§ 42.55. Acceptable continued competency activities.
(a) Irrespective of the provider, contact hours will only be awarded for continued competency activities that are relevant to the practice of occupational therapy including direct care, management, education and research. Contact hours will not be awarded for activities related to marketing, office management, financial gain or self-promotion.
(b) The following activities are acceptable so long as the specific activity complies with subsection (a):
(1) Educational courses.
(i) For continuing education courses, contact hours equal the number of instructional hours.
(ii) For academic courses, one credit equals 15 contact hours.
(iii) Instead of the documentation required under § 42.57(a) (relating to documentation and reporting of continued competency activities), acceptable documentation of educational courses consists of an official transcript or certificate of completion indicating the name and date of the course and a description of the course from the school catalog or brochure.
(2) Mentorship.
(i) Prior to beginning a mentorship, the mentor and the protégé shall enter into a mentorship agreement.
(ii) At the conclusion of the mentorship, the mentor shall provide a postmentorship summary documenting the time spent in and outcomes of the mentoring program. A copy of the summary shall be provided to the protégé and maintained by the mentor and the protégé for 4 years.
(iii) The mentor and the protégé may each earn 1 contact hour for every 5 hours spent in mentorship activities up to a maximum aggregate of 12 contact hours per biennium.
(iv) Instead of the documentation required under § 42.57(a), acceptable documentation consists of a copy of the mentorship agreement and the postmentorship summary.
(3) Fieldwork supervision.
(i) A licensee may earn:
(A) One contact hour per student, up to a maximum aggregate of 12 contact hours per biennium, for serving as a supervisor for level I fieldwork.
(B) Three contact hours per student, up to a maximum aggregate of 12 contact hours per biennium, for serving as a supervisor for level II fieldwork.
(ii) In addition to the information required under § 42.57(a), the educational program shall verify the name of the supervisor, the names and number of students being supervised, the locations where the fieldwork is being performed and the dates and level of fieldwork.
(4) Professional writing.
(i) A licensee may earn the following contact hours, up to a maximum aggregate of 15 per biennium, for professional writing:
(A) Fifteen contact hours for writing a book.
(B) Ten contact hours for writing a chapter in a book.
(C) Ten contact hours for writing an article published in a peer-reviewed journal.
(D) Five contact hours for writing an article published in a non-peer-reviewed journal, magazine, newsletter or other publication.
(ii) Credit will be awarded for the biennium in which the book, chapter or article is published.
(iii) Instead of the documentation required under § 42.57(a), acceptable documentation of professional writing consists of a copy of the editor’s or publisher’s acceptance letter and a copy of the article, chapter or the cover page of the book including the title, author, source and date of publication, and editor.
(5) Editing.
(i) A licensee may earn the following contact hours, up to a maximum aggregate of 15 per biennium, for editing:
(A) A maximum of 10 contact hours may be earned for editing a book relevant to occupational therapy.
(B) A maximum of 6 contact hours per biennium may be earned for serving as a reviewer for a professional journal, provided that only 1 contact hour may be accrued for each article reviewed.
(ii) Instead of the documentation required under § 42.57(a), acceptable documentation of editing activities consists of the following:
(A) For editing a book, a copy of the editor’s or publisher’s acceptance letter and the cover page of the book including the title, author, source and date of publication, and editor.
(B) For serving as a reviewer, a copy of a letter from the editor acknowledging the number of articles reviewed.
(6) Presentation and instruction.
(i) A licensee may earn 2 contact hours, up to a maximum aggregate of 12 per biennium, for each 60-minute oral or poster presentation or instruction related to occupational therapy.
(ii) Credit will not be awarded for presentations or instruction when the activities are within the presenter’s/instructor’s employment role.
(iii) Credit will only be awarded one time per biennium for each presentation/instruction regardless of the number of times the material is presented.
(iv) In addition to the information required under § 42.57(a), the provider shall provide a copy of the official program, schedule or syllabus including presentation title, date, hours of presentation/instruction and attestation by the provider.
(7) Unpaid service.
(i) A licensee may earn:
(A) One contact hour, up to a maximum aggregate of 12 contact hours per biennium, for every 5 hours of unpaid service.
(B) Credit will not be awarded for administrative services performed, even if part of the unpaid service.
(ii) In addition to the documentation required under § 42.57(a), acceptable documentation of unpaid service consists of a letter on organization letterhead from the president or executive director attesting to and outlining the unpaid service completed.
Authority The provisions of this § 42.55 issued under sections 5(b) and 15(a) of the Occupational Therapy Practice Act (63 P.S. § § 1505(b) and 1515(a)); amended under sections 5(b), 8(5)(vi) and 15(a) of the Occupational Therapy Practice Act (63 P.S. § § 1505(b), 1508(5)(vi) and 1515(a)).
Source The provisions of this § 42.55 adopted June 21, 2013, effective June 22, 2013, 43 Pa.B. 3350; amended May 4, 2018, effective May 5, 2018, 48 Pa.B. 2624. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (391500) to (391502).
Cross References This section cited in 49 Pa. Code § 42.51 (relating to purpose); 49 Pa. Code § 42.52 (relating to definitions); 49 Pa. Code § 42.53 (relating to continued competency requirements); 49 Pa. Code § 42.54 (relating to education program providers); and 49 Pa. Code § 42.57 (relating to documentation and reporting of continued competency activities).
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