Tag Archives: TN

Renewal Information for Tennessee OTs

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Tennessee OTs can earn up to 12 hours of continued competence online!

Click to view AOTA-approved online CEUs. Up to 12 hours allowed per renewal!

Occupational Therapists (OTs) and Occupational Therapy Assistants in Tennessee are required to demonstrate continued competence by obtaining twenty-four (24) continued competence credits in the two (2) calendar years that precede the licensure renewal year.

Continued Competence – A dynamic, multidimensional process in which an occupational therapist or an occupational therapy assistant develops and maintains the knowledge, performance skills, interpersonal abilities, critical reasoning skills, and ethical reasoning skills necessary to perform his or her professional responsibilities.

The due date for licensure renewal is the last day of the month in which a licensee’s birthday falls pursuant to the Division of Health Related Boards “birthdate renewal system” contained on the renewal certificate as the expiration date.

CONTINUED COMPETENCE

The Board shall require each licensed occupational therapist and occupational therapist assistant to participate in a minimum number of activities to promote continued competence for the two (2) calendar years (January 1-December 31) that precede the licensure renewal year (a.k.a. biennium).

Beginning January 1, 2008 all applicants for licensure, renewal of licensure, reactivation of licensure, or reinstatement of licensure must attest to having completed continued competence requirements for the two (2) calendar years (January 1-December 31) that precede the licensure renewal, reactivation or reinstatement year.

The requirements for continued competence activities are defined as planned learning experiences that occur for occupational therapists and occupational therapist assistants. Content of the experiences must relate to a licensee’s current or anticipated roles and responsibilities in occupational therapy. Qualified learning experiences may include theoretical or practical content related to the practice of occupational therapy; research; management; or the development, administration, supervision, and teaching of clinical practice or service delivery programs in occupational therapy. The purpose of this requirement is to assist in assuring safe and effective practices in the provision of occupational therapy services to the citizens of Tennessee.

Occupational Therapists and Occupational Therapy Assistants are required to complete twenty-four (24) continued competence credits for the two (2) calendar years (January 1 – December 31) that precede the licensure renewal year.

  • Twelve (12) of the required twenty-four (24) continued competence credits must be directly related to the delivery of occupational therapy services.
  • One (1) hour of the required twenty-four (24) continued competence credits shall pertain to the AOTA Code of Ethics or other ethics related continued competence activities which have implications for the practice of occupational therapy.
  • One (1) hour of the required twenty-four (24) continued competence credits shall pertain to the occupational therapy portions of T.C.A. §§ 63-13-101, et seq., the Tennessee Occupational and Physical Therapy Practice Act, and shall pertain to Chapter 1150-02, General Rules Governing the Practice of Occupational Therapy.
  • Ten (10) hours of the required twenty-four (24) continued competence credits may pertain to the licensee’s current or anticipated professional role or may be directly related to the delivery of occupational therapy services.

Approved Continued Competence Activity Providers:

  • American Medical Association (AMA)
  • American Nurses Association (ANA)
  • American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) and AOTA approved providers
  • American Physical Therapy Association (APTA)
  • American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)
  • International Association of Continuing Education (IACET)
  • Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA)
  • Tennessee Occupational Therapy Association (TOTA)
  • State occupational therapy associations
  • State occupational therapy regulatory agencies
  • Accredited colleges and universities

The Board does not pre-approve continued competence activities. It is the responsibility of the licensed occupational therapist and occupational therapist assistant to use his/her professional judgment in determining whether or not the activities are applicable and appropriate to his/her professional development and meet the standards specified in these rules.

Each licensee must retain documentation of completion of all continued competence requirements of this rule for a period of five (5) years from when the requirements were completed. This documentation must be produced for inspection and verification, if requested in writing by the Board during its verification process.

The Tennessee Board of Occupational Therapy (http://health.state.tn.us/Boards/OT/) is responsible for safeguarding the health, safety, and welfare of Tennesseans, by requiring that all who practice occupational therapy within the state be qualified to practice. The Board interprets the laws, rules, and regulations to determine the appropriate standards of practice in an effort to ensure the highest degree of professional conduct. The Board is responsible for the investigation of alleged violations of the Practice Act and rules and is responsible for the discipline of licensees who are found guilty of such violation. Rules and regulations available: http://tennessee.gov/sos/rules/1150/1150-02.20100119.pdf

Professional Development Resources is an AOTA approved provider of continuing education (#3159). The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA. Over 100 online and home study courses are available at: http://www.pdresources.org/Courses/Occupational-Therapy/AllCourses/CourseID/1/

Tennessee OTs may earn up to 12 hours per renewal through PDResources.org coursework.

