Current through Register Vol. 24-24, December 15, 2024
Licensed occupational therapists and licensed occupational
therapy assistants must complete 30 hours of continued competency every two
years in the form of continuing education and professional development. The
licensee must submit documentation upon request as required by chapter 246-12
WAC.
(1) Beginning January 1, 2014, as
part of their continued competency, occupational therapists and occupational
therapy assistants are required to obtain at least three hours of training
every six years in suicide assessment as specified in WAC
246-847-066. The licensee must
keep documentation for six years.
(a) Except
as provided in (b) of this subsection, an occupational therapist or
occupational therapy assistant must complete the first training required by
this section during the first full continued competency reporting period after
January 1, 2014, or the first full continued competency reporting period after
initial licensure, whichever occurs later.
(b) An occupational therapist or occupational
therapy assistant applying for initial licensure on or after January 1, 2014,
may delay completion of the first training required by this section for six
years after initial licensure if:
(i) He or
she can demonstrate successful completion of a three-hour training program in
suicide assessment that was completed no more than six years prior to the
application for initial licensure; and
(ii) The training meets the qualifications
listed in WAC
246-847-066.
(2) As of January 1, 2024,
occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants are required to
obtain at least two hours in health equity continuing education training every
four years. The continuing education course must meet the minimum standards
under RCW
43.70.613 and comply with WAC
246-12-800 through
246-12-830. These hours can be
counted towards the total required 30 hours of continuing education.
(3) The 30 hours of continuing education and
professional development must be obtained through two or more of the activities
listed in this subsection. A minimum of 20 hours must directly relate to the
practice of occupational therapy as defined in
RCW
18.59.020 and WAC
246-847-010. Any remaining hours
may be in professional development activities that enhance the practice of the
licensed occupational therapist or licensed occupational therapy assistant.
Documentation for all activities must include licensee's name, date of
activity, and number of hours. Additional specific documentation is defined
below:
(a) Continuing education course work.
The required documentation for this activity is a certificate or documentation
of attendance.
(b) Employer
sponsored in-service training or professional study groups. The required
documentation for this activity is a certificate or documentation of
attendance. A maximum of 15 hours is allowed per reporting period for this
category.
(c) Attendance at a
professional conference or workshop presented by a professional organization.
The required documentation for this activity is a certificate or documentation
of attendance.
(d) Course work
offered by an accredited college or university, provided that the course work
is taken after the licensee has obtained a degree in occupational therapy, and
the course work provides skills and knowledge beyond entry-level skills or
knowledge. The required documentation for this activity is a transcript. One
course credit is equal to five hours. A maximum of 15 hours is allowed per
reporting period for this category.
(e) Interactive online courses and webinars.
The required documentation for this activity is a certificate or documentation
of completion.
(f) Presentation to
professionals, including poster presentations. One hour of preparation time may
be counted per hour of presentation time. The required documentation for this
activity is a copy of the presentation or program listing. Any particular
presentation may be reported only once per reporting period. A maximum of 10
hours is allowed per reporting period for this category.
(g) Guest lecturing on an occupational
therapy-related topic in an academic setting. The occupational therapist or
occupational therapy assistant must not be primarily employed in academia to
submit credit for this activity. The required documentation for this activity
is a letter or other documentation from the course instructor. A maximum of 10
hours is allowed per reporting period for this category. One hour of
preparation time may be counted per hour of lecture time.
(h) Authoring a publication. The required
documentation for this activity is a copy of the publication. For a peer
reviewed journal article or chapter in a textbook a maximum of 10 hours is
allowed per reporting period for this category. For nonpeer reviewed
professional publication a maximum of five hours is allowed per reporting
period for this category.
(i)
Development of instructional materials incorporating alternative media such as:
Video, audio and/or software programs to advance professional skills of others.
The required documentation for this activity is a program description. The
media/software materials must be available if requested during audit process. A
maximum of 10 hours is allowed per reporting period for this
category.
(j) Professional
manuscript review. The required documentation for this activity is a letter
from the publishing organization verifying review of manuscript. One hour of
continuing education may be counted per hour of review time. A maximum of 10
hours is allowed per reporting period for this category.
(k) Service on a professional board,
committee, disciplinary panel, or association. The required documentation for
this activity is a letter or other documentation from the organization. A
maximum of 10 hours is allowed per reporting period for this
category.
(l) Self-study of peer
reviewed, role-related professional journal articles, textbooks or chapters, or
professionally developed multimedia and digital media educational materials.
The required documentation for this activity is a typed, one-page synopsis of
each item written by the licensee or a certificate from OT practice continuing
education article. A maximum of 10 hours is allowed per reporting period for
this category. Time spent writing synopsis is not reportable.
(m) Direct supervision of an occupational
therapy student or occupational therapy assistant student. The required
documentation for this activity is a name of student(s), letter of verification
from school, and dates of fieldwork. Forty hours of supervision per student is
equal to one hour of continued competency. A maximum of 12 hours per supervisor
is allowed per reporting period for this category.
(n) Mentoring. Mentoring in this section
means a relationship in which a more experienced or more knowledgeable person
helps to guide a less experienced or knowledgeable person for the informal
transmission of knowledge and support relevant to professional development. The
required documentation for this activity is a written report of goals,
objectives and analysis of mentee performance signed by both mentor and mentee.
Mentoring credits do not count towards the requirement of 20 hours directly
related to the practice of occupational therapy. A maximum of five hours is
allowed per reporting period for this category.
(o) Attending a Washington occupational
therapy practice board meeting. A maximum of two credits per reporting period
is allowed.
Statutory Authority:
RCW
18.59.130 and
18.59.090. 05-24-105, §
246-847-065, filed 12/7/05, effective 1/7/06. Statutory Authority:
RCW
43.70.280. 98-05-060, § 246-847-065,
filed 2/13/98, effective 3/16/98. Statutory Authority:
RCW
18.59.130. 92-18-015 (Order 300B), §
246-847-065, filed 8/24/92, effective 9/24/92; 91-11-064 (Order 171B), §
246-847-065, filed 5/16/91, effective 6/16/91; 91-05-027 (Order 112B),
recodified as § 246-847-065, filed 2/12/91, effective 3/15/91; 90-22-011
(Order 094), § 308-171-041, filed 10/26/90, effective
11/26/90.
