News and Announcements

 

May 23, 2013

 

NCOTA Seeks Nominees for both OT and School Based Position on Licensure Board (NCBOT)

 

The North Carolina Occupational Therapy Practice Act obligates the NC Occupational Therapy Association (NCOTA) to seek and nominate candidates to serve on the North Carolina Board of Occupational Therapy (NCBOT, the licensure board). NCOTA is currently seeking a qualified occupational therapist and a qualified school counselor interested in serving on the NCBOT for four year terms, October 2013 - 2017.

Pursuant to NC General Statute 90-270.68 an applicant for the occupational therapist position must be an occupational therapist, resident of NC, licensed to practice in NC and shall have practiced, taught, or engaged in research in occupational therapy for at least three of the five years immediately preceding appointment to the NCBOT.  The School Based position shall be a counselor, educator, or school-based professional certified or licensed under North Carolina law who is employed in the North Carolina public school system, is not an occupational therapists or occupational therapy assistant, and is nominated by the NCOTA after consultation with the North Carolina School Counselors Association.

  

All members of the NCBOT are required to file an annual Statement of Economic Interest with the State Board of Ethics.

 

The NCOTA Executive Board reviews the qualifications of all applicants based on criteria established in the Practice Act, including geographic representation, clinical specialty, and other factors that promote broad representation of occupational therapy on the NCBOT. The NCOTA then submits names and credentials of nominees to the Governor, who makes the final decision on appointment. The occupational therapist seat to be filled is currently held by Christine Gunnigle. Ms. Gunnigle is not seeking re-appointment.  The school counselor position is currently held by Melanie Mills.  Ms. Mills is not eligible for reappointment since she is completing her second four-year term.

 

If you are an occupational therapist or school counselor interested in serving on the NCBOT and you meet the qualifications, submit your name, a brief history of your experience in OT or public schools (including your current role, location and employer and your curriculum vita) and a brief statement (no more than 250 words) of why you want to serve to: Nominations, PO Box 20432, Raleigh, NC 27619, fax: 919-771-0115. Deadline for receipt of complete nominations is August 1, 2013.

 

The current composition and representation on the Board is

 

THERAPIST MEMBERS:

Christine T. Gunnigle, OTR/L, Chair

William W Walsh, OTR/L, Vice Chair

Ron L Taylor, OTA/L

Denise Donica, DHS, OTR/L, BCP

PHYSICIAN MEMBER:

 Stephen Lang M.D., Durham County

 

PUBLIC MEMBER:

  Russell L. Stephenson, Jr., Secretary/Treasurer

SCHOOL BASED PROFESSIONAL MEMBER:

  Melanee Mills, MS

 

 

Febuary 1, 2013

 

Ethics Required for 2013 Renewals   

 

This is a reminder that an Ethics course is required as part of your Continuing Competence Activity for 2013 Renewals.

 

Rule .0802(b) states that every two (2) years all licensees shall document completion of at least one contact hour (one point) of an ethics course related to the practice of occupational therapy. The one point may be included in the total of the required point total for the renewal period.

Whether Ethics activity is required can be determined by the year of the renewal.  Ethics activity  is required for renewals occurring on odd years and not required for renewals occurring on even years.  For example: Ethics a is not required for renewals in 2012 but are be required for renewals in 2013. It will be clearly indicated in the Continuing Competence section of the website if the ethics activity is required for the current renewal period.

The ethics course must meet the requirements for continuing competence activity found in Rules Section .0800 (Rules .0801 - .0808). Additionally, whoever presents the course must meet the requirements of Rule .0803(b). It may not be an in-service offered by a co-employee who attended an ethics course.

Enter your ethics activity in the CCA category Ethics regardless of what category of CCA it belongs. This allows the computer to recognize it as your ethics requirement.

 

 

January 29 , 2011

 

Reminder about Online Access to CCA information and Therapist Profile information

Therapist are now able to update their personal, employment and supervision information online.  For complete instructions on how to update this information, click on the Information Tab under the Main Menu.

