Fla. Admin. Code Ann. R. 64B20-6.001 - Continuing Education as a Condition for Renewal or Reactivation

(1) As a condition of the biennial renewal of an active status license, the licensee shall attend and certify attending 30 credit hours, per biennium, of Board approved continuing education, twenty (20) of which shall be clinically related as defined in subsection 64B20-6.002(2), F.A.C., and two (2) of which shall be proof of completion of a course relating to prevention of medical errors as specified in subsection 64B20-2.001(3), F.A.C. Those licensed as both audiologists and speech-language pathologists shall attend and certify attending 50 credit hours, per biennium, of Board approved continuing education, forty (40) hours of which shall be clinically related, twenty (20) in each specialty, of which two (2) hours shall be a Board approved course related to the prevention of medical errors as specified in subsection 64B20-2.001(3), F.A.C.

(2) As a condition of the biennial renewal of an active status assistant certificate, the assistant shall attend and certify attending twenty (20) credit hours, per biennium, of Board approved, clinically related continuing education. Two (2) of these hours must be in a Board approved course relating to the prevention of medical errors as required by subsection 64B20-2.001(3), F.A.C.

(3) In emergency or hardship cases the Board shall grant a grace period to an individual who has not completed the required continuing education prior to the renewal or reactivation of the individual's license or certificate. The license or certificate of individuals who do not complete the required continuing education during said grace period shall revert to delinquent status.

(4) Two hours of continuing education credit per year in the area of ethics shall be granted a licensee or certified assistant for attendance at a regularly scheduled face-to-face Board meeting. Licensees or certified assistants appearing before the Board on any disciplinary proceeding shall not be entitled to claim any continuing education credit for that particular Board meeting. Licensees must attend at least two hours of a Board meeting to be granted credit under this section. Up to two hours of continuing education credit in the area of ethics may be earned on an hour for hour basis by physically attending Board meetings, provided that:

(a) The licensee signs in with the Executive Director of the Board prior to the beginning of the meeting;

(b) The licensee remains in continuous attendance at the meeting;

(c) The licensee signs out of the meeting with the Executive Director of the Board in a prearranged time and manner;

(d) The licensee does not have a related discipline or licensure matter on the agenda for the same meeting day.

(5) Licensees who are initially licensed during the second year of the biennium shall be required to attend and certify twenty (20) hours of Board approved, clinically related, continuing education, for their first renewal. Two (2) of these hours must be in a Board approved course relating to the prevention of medical errors as described in subsection 64B20-2.001(3), F.A.C. Continuing education hours obtained during the two year period prior to renewal, including hours obtained while holding a provisional license, may be used to satisfy the requirement.

(6) The licensee or certificateholder shall maintain for a period of two years following renewal all documentation verifying the completion of the continuing education hours required for renewal. Upon request, such documentation shall be provided to the Board or Department.

(7) The Board shall audit the files of randomly selected licensees and certificateholders to ensure compliance pursuant to subsections 64B20-6.001(1) and (2), F.A.C. Within 21 days of the receipt of such request from the Board or Department, the licensee or certificateholder shall provide evidence of completion of the required continuing education hours. Failure to maintain documentation of the required continuing education hours and submission of such upon request, or the submission of false or misleading information or documentation shall subject the licensee or certificateholder to disciplinary action.

(8) Presenters/moderators of approved continuing education activities may receive credit on a one-time basis for programs where they are in attendance for the complete program, provided they receive a certificate of attendance in compliance with subsection 64B20-6.002(2), F.A.C. A maximum of five (5) hours per biennium may be earned for presenting/moderating programs.

(9) Instructors of graduate level courses in the curricula of an institution as described in subsection 64B20-2.002(1), F.A.C., may receive continuing education credit the first time the course is taught. A maximum of five (5) hours per biennium may be earned as an instructor of a graduate level course.

(10) Continuing education credit shall be awarded for prior approved non-paid directed clinical experiences in a work setting other than the licensee's. Such prior approval shall be in accordance with subsection 64B20-6.002(1), (5) or (6), F.A.C. A maximum of two (2) hours per biennium may be earned in a non-paid directed clinical experience.

(11) Continuing education credit shall be awarded for clinically related graduate level university courses from an institution as described in subsection 64B20-2.002(1), F.A.C., at the rate of fifteen (15) continuing education hours per semester hour of course work. For a licensee or certified assistant to receive credit for said graduate level course, the following criteria must be met:

(a) Except for assistants, the course shall not have been taken as part of the curriculum to satisfy the educational requirements for licensure;

(b) The licensee or certified assistant shall not have taken the course previously unless the licensee or certified assistant can demonstrate that there has been a substantial change in the course content since the course was first taken; and,

(c) The course must have received prior approval pursuant to subsection 64B20-6.002(3), F.A.C.

(12) Continuing education credit shall be awarded for non-clinically related graduate level university courses from an institution as described in subsection 64B20-2.002(1), F.A.C., at the rate of fifteen (15) continuing education hours per semester hour of course work. For a licensee or certified assistant to receive credit for said graduate level course, the following criteria must be met:

(a) The course must have received prior approval pursuant to subsection 64B20-6.002(3), F.A.C.;

(b) Except for assistants, the course shall not have been taken as part of the curriculum to satisfy the educational requirements for licensure; and

(c) The licensee or certified assistant shall not have taken the course previously unless the licensee or certified assistant can demonstrate that there has been a substantial change in the course content since the course was first taken.

Notes

Fla. Admin. Code Ann. R. 64B20-6.001

Rulemaking Authority 456.013(7), 468.1135(4)(a), 468.1195(1), (3), 468.1205(1) FS. Law Implemented 456.013(7), 456.072(1), (2), 468.1195(1), (3), 468.1205(1), 468.1295(1), (2) FS.

New 3-14-91, Amended 8-11-91, 5-28-92, 2-24-93, Formerly 21LL-6.001, Amended 1-31-94, 7-5-94, Formerly 61F14-6.001, Amended 3-28-95, 10-1-95, 11-20-95, 4-1-96, Formerly 59BB-6.001, Amended 7-7-98, 1-6-00, 4-4-02, 3-28-04, 5-26-05, 4-4-06, 6-8-09.

New 3-14-91, Amended 8-11-91, 5-28-92, 2-24-93, Formerly 21LL-6.001, Amended 1-31-94, 7-5-94, Formerly 61F14-6.001, Amended 3-28-95, 10-1-95, 11-20-95, 4-1-96, Formerly 59BB-6.001, Amended 7-7-98, 1-6-00, 4-4-02, 3-28-04, 5-26-05, 4-4-06, 6-8-09.