of Dispensing Audiology, National Black Association for Speech-Language and Hearing (NBASLH) or other organization approved by the board.
(3) Graduate level courses offered by a regionally accredited college or university within scope of practice (1 semester hour equals 15 hours for 1.5 CEUs).
(4) Courses offered by a state or federal agency provided the courses are within scope of practice.
(B) At least one-half of the continuing education requirement must pertain to clinical practice in the area of licensure.
(C) Not more than two (2) hours of the continuing education requirement may be met by independent study. All independent study must receive prior approval by the board sixty (60) days prior to implementation. Independent study is developing a plan encompassing a variety of activities, such as reading journal articles, observing a master clinician, or reviewing case files. The study shall include the licensee writing a critical review stating how the licensee will incorporate the newly acquired skills and knowledge into practice.
(D) Continuing education requirements may be met by online or electronic courses.
(E) Instructors may receive continuing education credit, equivalent to that received by participants, for preparing and teaching courses, including online and electronic courses, within the scope of practice, subject to once per course.
(F) Submission of false or misleading continuing education information is grounds for immediate revocation of the license to practice and such other disciplinary actions as the board deems appropriate.
(G) Required documentation and audit process:
(1) each licensee shall attest to completion of the required continuing education at the time of license renewal;
(2) each licensee shall maintain records of continuing education hours earned for a period of four (4) years, and such records must be made available to the director or the designee upon request.
(3) Upon audit, the licensee must report the course date, the sponsoring organization, the location, the activity or title of the course, and the number of continuing education hours claimed, including documentation of attendance or evidence of completion in addition to any other information required by the Board.
(4) Failure to comply with the Board's audit or demonstrate compliance with continuing education hour requirements shall be deemed a violation of the Practice Act and will result in disciplinary action.
(5) If upon audit, the Board finds that any of the claimed continuing education hours completed by the licensee do not meet the requirements as set forth in this regulation, the licensee will be allowed a sixty (60) day period to remedy the deficiencies identified by the Board. A license will be deemed lapsed if the licensee fails to remedy the deficiencies within the sixty (60) day period.
