6306 CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

6306.1 Subject to § 6306.2, this section shall apply to applicants for the renewal, reactivation, or reinstatement of a license for a term expiring September 30, 1991, and for subsequent terms.6306.2 This section shall not apply to applicants for an initial license by examination, reciprocity, or endorsement, nor does it apply to applicants for the first renewal of a license granted by examination.6306.3 A continuing education credit shall be valid only if it is part of a program or activity approved by the Board in accordance with § 6307.6306.4 Practitioners applying for license renewal shall complete contact hours of qualified activities for maintaining continuing competence during the two (2) year period preceding the date the license expires in the following manner:- (a) Occupational therapists shall complete a minimum of twenty-four (24) contact hours; and

- (b) Occupational therapy assistants shall complete a minimum of twelve (12) contact hours.6306.5 Repealed.6306.6 An applicant for reactivation of a license to practice as an occupational therapist who does not hold an active license in any other jurisdiction shall submit proof pursuant to § 6307 of having completed the following:- (a) Twelve (12) contact hours in an approved continuing competence program for each year that the applicant was not licensed, up to a maximum of sixty (60) hours;

- (b) Twenty-four (24) of those contact hours within two (2) years prior to the date the application is submitted; and

- (c) One hundred and sixty (160) hours of supervised clinical training within the two (2) months prior to the date the application is submitted.6306.7 An applicant who holds an active license in any other jurisdiction shall submit proof pursuant to § 6307 of having completed the following:- (a) Twelve (12) contact hours in an approved continuing competence program for each year that the applicant was not licensed up to a maximum of sixty (60) hours; and

- (b) Twenty-four (24) of those contact hours within two (2) years prior to the date the application is submitted.6306.8 An applicant for reinstatement of a license or reactivation of an inactive license to practice as an occupational therapist who does not hold an active license in any jurisdiction shall submit proof pursuant to § 6307 of having completed the following:- (a) Twelve (12) contact hours in an approved continuing education program for each year that the applicant was not licensed up to a maximum of sixty (60) hours;

- (b) Twenty-four (24) contact hours within two (2) years prior to the date the applicant is submitted; and

(c) One hundred and sixty (160) hours of supervised clinical training within two (2) months prior to the date the application is submitted.

6306.9 An applicant for reinstatement of a license or reactivation of an inactive license to practice as an occupational therapist who holds an active license in any other jurisdiction shall submit proof pursuant to § 6307 of having completed the following:

(a) Twelve (12) contact hours in an approved continuing education program for each year that the applicant was not licensed, up to a maximum of sixty (60) hours; and

(b) Twenty-four (24) hours within two (2) years prior to the date the application is submitted.

6306.10 An applicant for reactivation of a license to practice as an occupational therapy assistant who does not hold an active license in any other jurisdiction shall submit proof pursuant to § 6307 of having completed the following:

(a) Six (6) contact hours in an approved continuing education program for each year that the applicant was not licensed, up to a maximum of thirty (30) hours;

(b) Twelve (12) contact hours within two (2) years prior to the date the application is submitted; and

(c) One hundred and sixty (160) hours of supervised clinical training within the two (2) months prior to the date the application is submitted.

6306.11 An applicant who holds an active license in any other jurisdiction shall submit proof pursuant to § 6307 of having completed the following:

(a) Six (6) contact hours in an approved continuing competence program for each year that the applicant was not licensed, up to a maximum of thirty (30) hours; and

(b) Twelve (12) of those contact hours within two (2) years prior to the date the application is submitted.

6306.12 An applicant for reinstatement of an inactive license to practice as an occupational therapy assistant who does not hold a current license in any other jurisdiction, shall submit proof pursuant to § 6307 of having completed the following:

(a) Six (6) contact hours in an approved continuing competence program for each year that the applicant was not licensed up to a maximum of thirty (30) hours;

(b) Twelve (12) contact hours within two (2) years prior to the date the application is submitted; and

(c) One hundred and sixty (160) hours of supervised clinical training within the two (2) months prior to the date the application is submitted.

6306.13 An applicant for reinstatement of an inactive license who holds a current license in any other jurisdiction shall submit proof pursuant to § 6307 of having completed the following:

(a) Six (6) contact hours in an approved continuing competence program for each year that the applicant was not licensed up to a maximum of thirty (30) hours;

(b) Twelve (12) contact hours within two (2) years prior to the date the application is

submitted.

6306.14 An applicant who applies to practice as an occupational therapist five (5) or more years after his or her license has expired, shall submit proof pursuant to § 6307 of the following:

(a) Completion of sixty (60) contact hours of continuing competence credit prior to submission of the application with twenty-four (24) of the sixty (60) contact hours having been completed within the two (2) year period immediately prior to the date the application is submitted; and

(b) Completion of one hundred sixty (160) hours of supervised clinical training within the two (2) months prior to the date the application is submitted.

6306.15 An applicant who applies to practice as an occupational therapy assistant five (5) or more years after his or her license has expired, shall submit proof pursuant to § 6307 of the following:

(a) Completion of thirty (30) contact hours of continuing competence credit prior to submission of the application with twelve (12) of the thirty (30) contact hours having been completed within the two (2) year period immediately prior to submission of the application; and

(b) Completion of one hundred sixty (160) hours of supervised clinical training within the two (2) months prior to licensure.

6306.16 An applicant under this section shall prove completion of required education credits by submitting with the application the following information with respect to each program:

(a) The name and address of the sponsor of the program;

(b) The name of the program, its location, a description of the subject matter covered, and the names of the instructors;

(c) The dates on which the applicant attended the program;

(d) The hours of credit claimed; and

(e) Verification by the sponsor of the applicant's completion, by signature or stamp of the sponsor.

6306.17 An applicant for renewal of a license who fails to submit proof of having completed continuing competence requirements by the date the license expired may renew the license up to sixty (60) days after expiration by submitting the proof pursuant to § 63036.9 and by paying the required additional late fee.

6306.18 Upon submitting proof and paying the late fee, the applicant shall be deemed to have possessed a valid license during the period between the expiration of the license and the submission of the required documentation and payment of the late fee.

6306.19 If an applicant for renewal of a license fails to submit proof of completion of continuing competence requirements or pay the late fee within sixty (60) days after the expiration of the applicant's license, the license shall be considered to have lapsed on the date of expiration.

6306.20 The Board may, in its discretion, grant an extension of the sixty (60) day period to renew after expiration if the applicant's failure to submit proof of completion was for good cause. As used in this section, "good cause" includes the following:

(a) Serious and protracted illness of the applicant; or

(b) The death or serious and protracted illness of a member of the applicant's immediate family.

6306.21 If the license of an occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant lapses while serving in the military whenever the United States is engaged in active military operations against any foreign power or hostile force, and the required continuing competence hours were not earned during the earning period, the licensee shall be required to complete the required continuing competence hours needed no later than six (6) months after discharge from active service, return to inactive military status, or return to the United States from an active war zone.

6306.22 The continuing competence contact hours completed shall not be used for the next licensing period.

6306.23 The continuing competence contact hours for the next licensing period not be prorated.

6306.24 Practitioners who are licensed to practice in a jurisdiction other than the District shall meet the requirements of this section in order to obtain licensure in the District.

SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 35 DCR 936, 939 (February 12, 1988); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 53 DCR 4551 (June 9, 2006).