 

Therapist are now able to manage their continuing competence activity (CCA) online.  For complete instructions on how to manage this information, click on the Continuing Competence tab under the Main Menu.

 

 

January 29, 2013

 

Change of Board Meeting Dates

 

The May and November Board meeting dates have been changed.  Please see the revised schedule below.  Complete information related to Board meetings can be found in the Meetings section of the website. 

 

2013

Monday, January 28, 2013

Monday, March 18, 2013 

*Monday, May 13, 2013

Monday, July 15, 2013

Monday, September 16, 2013

*Monday, November 11, 2013

 

*Please note these are updated meeting dates

 

 

 

October 17, 2012

 

The North Carolina Board of Occupational Therapy will be holding a public hearing to discuss four (4) changes to the Rules of the Board.  This hearing is mandated by G.S. 150B-21.2(c) and will be held at 11:00am on November 12, 2012 in the large conference room on the 13th floor of the Well Fargo Bank building.  The text of the changes is as follows:

TITLE 21 – OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS

 

CHAPTER 38 - BOARD OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY

 

Notice is hereby given in accordance with G.S. 150B-21.2 that the NC Board of Occupational Therapy intends to amend the rules cited as 21 NCAC 38 .0301, .0802 and .0803.

 

Link to agency website pursuant to G.S. 150B-19.1(c):  www.ncbot.org

 

Proposed Effective Date:  April 01, 2013

 

Public Hearing:

Date:  November 12, 2012

Time:  11:00 a.m.

Location:  Wells Fargo Capitol Center, 150 Fayetteville Street, 13th Floor Conference Room, Raleigh, NC  27601

 

Reason for Proposed Action: 

21 NCAC 38 .0301, .0802, .0803 - These amendments are being submitted to clarify continuing competence activity requirements and as requested by health care providers who do not want to wear name tags with their last name on them.

 

Procedure by which a person can object to the agency on a proposed rule:  Any person may object to either of these proposed rule changes by submitting a written statement to Charles P. Wilkins at P.O. Box 2280, Raleigh, NC 27602, postmarked on or before January 28, 2013.

 

Comments may be submitted to:  Charles P. Wilkins, P.O. Box 2280, Raleigh, NC 27602; phone (919) 832-1380; fax (919) 833-1059; email cwilkins@bws-law.com

 

Comment period ends:  January 28, 2013

 

Procedure for Subjecting a Proposed Rule to Legislative Review:  If an objection is not resolved prior to the adoption of the rule, a person may also submit written objections to the Rules Review Commission after the adoption of the Rule. If the Rules Review Commission receives written and signed objections after the adoption of the Rule in accordance with G.S. 150B-21.3(b2) from 10 or more persons clearly requesting review by the legislature and the Rules Review Commission approves the rule, the rule will become effective as provided in G.S. 150B-21.3(b1).  The Commission will receive written objections until 5:00 p.m. on the day following the day the Commission approves the rule.  The Commission will receive those objections by mail, delivery service, hand delivery, or facsimile transmission.  If you have any further questions concerning the submission of objections to the Commission, please call a Commission staff attorney at 919-431-3000.

 

SECTION .0300 - LICENSING

 

21 NCAC 38 .0301             LICENSE NUMBER: DISPLAY OF LICENSE AND IDENTIFICATION BADGE

(a)  Each individual who is issued a license shall be issued a license number.  Should that number be retired for any reason (such as death, failure to renew the license, or any other reason) that number shall not be reissued.  The license and current renewal card must be available for inspection at the licensee's principal place of business.

(b)  Persons licensed under G.S. 90-270.65 et seq. shall be required to comply with the provisions of G.S. 90-640.

(c)  A licensed or registered person may be exempted from this requirement either partially or completely if such person, or such person's employer, shows to the Board that the person's or patient's safety or some therapeutic concern requires that an identification badge not be worn or that only a first name be displayed.

