1999 Minnesota Statutes

     148.5193 Continuing education requirements. 

    Subdivision 1.    Number of contact hours required.  (a) 
 An applicant for registration renewal must meet the requirements 
 for continuing education according to paragraphs (b) to (e).  

    (b) An applicant for registration renewal as either a 
 speech-language pathologist or an audiologist must provide 
 evidence to the commissioner of a minimum of 30 contact hours of 
 continuing education offered by an approved continuing education 
 sponsor within the two years immediately preceding registration 
 renewal.  A minimum of 20 contact hours of continuing education 
 must be directly related to the registrant's area of 
 registration.  Ten contact hours of continuing education may be 
 in areas generally related to the registrant's area of 
 registration.  

    (c) An applicant for registration renewal as both a 
 speech-language pathologist and an audiologist must attest to 
 and document completion of a minimum of 36 contact hours of 
 continuing education offered by an approved continuing education 
 sponsor within the two years immediately preceding registration 
 renewal.  A minimum of 15 contact hours must be received in the 
 area of speech-language pathology and a minimum of 15 contact 
 hours must be received in the area of audiology.  Six contact 
 hours of continuing education may be in areas generally related 
 to the registrant's areas of registration.  

    (d) If the registrant is licensed by the board of teaching: 

    (1) activities that are approved in the categories of 
 Minnesota Rules, part 8700.1000, subpart 3, items A and B, and 
 that relate to speech-language pathology, shall be considered: 

    (i) offered by an approved sponsor of continuing education; 
 and 

    (ii) directly related to speech-language pathology; 

    (2) activities that are approved in the categories of 
 Minnesota Rules, part 8700.1000, subpart 3, shall be considered: 

    (i) offered by an approved sponsor of continuing education; 
 and 

    (ii) generally related to speech-language pathology; and 

    (3) one clock hour as defined in Minnesota Rules, part 
 8700.1000, subpart 1, is equivalent to 1.2 contact hours of 
 continuing education.  

    (e) Contact hours cannot be accumulated in advance and 
 transferred to a future continuing education period.  

    Subd. 2.    Preapproved continuing education sponsors.  
 The commissioner will accept continuing education approved or 
 sponsored by the Minnesota department of health, the Minnesota 
 Speech-Language-Hearing Association, the American 
 Speech-Language-Hearing Association, the American Academy of 
 Audiology, the Minnesota Academy of Audiology, the Academy of 
 Rehabilitative Audiologists, the Acoustical Society of America, 
 Twin Cities Clinical Speech-Language Pathologists, Minnesota 
 Foundation for Acoustical Education and Research, or 
 universities accredited by the American Speech-Language-Hearing 
 Association.  

    Subd. 3.    Approval of continuing education sponsors.  
 (a) Continuing education sponsors, unless preapproved under 
 subdivision 2, must be approved by the commissioner according to 
 paragraphs (b) to (e). 

    (b) Applications for approval must be submitted to the 
 commissioner at least 60 days before the date of the first 
 continuing education activity.  Applications must be made in 
 writing by the person or officer of the organization sponsoring 
 the program.  On receiving the commissioner's approval, 
 continuing education activities of the sponsor related to 
 speech-language pathology or audiology are approved for two 
 years following the date of the commissioner's approval.  To 
 obtain approval, continuing education sponsors must submit the 
 information described in clauses (1) to (5) on an application 
 provided by the commissioner:  

    (1) The continuing education sponsor must describe the 
 content of courses to be offered.  The course content must 
 contribute directly to the professional competency of the 
 speech-language pathologist or audiologist, must be beyond the 
 basic educational program leading to a degree in speech-language 
 pathology or audiology, and must include subject matter related 
 to current developments in speech-language pathology and 
 audiology.  

    (2) The continuing education sponsor must describe the 
 method of instruction for each course offered.  The continuing 
 education sponsor must describe for each course offered the 
 teaching methods to be used, such as lecture, seminar, 
 audiovisual, or simulation.  