Renewal Information for Tennessee-Licensed Professional Counselors and MFTs

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Tennessee LPCs and MFTs can earn 5 hours per year online

Click to view approved online CE

Professional Counselors and Marital & Family Therapists (MFTs) in Tennessee are required to renew their licenses every 2 years. 10 hours of continuing education (CE) are required during each calendar year. 5 hours are allowed from online courses each year. Online courses must be offered by an approved provider and include a posttest.

Professional Development Resources is approved as a provider of continuing education by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC Provider #5590) and by the American Psychological Association (APA) to offer online continuing education for Tennessee-licensed Professional Counselors and MFTs. Over 100 courses are available at: http://www.pdresources.org/Index.aspx

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The administrative staff of the Division of Health Related Boards supports the Board by issuing licenses to those who meet the requirements of the law and rules. Renewal notices are mailed from the Board’s administrative office forty-five (45) days prior to the expiration of the license to the current address on record. Licenses can be renewed on-line one hundred twenty (120) days prior to expiration at Tennessee.gov/health. Click on the “License Renewal” link and follow the prompts. Licensees are responsible for renewing their licenses on time and keeping the Board apprised of current information. It is a violation of the law and of the board’s rules to practice on an expired license.

The due date for certificate and license renewal is the last day of the month in which a licensee’s birthdate falls pursuant to the Division of Health Related Board’s biennial birthdate renewal system as contained as the expiration date on renewal certificates.

Continuing Education

Each person registered with the board is required to complete 10 clock hours of continuing education during each calendar year.

Those persons who hold two (2) certificates and/or licenses regulated by the Tennessee Board for Professional Counselors, Marital and Family Therapists and Clinical Pastoral Therapists shall complete fifteen (15) clock hours of continuing education each calendar year. A person who holds three (3) certificates and/or licenses shall complete twenty (20) clock hours of continuing education each calendar year. In each case, at least five (5) clock hours shall be directly related to the practice of each profession for which the person is licensed or certified.

Ethics and Jurisprudence Course Requirement

Three (3) clock hours of the ten (10) clock hour annual requirement shall, every two (2) years, pertain to the following subjects:

  • Professional ethics; and/or
  • Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 63, Chapter 22; and/or
  • Official Compilation, Rules and Regulations of the State of Tennessee, Chapter 0450-1.

Those persons who hold two (2) certificates and/or licenses regulated by the Tennessee Board for Professional Counselors, Marital and Family Therapists and Clinical Pastoral Therapists shall have three (3) clock hours of the fifteen (15) clock hour annual requirement pertain to ethics and jurisprudence every two (2) years. A person who holds three (3) certificates and/or licenses shall have three (3) clock hours of the twenty (20) clock hour annual requirement pertain to ethics and jurisprudence every two (2) years.

A person is not required to complete continuing for a profession in the calendar year that his/her license and/or certificate was initially approved.

Acceptable Continuing Education

Acceptable continuing education shall consist of master or doctoral level course work from a nationally or regionally accredited institution of higher education; attendance at educational events sponsored or approved by national, state, regional, or local professional associations in the field; or events related to the practice of the profession for which a nationally or regionally accredited institution of higher education grants CEUs.

Multi-Media – continuing education courses may be presented in the traditional lecture and classroom formats or, with successful completion of a written post experience examination to evaluate material retention, in Multi-Media formats.

A maximum of five (5) clock hours may be received for multi-media courses during each calendar year. Those persons who hold two (2) certificates and/or licenses regulated by the Tennessee Board for Professional Counselors, Marital and Family Therapists and Clinical Pastoral Therapists may receive a maximum of seven and one-half (7½) clock hours for multi-media courses during each calendar year. Those persons who hold three (3) certificates and/or licenses may receive a maximum of ten (10) clock hours for multi-media courses during each calendar year.

Each person registered with the board must retain proof of attendance and completion of all continuing education requirements. This documentation must be retained for a period of four years from the end of the calendar year in which the continuing education was acquired. This documentation must be produced for inspection and verification, if requested in writing by the board during its verification process. The board will not maintain continuing education files.

The board will conduct a randomly selected audit of individual records to assure that the continuing education requirements have been met. An individual’s records may be audited during consecutive renewal periods.

Pre-approved course providers – Continuing education courses which pertain to the practice of counseling shall be considered approved if provided or sanctioned by the following entities:

  • American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
  • American Association of Pastoral Counselors
  • American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists
  • American Counseling Association
  • American Psychiatric Association
  • American Psychological Association
  • National Association of Social Workers
  • National Board for Certified Counselors

The Tennessee Board for Professional Counselors and Marital and Family Therapists: http://health.state.tn.us/Boards/PC_MFT&CPT/index.htm

Renewal Information for Tennessee Psychologists

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Tennessee psychologists can earn all 40 continuing education hours for renewal online!

