Approval in Tennessee

ABOUT THE BOARD. The Board of Occupational Therapy is responsible for safeguarding the health, safety, and welfare of Tennesseans, by requiring that all who practice occupational therapy within the state be qualified to practice. The Board interprets the laws, rules, and regulations to determine the appropriate standards of practice in an effort to ensure the highest degree of professional conduct.

APPROVALS. The Board does not pre-approve continued competence activities. It is the responsibility of the licensed occupational therapist and occupational therapist assistant to use their professional judgment in determining whether or not the activities are applicable and appropriate to his/her professional development.

GENERAL CE REQUIREMENTS:

Occupational Therapists and Occupational Therapy Assistants in Tennessee are required to demonstrate continued competence by obtaining 24 continuing education credits in the 2 calendar years that precede the licensure renewal year.

• 12 of the required 24 hours must be directly related to the delivery of occupational therapy services.

• A maximum of 12 hours may be earned through independent online study.

• If a licensee exceeds the 24 hour requirement, a maximum of 4 hours may be carried over the following renewal period.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• 1 of the required 24 hours must pertain to the AOTA Code of Ethics or other ethics related continued competence activities which have implications for the practice of occupational therapy.

• 1 of the required 24 hours shall pertain to Tennessee Jurisprudence, covering the occupational therapy portions of T.C.A. §§ 63-13-101, et seq., the Tennessee Occupational and Physical Therapy Practice Act, and pertaining to Chapter 1150-02, General Rules Governing the Practice of Occupational Therapy. The TNOTA offers a course for that meets this requirement: https://www.tnota.org/

• All licensees must complete a minimum 2 hour training program by a Board-approved provider relative to suicide prevention at least once every 4 years. https://www.tnota.org/suicide-prevention-information

Each licensee must retain documentation of completion of all continued competence requirements of this rule for a period of 5 years from when the requirements were completed. This documentation must be produced for inspection and verification, if requested in writing by the Board during its verification process.