1. (a)

   1. (1) The licensed physical therapist must complete, by December 31 in each biennium, two (2) CEUs.
   2. (2) CEUs are required to be submitted prior to odd-numbered year renewals.
   3. (3) Beginning January 1, 2023, for each odd-numbered year renewal, licensees are required to maintain continuing education and shall only submit such proof if so requested by the Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy pursuant to the audit process.

2. (b)

   1. (1) The licensed physical therapist assistant must complete, by December 31 in each biennium, one (1) CEU.
   2. (2) CEUs are required to be submitted prior to odd-numbered year renewals.
   3. (3) Beginning January 1, 2023, for each odd-numbered year renewal, licensees are required to maintain continuing education and shall only submit such proof if so requested by the board pursuant to the audit process.

3. (c) Qualifying continuing education units.

   1. (1)

      1. (A) One (1) CEU is defined as ten (10) contact hours of an accredited course or program.
      2. (B) A contact hour is equal to sixty (60) minutes of in-person attendance at a seminar or workshop.
      3. (C) Program content must be of:

4. (i) Clinical application;

   1. (ii) Clinical management;

      1. (iii) Behavioral science; or

         1. (iv) Science.
      2. (D) No more than fifty percent (50%) of continuing education can be taken through online courses.

      3. (E)

         1. (i) Physical therapists and physical therapist assistants are required to pass a board-approved jurisprudence exam as part of the required continuing education.
         2. (ii) The jurisprudence examination is counted as a one-hour online course.
      4. (F) Webinars that are both live and interactive are considered to be in-person attendance.

   2. (2)

      1. (A) Program content and CEU accreditation must be approved by the board or a board-approved entity.
      2. (B) Prior to the renewal due by March 1, 2023, proof of continuing education and a completed Continuing Education Units form must be submitted to the board for approval of a program for CEUs and should be submitted within sixty (60) days after course completion.
      3. (C) Proof of CEUs may be copies of the original completion certificate.
      4. (D) Beginning January 1, 2023, licensees are required to maintain continuing education and shall only submit such proof if so requested by the board pursuant to the audit process.

   3. (3)

      1. (A) College or university courses in the area of clinical application, clinical management, behavioral science, science, or scientific research may be accepted.
      2. (B) Courses will be credited one (1) CEU for each satisfactorily completed credit hour (grade C or higher).
      3. (C) Prior to the renewal due by March 1, 2023, a Continuing Education Units form and transcript or grade report must be submitted to the board office.
      4. (D) Beginning January 1, 2023, licensees are required to maintain continuing education and shall only submit such proof if so requested by the board pursuant to the audit process.

   4. (4)

      1. (A) A licensee who has written an article or research that has been published may submit such work to the board for consideration of up to one-half (1/2) the biennium CEU requirement.
      2. (B) This request, along with the publication, must be presented to the board office for board approval.

   5. (5) The board will not accept as qualifying CEUs previously submitted credit hours.

      1. (d) Failure to comply.
   6. (1) Licensees failing to complete the CEU requirement by December 31, 2022, must pay a fifty-dollar per month penalty until continuing education is completed and accepted by the board.

   7. (2) Licensees failing to comply with the CEU requirement by the March 1, 2023, license renewal deadline:

      1. (A) Will not receive license renewal; and
      2. (B) Shall not engage in the provision of physical therapy services.

   8. (3)

      1. (A) Continuing education audits begin after the renewal due by March 1, 2025.
      2. (B) A licensee who fails to comply with continuing education requirements, including the audit process, may be subject to disciplinary action.

5. (e) Continuing education audits.

   1. (1) Beginning with the renewal due by March 1, 2025, all licensees shall certify by attestation, under oath and under penalty of perjury, that the:

      1. (A) Licensee completed the required continuing education; and
      2. (B) Continuing education obtained meets the acceptable continuing education criteria specified.

   2. (2)

      1. (A) After each odd-numbered year renewal, the board office shall randomly select ten percent (10%) of licensees for an audit of continuing education requirements.
      2. (B) Licensees that are selected for audit will be notified and given twenty (20) days to submit proof of continuing education for the previous biennium.

   3. (3)

      1. (A) Each licensee is responsible for maintaining proof of continuing education courses for a minimum of four (4) years from the date of completion of the course.
      2. (B) Copies of such proof shall be submitted to the board upon request.

      3. (C) Such proof shall include:

         1. (i) Date, place, course title, schedule, presenter or presenters, etc.;
         2. (ii) Number of contact hours for the activity; and
         3. (iii) Certificate of completion, transcript, or grade report.

Codification Notes: "CEU" means continuing education unit.