Approval for Occupational Therapies in Illinois

The Mission of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation is to protect the residents of Illinois, to ensure the safety and soundness of financial institutions, to ensure that competent professionals are licensed to provide services to the public, and, to enhance commerce in the state for the benefit of all its residents.

Every Occupational Therapist and Occupational Therapy Assistant shall complete 24 CE hours relevant to the practice of occupational therapy during each pre-renewal period as a condition of renewal.  A pre-renewal period is the 24 months preceding December 31 in the year of the renewal. 

• In each renewal period, 1 CE hour shall include a course in ethics.

• In each renewal period, 1 CE hour shall include a course in sexual harassment prevention training.

• In each renewal period, 1 CE hour shall include a course on dementia recognition training, which shall only apply to licensees who provide health care services to, and have direct patient interactions with, adult populations age 26 or older in the practice of the licensee’s profession.

CE must be related to a licensee’s current or anticipated roles and responsibilities in occupational therapy and must directly or indirectly serve to protect the public by enhancing the licensee’s continuing competence. CE must be relevant to the advancement, extension and enhancement of professional clinical skills and scientific knowledge in the practice of occupational therapy or fulfilling the other professional roles of an occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant.

A renewal applicant is not required to comply with CE requirements for the first renewal following the original issuance of the license.