Ill. Admin. Code tit. 68, § 1325.80 - Continuing Education
a)
Continuing Education Hour Requirements
1)
Renewal applicants shall complete 30 hours of Continuing Education (CE)
relevant to the practice of orthotics, prosthetics, or pedorthics during each
pre-renewal period. The Division shall conduct audits to verify compliance with
this Section. The pre-renewal period is the 24 months preceding the expiration
date of the license.
2) Orthotists,
prosthetists, or pedorthists licensed in Illinois but residing and practicing
in another state must comply with the CE requirements set forth in this
Section.
3) A renewal applicant is
not required to comply with CE requirements for the first renewal after
original licensure.
b)
Activities for which CE credit may be earned are as follows:
1) Verified attendance at, participation in,
or completion of any in-person or online continuing education approved by the
American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics & Pedorthics,
Inc.
2) Verified attendance at,
participation in, or completion of an in person or online program given by a
sponsor as set forth in subsections (c)(1) and (2).
3) A maximum of 15 hours per pre-renewal
period for:
A) Papers prepared for or
delivered before recognized orthotic, prosthetic, or pedorthic
organizations;
B) Papers published
in nationally recognized orthotic, prosthetic, or pedorthic journals;
and
C) Writing a chapter in a book
about orthotics, prosthetics, or pedorthics.
4) A licensee who serves as an instructor,
speaker or discussion leader of a course given by an approved sponsor will be
allowed CE course credit for actual presentation time, plus actual preparation
time of up to 2 hours for each hour of presentation. Preparation time shall not
be allowed for presentations of the same course. In no case shall credit for
actual time of presentation and preparation be given for more than 9 hours
during any renewal period.
5) The
continuing education hours used to satisfy the CE requirements for renewal of
an orthotic, prosthetic, or pedorthic license held in another jurisdiction
shall be applied toward the CE requirements for renewal of an Illinois
orthotic, prosthetic, or pedorthic license.
6) Courses that are part of the curriculum of
a university, college or other educational institution shall be allotted CE
credit at the rate of 15 CE hours for each semester hour or 10 CE hours for
each quarter hour of school credit awarded.
7) A CE hour equals 60 minutes. After
completion of the initial CE hour, credit may be given in one-quarter hour
increments.
8) Cardiopulmonary
resuscitation (CPR) certification by the American Red Cross, American Heart
Association, National Safety Council, or their international affiliates, or
automated external defibrillation (AED) certification by the American Red Cross
or other qualified organization as authorized by the Automated External
Defibrillator Act. Five hours of continuing education may be earned for one CPR
or AED certification. No more than one certification may be submitted per
renewal.
c) CE Sponsors
and Programs
1) Sponsor, as used in this
Section, shall mean:
A) The American Academy
of Orthotists and Prosthetists, or its affiliates;
B) The American Orthotic & Prosthetic
Association, or its affiliates;
C)
The Pedorthic Footwear Association, or its affiliates;
D) The International Society of Prosthetics
and Orthotics, or its affiliates;
E) Illinois Society of Orthotists,
Prosthetists and Pedorthists;
F)
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, or its affiliates;
G) The Association of Children's
Orthotic-Prosthetic Clinics, or its affiliates;
H) The Illinois Podiatric Medical
Society;
I) The American Podiatric
Medical Society and its affiliates;
J) American Academy of Physical Medicine and
Rehabilitation, and its affiliates;
K) Association of Academic Physiatrists, and
its affiliates;
L) Any other
school, college or university, State agency, or any other person, firm or
association that has been approved and authorized by the Division to coordinate
and present continuing education courses and programs in conjunction with this
Section.
2) Entities
seeking a license as a CE sponsor pursuant to subsection (c)(1)(L) shall file a
sponsor application, along with the required fee set forth in Section
1325.50.
The applicant shall certify to the following:
A) Certification:
i) That all courses and programs offered by
the sponsor for CE credit will comply with the criteria in subsection (c) of
this Section and all other criteria in this Section. The applicant shall be
required to submit a sample 3 hour CE program with course materials, presenter
qualifications and course outline for review prior to being approved as a CE
sponsor;
ii) That the sponsor will
be responsible for verifying attendance at each course or program and provide a
certificate of completion as set forth in subsection (c)(8); and
iii) That, upon request by the Division, the
sponsor will submit evidence as is necessary to establish compliance with this
Section. Evidence shall be required when the Division has reason to believe
that there is not full compliance with the Act and this Part and that this
information is necessary to ensure compliance;
B) A copy of a certificate of attendance or
participation that meets the requirements set forth in subsection (c)(8);
and
C) A sample of a CE course that
includes, but is not limited to, course materials, books, and instructor
credentials.
3) Each
sponsor shall submit a written notice to the Division of a course offering at
least 30 days prior to the course date. The notice shall include a course
outline and the location, date and time the course is to be offered. The notice
shall also contain the credit hours earned upon successful completion of the
course.
4) Each sponsor shall
submit by August 31 of odd numbered years a renewal application, along with the
required renewal fee set forth in Section 1325.50. With the application the
sponsor shall be required to submit to the Division a list of all courses and
programs offered in the past 2 years, which includes a description, location,
date and time the course was offered.
