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Connecticut Occupational Therapy Continuing Education

Updated 8/22/2024

How many continuing education hours are required during a reporting period?

Occupational therapists licensed in Connecticut must complete twenty-four (24) four contact hours every two (2) years.

Occupational therapy assistants licensed in Connecticut must complete eighteen (18) contact hours every two (2) years.

New Licensees

Individuals applying for initial licensure in Connecticut and licensees applying for the first renewal of their license in Connecticut shall be exempt from continued competency requirements.

How is credit hour defined?

"Contact hour" means a minimum of fifty (50) minutes of continued competency activity.

How long is the reporting period?

Two (2) years.

"License renewal due date" means the last day of the month of July during an odd-numbered year in which licenses expire.

Can CE credits be carried over into the next reporting period?

No. Continued competency activities completed in one registration period shall not be allowed to carry-over to a subsequent registration period.

Are there any specific requirements for continuing education?

N/A

What types of activities can be used for the continuing education requirements?

Activity

Hours Earned

Maximum

Courses

Academic courses, institutes, seminars, programs, structured didactic In-service training and scientific meetings directly related to the practice of occupational therapy.


One (1) contact hour for each hour of attendance.

N/A

Teaching

Courses taught as an appointed faculty member at a school of occupational therapy accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education or its successor organization, provided that teaching is not the licensee's primary role.


N/A

Six (6) continued competency contact hours per registration period.

Post-Graduate Attendance

Full-time post-graduate attendance throughout the registration period in an advanced educational program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education or its successor organization.


Ten (10) contact hours per semester credit hour.

N/A

Examinations 

Successful completion of the Certification Examination for Occupational Therapist, or the Certification Examination for Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant, if taken five (5) years or more after graduation.


Twelve (12) contact hours.

N/A

Presentations 

First presentation by licensee of a paper, essay or formal lecture in occupational therapy at a training program, an educational meeting or providing professional in-service training or instruction for occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants and related professionals.


One (1) contact hour for each hour of presentation.

N/A

Presentations 

First presentation only of a scientific or educational exhibit at a professional meeting.

One (1) contact hour for each hour of presentation

Maximum of twelve (12) contact hours per registration period for OTs and nine (9) contact hours per registration period for OTAs.


Publications 

First publication for authorship of original work in occupational therapy, published in the scientific or professional press.

Five (5) contact hours per article in a non-peer-reviewed publication.

Ten (10) contact hours per article in a peer-reviewed professional publication or chapter in an occupational therapy or related professional textbook.


N/A

Research 

Clinical activities in a research project shall be awarded for appointment as a research assistant to a research project in occupational therapy which is funded by State, Federal or institutional grant.


Ten (10) contact hours per project.

N/A

Teaching Assistant

Appointment as a teaching assistant at a school of occupational therapy accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education or its successor organization.


Eight (8) contact hours per registration period.

N/A

Fieldwork Supervision 

Supervision as the primary direct clinical supervisor of a 12-week field work placement for an occupational therapy student or an 8-week field work placement for an occupational therapy assistant student enrolled in a program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education or its successor organization.


One (1) contact hour for each week of supervision per student supervised and nine (9) contact hours per registration period for OTAs.

A maximum of twelve (12) contact hours per registration period for OTs.

Manuscript Review

Professional manuscript review or editing for journals or textbooks.

One (1) contact hour for five (5) hours of review.

A maximum of twelve (12) contact hours per registration period for OTs and nine (9) contact hours per registration period for OTAs.


Auditing

Auditing formal academic coursework.

Two (2) contact hours per fifteen (15) clock hours.

A maximum of twelve (12) contact hours per registration period for OTs or nine (9) contact hours per registration period for OTAs.


What type of approval is needed for the courses?

Continued competency activities identified above shall qualify to satisfy the requirements of these regulations, provided:

    • The activity involves face-to-face instruction or a home study program;
    • The provider implements a mechanism to monitor and document physical attendance at face-to-face instruction or to verify that a licensee completed a home study program;
    • The provider retains written records for a period of three years including but not limited to: content description; instructor; date(s) of activity; location of activity; list of participants; and number of contact hours;
    • The provider implements a mechanism to evaluate participants' attainment of competency objectives and/or participants' assessment of the competency activity;
    • The provider issues a certificate of completion; such certificate shall not be issued by the provider prior to actual completion of the activity; such certificate shall include: participants' name; provider's name; title or subject area of the activity; date(s) and location of attendance; and number of contact hours completed;
    • The activity focuses on content specified in section 20-74i-5:

Subject matter for qualifying continued competency activities shall reflect the professional needs of the licensee in order to meet the health care needs of the public. Only those continued competency activities which provide significant theoretical and/or practical content directly related to the clinical practice of occupational therapy or the development, administration, and supervision of clinical practice or service delivery programs by occupational therapists shall qualify to meet the requirements.

What type of courses or activities are not allowed?

Activities which will not qualify for award of continued competency contact hours include:

    • Professional organizational business meetings;
    • Speeches delivered at luncheons or banquets;
    • The reading of books, articles, or professional journals;
    • Correspondence courses, and other mechanisms of self-instruction except when used as a component of a home study program; and
    • Audio-visual materials, except when audio-visual materials are used as a component of a qualifying continued competency activity.

What are the reporting requirements?

Each licensee applying for license renewal shall sign a statement attesting that the licensee satisfies the continued competency requirements.

How long must continuing education records be retained?

Certificates of completion and other required documentation shall be retained by the licensee for a minimum of three (3) years following the license renewal due date for which the activity satisfies license renewal requirements.

Waiver

A waiver of the continued competency requirements may be extended to a licensee who is not engaged in occupational therapy during a given continued competency registration period provided the licensee submits, prior to the expiration of the registration period, a notarized application on a form provided by the department. The application shall contain a statement that the licensee shall not engage in active practice until the licensee has shown proof, to the satisfaction of the department, of completion of the CE requirements.

The department may, in individual cases involving a medical disability or illness, grant waivers of the minimum continued competency requirements or extensions of time within which to fulfill the same. The application for a waiver or extension of time shall be accompanied by a document signed by a licensed physician detailing the nature of the medical disability or illness.

Waivers of the minimum continued competency requirements or extensions of time may be granted by the department for a period not to exceed one (1) year. If the medical disability or illness, upon which a waiver or extension of time is granted continues beyond the period of the waiver or extension of time, the licensee may reapply for an additional waiver or extension of time.

A licensee who has received a waiver shall submit to the department evidence of successful completion of twelve (12) contact hours for occupational therapists or nine (9) contact hours for occupational therapy assistants within six (6) months after returning to active practice.

Audit

The department shall audit such licensee records as it deems necessary. Certificates of completion and other required documentation shall be submitted by the licensee to the department only upon the department's request. Such records shall be submitted to the department by the licensee within forty-five (45) days of the department's request for an audit. It shall not be necessary for the licensee to submit such documentation in order to renew the license.

Reference

Conn. Agencies Regs. § 20-74i

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