 

Authority G.S. 90-270.69(4); 90-270.73.

 

SECTION .0800 - CONTINUING COMPETENCE ACTIVITY

 

21 NCAC 38 .0802             CONTINUING COMPETENCE REQUIREMENTS FOR LICENSURE

(a)  Effective for the renewal period July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2009 and each renewal thereafter, licensed occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants applying for license renewal shall document having earned a minimum of 15 points for approved continuing competence activities between June 1 of the preceding licensure period and May 31 of the current licensure period. Documentation of each continuing competence activity shall comply with Rule .0805.

(b)  Every two years all licensees shall document completion of at least one contact hour of an ethics course related to the practice of occupational therapy, which shall be included in the total points for the year.  Each renewal period licensees shall document completion of at least one contact hour of a qualified activity for maintaining continuing competence related to ethics in the practice of occupational therapy, which shall be included in the total points for the year.  Continuing competence activities in ethics shall be related to developing the licensee's ability to reflect on, determine, and act on the moral aspects of practice as required by Rule .0308.

(c)  Continuing competence contact hours exceeding the total needed for renewal shall not be carried forward to the next renewal period.

(d)  Continuing competence activities shall not include new employee orientation or annual training required by the employer.

(e)  Licensees shall not receive credit for the same continuing competence activity more than once during a renewal period.

(f)  Licensees shall be charged a late fee of fifty dollars ($50.00) if they fail to obtain their continuing competency activities within the appropriate time period.

 

Authority G.S. 90-270.69; 90-270.75(a).

 

21 NCAC 38 .0803             APPROVAL OF ACTIVITIES

FOR MAINTAINING CONTINUING COMPETENCE

(a)  Provided that the activities are consistent with the provisions of rules in this Section, the Board shall grant pre-approval to:

(1)           Continuing competence activities sponsored or approved by the North Carolina Occupational Therapy Association,

(2)           Continuing competence activities sponsored or approved by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Association.

(3)           Continuing competence activities sponsored by AOTA approved providers.

(b)  A provider who wishes to obtain Board approval of activities for maintaining continuing competence, consistent with Rule .0804 of this Section, shall submit to the Board, at least 90 days in advance of the program, planned activity, the following:

(1)           course description;

(2)           learning outcomes;

(3)           target audience;

(4)           content focus;

(5)           agenda for the activity;

(6)           amount of contact hours;

(7)           qualifications for the presenter(s);

(8)           sample documentation for demonstrating satisfactory completion by course participants such as certificate of completion. completion; and

(9)           a fee of two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) for the review and processing of the provider's application.

(c)  Upon review of the completed application, the Board shall notify the provider as to whether or not the program has been approved.

(d)  A provider of a continuing competence activity shall furnish documentation for demonstrating completion to all participants, specifying the following information:

(1)           name of the participant;

(2)           name of the provider;

(3)           dates of the activity and completion;

(4)           title and location of the activity;

(5)           number of contact hours; and

(6)           signature of the provider or representative.

Authority G.S. 90-27

 

 

 

April 25, 2012

 

Change of Board Meeting in May

 

The Monday, May 21, 2012 meeting of the NC Board of Occupational Therapy has been changed to Saturday, May 19, 2012.  This meeting will be held at 9am at the 

Hand and Rehabilitation Specialists of NC

2701 Henry Street

Greensboro, NC 27405

 New Board Members

 

The Board has two new members.  COTA member Mr. Ron L. Taylor, OTA/L from Buncombe County and physician member Stephen Lang, M.D. from Durham County.

 

 

November 1, 2011

 

Online Access to CCA information and Therapist Profile information

Therapist are now able to update their personal, employment and supervision information online.  For complete instructions on how to update this information, click on the Information Tab under the Main Menu.

 

Therapist are now able to manage their continuing competence activity (CCA) online.  For complete instructions on how to manage this information, click on the Continuing Competence tab under the Main Menu.