5) State agencies, State colleges and State
universities in Illinois shall submit a sponsor application in accordance with
subsections (c)(2) and (3); however, they shall be exempt from payment of the
fee.
6) All courses and programs
shall:
A) Contain materials that contribute to
the advancement, extension and enhancement of professional skills and knowledge
in the practice of orthotics, prosthetics, or pedorthics;
B) Specify the course objectives, course
content and teaching methods to be used;
C) Be developed and presented by persons with
education and/or experience in the subject matter of the program;
D) Specify the number of CE hours that may be
applied to fulfilling the Illinois CE requirements for license renewal;
and
E) Include some mechanism by
which participants evaluate the overall quality of the program.
7) All programs given by approved
sponsors shall be open to all licensed orthotists, prosthetists, or pedorthists
and not be limited to the members of a single organization or a group and shall
specify the number of CE hours that may be applied toward Illinois CE
requirements for licensure renewal.
8) It shall be the responsibility of the
sponsor to provide each participant in an approved program or course with a
certificate of attendance or participation, which shall contain the following
information:
A) The name, address and license
number of the sponsor;
B) The name
and license number of the participant;
C) A brief statement of the subject
matter;
D) The number of clock
hours actually attended in each program;
E) The date and place of the program;
and
F) The signature of the
sponsor.
9) The sponsor
shall maintain course materials and attendance records containing all
information in subsection (c)(8) for not less than 5 years, except for the
signature of the sponsor.
10) The
sponsor shall be responsible for assuring that no renewal applicant shall
receive CE credit for time not actually spent attending the program.
11) The Division, upon recommendation of the
Board, shall withdraw, suspend or place on probation the approval of a CE
sponsor when, at any time, the quality of the CE fails to meet the established
criteria set forth in this Section or if the sponsorship approval was based
upon false or deceptive information or if any other related license of the
sponsor or instructor is suspended, revoked or otherwise disciplined.
12) Notwithstanding any other provision of
this Section, the Division or Board may evaluate any sponsor of any continuing
education program at any time.
13)
The Division shall maintain a list of all approved continuing education
sponsors.
d) Continuing
Education Earned in Other Jurisdictions
1) If
a renewal applicant will be earning or has earned CE hours in another
jurisdiction, the applicant is not licensed in that jurisdiction and the course
is not presented by an approved sponsor, the applicant shall submit an
individual program approval request form, along with a $20 processing fee, to
have the program reviewed. The Board shall review and recommend approval or
disapproval of the program using the criteria set forth in subsection (c)(6).
Applicants may seek individual program approval prior to participation in the
course or program. All individual program approval requests shall be submitted
at least 90 days prior to the expiration date of the license.
2) If a licensee fails to submit an out of
state CE approval form within the required time frame, late approval may be
obtained by submitting the approval request form with the $20 processing fee
plus a $10 per CE hour late fee not to exceed $150. The Board shall review and
recommend approval or disapproval of the program using the criteria set forth
in subsection (c)(3).
e)
Certification of Compliance with CE Requirements
1) Each renewal applicant shall certify, on
the renewal application, full compliance with the CE requirements set forth in
subsection (a).
2) The Division may
require additional documentation in order to demonstrate compliance with the CE
requirements. It is the responsibility of each renewal applicant to retain or
otherwise produce evidence of compliance. A licensee shall be required to keep
CE records for 5 years. This additional documentation will be required in the
context of a Division audit.
3)
When there appears to be a lack of compliance with CE requirements, an
applicant will be notified and may request an interview with the Board. At that
time the Board may recommend that steps be taken to begin formal disciplinary
proceedings as required by Section 10-65 of the Illinois Administrative
Procedure Act [5 ILCS 100/10-65
].
f) Waiver of CE
Requirements
1) Any renewal applicant seeking
renewal of a license without having fully complied with these CE requirements
shall file with the Division a renewal application, the renewal fee set forth
in Section 75(d) of the Act, a statement setting forth the facts concerning the
non-compliance, and a request for waiver of the CE requirements on the basis of
those facts. If the Division, upon the written recommendation of the Board,
finds from this affidavit or any other evidence submitted that good cause has
been shown for granting a waiver, the Division shall waive enforcement of the
requirements for the renewal period for which the applicant has
applied.
2) Good cause shall be
defined as an inability to devote sufficient hours to fulfilling the CE
requirements during the applicable pre-renewal period because of:
A) Full-time service in the armed forces of
the United States of America during a substantial part of such period;
or
B) Extreme hardship, which shall
be determined on an individual basis by the Board, and shall be limited to
documentation of:
i) An incapacitating illness
documented by a currently licensed physician;
ii) A physical inability to travel to the
sites of approved programs; or
iii)
Any other similar extenuating circumstances.
3) If an interview with the Board is
requested at the time the request for the waiver is filed with the Division,
the renewal applicant shall be given at least 20 days written notice of the
date, time and place of the interview by certified mail, return receipt
requested.
4) Any renewal applicant
who submits a request for a waiver pursuant to subsection (f)(1) shall be
deemed to be in good standing until the Division's final decision on the
application has been made.
Notes
Amended at 37 Ill. Reg. 4861, effective April 1, 2013
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