    (3) The continuing education sponsor must outline specific 
 written objectives that describe expected outcomes for the 
 participants.  

    (4) The continuing education sponsor must state the number 
 of contact hours of continuing education which may be obtained 
 by completing a specified course, which must be a minimum of one 
 hour.  

    (5) The continuing education sponsor must provide a resume 
 of each instructor's qualifications with the application for 
 approval by the commissioner.  Instructors must be qualified to 
 teach the specified course content based on their prior 
 education, training, or experience.  

    (c) The continuing education sponsor must report to the 
 commissioner, on a timely basis, any change in the course 
 content or instructor.  

    (d) Continuing education sponsors must maintain, for a 
 minimum of three years, a record of attendance for each course 
 offered.  

    (e) To maintain approval as a continuing education sponsor, 
 a continuing education sponsor must continue to comply with this 
 section.  

    Subd. 4.    Earning continuing education contact hours 
 through contact hour equivalents.  (a) A registrant who 
 teaches continuing education courses may obtain contact hour 
 equivalents according to paragraphs (b) to (d). 

    (b) The sponsor of the course must be approved by the 
 commissioner.  

    (c) A registrant may not obtain more than six contact hours 
 in any two-year continuing education period by teaching 
 continuing education courses.  

    (d) A registrant may obtain two contact hours for each hour 
 spent teaching a course if the course is sponsored by an 
 approved continuing education sponsor.  Contact hours may be 
 claimed only once for teaching the same course in any two-year 
 continuing education period.  

    Subd. 5.    Continuing education activities offered by a 
 sponsor not approved by the commissioner.  (a) A registrant 
 may seek approval of a continuing education activity offered by 
 a sponsor who is not approved by the commissioner.  The 
 registrant must seek approval according to paragraphs (b) and 
 (c). 

    (b) The registrant's request for approval must be made in 
 writing to the commissioner, on forms available from the 
 commissioner.  A request for approval before the continuing 
 education activity is attended must be made a minimum of 45 days 
 before the first day of the continuing education activity.  A 
 request for approval after the continuing education activity is 
 attended must be made within 45 days of the last day of the 
 continuing education activity and must include verification of 
 attendance.  A registrant not complying with this subdivision 
 will not receive approval for the continuing education activity. 

    (c) A registrant denied approval of a continuing education 
 activity may make a written request to the commissioner, within 
 30 days of the commissioner's decision, that the advisory 
 council review the commissioner's decision to deny the 
 registrant's request for approval of continuing education.  
 After reviewing a denial, the advisory council shall submit its 
 recommendation to the commissioner.  

    Subd. 6.    Evidence of attendance.  A registrant must 
 maintain records of attending the continuing education contact 
 hours required for registration renewal.  An applicant for 
 registration renewal must submit the following information on a 
 form provided by the commissioner:  the sponsoring organization, 
 the dates of the course, the course name, the number of contact 
 hours completed, and the name and signature of the registrant.  
 The form must be submitted with the renewal application under 
 section 148.5191, subdivision 1.  

    Subd. 7.    Verification of continuing education reports. 
  The commissioner may request a registrant or continuing 
 education sponsor to verify the continuing education to which 
 the registrant attested.  Documentation may come directly from 
 the registrant, the continuing education sponsor, or from a 
 national accrediting or certifying organization which maintains 
 the records.  

    Subd. 8.    Waiver of continuing education requirements. 
  The commissioner may grant a waiver of the requirements of 
 this section in cases where the requirements would impose an 
 undue burden on the registrant.  A registrant must request in 
 writing a waiver of the requirements of this section.  The 
 request for a waiver must cite this section, the reasons for 
 requesting the waiver, the period of time the registrant wishes 
 to have the continuing education requirement waived, and the 
 alternative measures that will be taken if a waiver is granted.  
 The commissioner shall set forth, in writing, the reasons for 
 granting or denying the waiver.  Waivers granted by the 
 commissioner shall specify in writing the time limitation and 
 required alternative measures to be taken by the registrant. 

    HIST: 1996 c 363 s 11