24.222.2102    CONTINUING EDUCATION – SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS AND AUDIOLOGISTS

(1) Licensees are required to obtain the following continuing education (CE) hours annually, prior to renewal on February 1. Credit will be granted only for CE completed during the one-year period prior to renewal:

(a) ten continuing education hours for speech-language pathology or audiology; or

(b) 15 continuing education hours for dual licensure in speech-language pathology and audiology, with at least five hours each in speech-language pathology and audiology.

(2) Continuing education requirements will not apply until the licensee's first full year of licensure.

(3) Licensees are responsible for selecting quality programs that focus on protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the public and contribute to speech-language pathologists' and audiologists' professional knowledge and competence. Acceptable CE activities:

(a) directly relate to the scope of practice of speech-language pathology and audiology as defined in board statutes and rules;

(b) review existing concepts and techniques;

(c) convey information beyond the basic professional education;

(d) update knowledge on advances in speech-language pathology or audiology practices; and/or

(e) reinforce professional conduct or ethical obligations of the licensee.

(4) All licensees shall affirm an understanding of their recurring duty to comply with CE requirements as part of annual license renewal.

(5) The board will randomly audit up to 50 percent of renewed licensees' CE annually.

(6) All CE must be documented to show proof of completion. The licensee is responsible for maintaining and making CE documentation available upon board request. Documentation must include:

(a) licensee name;

(b) presenter or sponsor;

(c) course title and/or description of content;

(d) course date(s); and

(e) number of CE hours earned.

(7) Licensees found to be in noncompliance with CE requirements may be subject to administrative suspension. Licensees may not apply CE hours used to complete delinquent CE requirements for the next education reporting period.

(8) Any CE hours required by disciplinary order do not apply toward the hours that are required annually under this rule.

 

History: 37-1-131, 37-1-319, MCA; IMP, 37-1-131, 37-1-306, MCA; NEW, 1982 MAR p. 378, Eff. 2/26/82; AMD, 1983 MAR p. 274, Eff. 4/1/83; AMD, 1985 MAR p. 1611, Eff. 11/1/85; AMD, 1989 MAR p. 2194, Eff. 12/22/89; AMD, 1996 MAR p. 2976, Eff. 11/8/96; AMD, 1998 MAR p. 2165, Eff. 8/13/98; AMD, 1999 MAR p. 408, Eff. 3/12/99; TRANS, from Commerce, 2004 MAR p. 2284; AMD, 2006 MAR p. 1583, Eff. 7/1/06; AMD, 2006 MAR p. 2413, Eff. 10/6/06; AMD, 2008 MAR p. 385, Eff. 2/29/08; AMD, 2017 MAR p. 1401, Eff. 8/19/17; AMD, 2018 MAR p. 2306, Eff. 11/17/18.