(c) Temporary licenses.

1. (1) The Director of the Arkansas State Medical Board shall issue a temporary license without examination to practice occupational therapy in association with an occupational therapist licensed under the Arkansas Occupational Therapy Practice Act, Arkansas Code § 17-88-101 et seq., to persons who have completed the education and experience requirements of the Arkansas Occupational Therapy Practice Act and rules and who are required to be licensed in order to obtain employment as an occupational therapist or an occupational therapy assistant.
2. (2) The temporary license shall only be renewed once if the applicant has not passed the examination or if the applicant has failed to take the qualifying examination, unless the failure is justified by good cause acceptable at the discretion of the Arkansas State Medical Board, with recommendation of the Arkansas State Occupational Therapy Examining Committee.

(d) Renewal.

1. (1) A renewal or reregistration fee shall be paid annually to the Arkansas State Medical Board by each occupational therapist and occupational therapy assistant who holds a license to practice occupational therapy in the State of Arkansas.
2. (2) Each licensee must complete, answer truthfully, and provide such information on a renewal application prior to being relicensed.

3. (3)

   1. (A) Each occupational therapist and occupational therapy assistant shall be required to complete ten (10) continuing education credits each year as a prerequisite for license renewal in the State of Arkansas.
   2. (B)

(a)

1. (1) (a)(1) Workshops, refresher courses, professional conferences, seminars, or facility-based continuing education programs designated for occupational therapists. Hour-for-hour credit on program content only.
2. (2) (2) Evaluate professional skills using the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy online self-assessment tool or similar professional skills assessment tool. Limited to one (1) continuing education credit.
3. (3) (3) Volunteer for an organization that enhances one’s practice roles. Limited to two (2) continuing education credits. Five (5) hours of volunteer work equals one (1) continuing education credit. Hours will need to be verified from the organization on their letterhead. Letter will confirm hours and the overall outcome of the service.
4. (4) (4) Mentor an occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant colleague to improve skills. Limited to two (2) continuing education credits. Form on the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy website must be completed and submitted to the Arkansas State Medical Board.
5. (5) (5) Receive mentoring from a current licensed occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant. Form from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy website must be completed and submitted to the Arkansas State Medical Board. Limited to two (2) continuing education credits.
6. (6) (6) Participate in a professional occupational therapy study group/online study group designed to expand one’s knowledge. Limited to two (2) continuing education credits.
7. (7) (7) Level I fieldwork supervision equals two (2) continuing education credits. Level II fieldwork supervision equals four (4) continuing education credits. Limited to four (4) continuing education credits. Level III field work/doctoral capstone experience equals six (6) continuing education credits;

(c)

1. (1) (c)(1) Formal academic coursework related to the field of occupational therapy. One (1) to two (2) semester hour class equivalent to five (5) continuing education credits. Three (3) to four (4) semester hour class equivalent to ten (10) continuing education credits.
2. (2) (2) Serve as adjunct faculty teaching an occupational therapy course (must not be one’s primary role). Limited to ten (10) continuing education credits;

(d)

1. (1)

   1. (A) (d)(1)(A) Publications/media — Research/grant activities.
   2. (B) (B) A request to receive credit for these activities must be submitted in writing for approval to the committee thirty (30) days prior to the expiration of the license.
   3. (C) (C) Ten (10) continuing education credits earned, however, grant must be complete and the committee must provide preapproval before being accepted for continuing education credits.

2. (2)

   1. (A) (2)(A) Develop training manuals, multimedia, or software programs that advance the professional skills of occupational therapists (must not be one’s primary role). Limited to five (5) continuing education credits for nonpeer review and ten (10) continuing education credits for published peer review.
   2. (B) (B) Author a practice area related article in a nonpeer reviewed professional publication. Limited to five (5) continuing education credits.
   3. (C) (C) Author a practice area related article in a peer-reviewed professional publication. Limited to ten (10) continuing education credits.
   4. (D) (D) Author a practice area related article in a newsletter or community newspaper. Limited to one (1) continuing education credit.
   5. (E) (E) Author a chapter in a practice area related professional textbook. Limited to ten (10) continuing education credits; and

(e)

1. (1) (e)(1) Self-study.
2. (2) (2) Book, journal, or video reviews. Must be verified by submission of a one-page typewritten review of the material studied, including application to clinical practice. One (1) continuing education credit per review. Two-hour maximum per year.

3. (3) (3) Self-study coursework verified by submission of proof of course completion. The number of contact hours credited will be determined by the committee. Course outline and proof of completion must be submitted to the committee thirty (30) days prior to the expiration of the license.

   1. (ii)

(b) (b) A request for special consideration or exemption must be submitted in writing sixty (60) days prior to the expiration of the license.

1. (iii)

(b) (b) The committee will not preapprove continuing education programs.

1. (c) (c) All occupational therapists licensed by the Arkansas State Medical Board in the State of Arkansas must complete annually ten (10) continuing education hourly units as a condition for renewal of a license.

   1. (d) (d) Each licensee will sign his or her renewal application verifying that he or she has completed said ten (10) hours and will maintain for a period of three (3) years proof of the courses taken, should it be requested by the Arkansas State Medical Board for audit purposes.

(e) (e) Acceptable documentation to maintain on file is as follows:

1. (1) (1) Official transcripts documenting completion of academic coursework directly related to the field of occupational therapy;
2. (2) (2) A signed verification by a program director or instructor of the practitioner’s attendance in a program by letter on letterhead of the sponsoring agency, certificate, or official continuing education transcript accompanied by a brochure, agenda, program, or other applicable information indicating the program content; and

3. (3) (3) A letter from a practitioner’s supervisor on the agency’s letterhead giving the names of the continuing education programs attended, location, dates, subjects taught, and hours of instruction.

   1. (iv)

(b) (b) Failure to submit verification of continuing education for renewal will result in issuance of a “failure to comply” notification.

1. (c) (c) If the continuing education submitted for credit is deemed by the committee to be unrelated to the profession of occupational therapy, the applicant will be given three (3) months to earn and submit replacement hours.

   1. (d) (d) These hours will be considered as replacement hours and cannot be counted during the next licensure period.

(h) (h) Failure to reregister and comply with the continuing education requirements by the last day of the birth month of the license holder of that year shall cause the license of the occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant in question to automatically expire.

1. (i) (i) This requirement becomes effective 1993 with the first submission of continuing education credits being required in January of 1994.

(e)

1. (1) Reinstatement. Any delinquent license of less than five (5) years may be reinstated at the discretion of the Arkansas State Medical Board by:

   1. (A) Paying all delinquent fees and a penalty of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for each year or part of a year he or she has been delinquent;
   2. (B) Providing proof of completion of the continuing education requirement for each year; and
   3. (C) Completing the renewal application provided by the Arkansas State Medical Board.
2. (2) Any person who shall fail to reregister and pay the annual license fee for five (5) consecutive years shall be required to make reapplication to the Arkansas State Medical Board before his or her license may be reinstated.