Click to view approved online CE for Tennessee Psychologists!

Tennessee-licensed Psychologists, Senior Psychological Examiners, and Psychological Examiners are required to obtain forty (40) hours of continuing education (CE) credit every two (2) years. This CE is to be acquired in the two (2) calendar years (January 1 – December 31) prior to the licensure renewal year.

Nine (9) CE hours of the forty (40) hours required must be received from a Type I CE program.

Nine (9) CE hours of the forty (40) hours required must be received from Type I or Type II CE programs.

Twenty-two (22) CE hours of the forty (40) hours required may be received from Type I, II, or III programs. Three (3) hours of the twenty-two (22) hours required shall pertain to:

  1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 63, Chapter 11; and
  2. Official Compilation, Rules and Regulations of the State of Tennessee, Chapters 1180-1, 1180-2, 1180-3, and 1180-4; and
  3. The version of the “Ethical Standards” which are part of the “Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct” published by the American Psychological Association (A.P.A.), and approved by the A.P.A.’s Council of Representatives on August 21, 2002 to become effective on June 1, 2003.

Experiences unacceptable as continuing education include, but are not limited to, activities, psychotherapy, personal growth or enrichment.

Type I Continuing Education:

  • Offered by APA-approved providers of educational programs
  • Related skills and knowledge are postdoctoral in nature
  • Includes formal learning objectives and evaluation of learning activities
  • Primarily psychological in nature or is relevant to the science and practice of psychology
  • Must have a pre-assigned number of CE credit hours and provide documentation indicating the course was APA-approved

Professional Development Resources is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Professional Development Resources maintains responsibility for all programs and content. Tennessee-licensed psychologists may earn all 40 hours through courses offered by Professional Development Resources (Type 1). Over 100 online and home study courses are available at: http://www.pdresources.org/Courses/Psychology/AllCourses/CourseID/1/

Type II Continuing Education:

  • Primarily psychological in nature or is relevant to the science and practice of psychology
  • Must provide documentation of attendance and must have a pre-assigned number of CE credit hours under the auspices of any of the following:
  1. A regional psychological association
  2. A state psychological association
  3. Any recognized and relevant credentialing national, regional or state professional body
  4. An institution housing an APA-approved internship program
  5. A state university in Tennessee housing a graduate psychology program
  6. Graduate courses in an APA-approved graduate psychology program (to be assigned fifteen [15] Type II CE units per semester hour)
  7. Passing the ABPP exam (to be assigned twenty [20] hours of Type II CE credit)

Type III Continuing Education:

  • Consists of learning experiences that are less structured than Type I or Type II CE and provide information that is primarily psychological in nature or is relevant to the science and practice of psychology
  • May consist of clinical peer consultation groups or may consist of research presentations and convention workshops that incorporate multiple, brief presentations with many different learning objectives that are less amenable to a single evaluation

Continuing education courses may be presented in the traditional lecture and classroom formats or, with successful completion of a written post experience examination to evaluate material retention, in Multi-Media formats.

Multi-Media courses may include courses utilizing:

  • The Internet
  • Closed circuit television
  • Satellite broadcasts
  • Correspondence courses
  • Videotapes
  • CD-ROM
  • DVD
  • Teleconferencing
  • Videoconferencing
  • Distance learning

Licensees with disabilities or other hardships severely restricting travel away from home may petition the Board in writing to request exceptions to the manner in which they accumulate CE credits.

Documentation: Each licensee shall maintain documentation of CE hours for five (5) years and should prepare a summary report with documentation yearly. Documentation of completed CE hours must be produced for inspection and verification if requested in writing by the Board. The Board shall not maintain CE files.

Violations: Any licensee who falsely certifies attendance and completion of the required CE hours may be subject to disciplinary action.

Tennessee Board of Examiners of Psychology: http://health.state.tn.us/Boards/Psychology/index.htm

The Board of Examiners in Psychology was created in 1953 by an act of the State Legislature. Its mission is to safeguard the health, safety, and welfare of Tennesseans by requiring those who practice as psychologists or psychological examiners within this state be qualified. The Board interprets the laws, rules, and regulations to determine the appropriate standards of practice in an effort to ensure the highest degree of professional conduct. The Board is authorized to issue licenses to qualified candidates who have graduated from approved schools, completed appropriate post graduate work, and passed the examination administered by the Board. The Board is responsible for the investigation of alleged violations of the Practice Act and rules and is responsible for the discipline of licensees who are found guilty of such violations.