in-20250716-IR-844250329FNA: The Medical Licensing Board of Indiana (board) is soliciting public comment on adding and amending rules at 844 IAC 10 concerning updates related to the occupational therapy profession. The board seeks comment on the affected citations listed and any other provisions of Title 844 that may be affected by this rulemaking.

Notice of First Public Comment Period LSA Document #25-329 Sec. 2. (a) The board shall charge and collect the following fees: (b) Applicants required to take the national examination for licensure shall pay a fee directly to a professional examination service in the amount set by the examination service. Sec. 2. The committee shall issue a license by examination to an applicant who completes the following: Sec. 3. The committee may issue a license by endorsement to an applicant who completes the following: Sec. 5. (a) The occupational therapist has full responsibility for providing occupational therapy services. Supervision of an occupational therapy assistant is a shared collaborative process. The supervising occupational therapist has the legal and ethical responsibility to provide supervision, and the occupational therapy assistant has the legal and ethical responsibility to obtain supervision. (b) Under the supervision of an occupational therapist, an occupational therapy assistant may complete or contribute to the a screening and evaluation process The occupational therapy assistant may also contribute to the following by: Sec. 6. (a) The occupational therapist shall countersign within seven (7) five (5) calendar days all documentation written recorded by the occupational therapy assistant, which will become part of the patient's permanent record. (b) The occupational therapist's countersignature confirms that the occupational therapy assistant's documentation is accurate. Sec. 13. (a) The supervising occupational therapist shall be reasonably available and responsible at all times for the direction and action of the person supervised when services are performed by the holder of a temporary permit issued under IC 25-23.5-5-11(a)(3). Unless the supervising occupational therapist is on the premises to provide constant supervision, the holder of the temporary permit shall meet once each working day to review all patients' treatments with the supervising occupational therapist. This meeting must may include the actual virtual presence of the supervising occupational therapist. or the designated occupational therapist At least twenty percent (20%) of the meetings with the supervising or delegate occupational therapist must be in person. The patient's care shall always be the responsibility of the supervising occupational therapist. Reports written by the holder of a temporary permit issued under IC 25-23.5-5-11(a)(3) for inclusion in the patient's permanent record shall must be countersigned by the supervising occupational therapist, who may enter any remarks, revisions, or additions as the supervising occupational therapist deems appropriate. The supervising occupational therapist shall countersign within seven (7) five (5) calendar days all documentation written by the holder of the temporary permit issued under IC 25-23.5-5-11(a)(3). (b) The supervising occupational therapist shall, within fourteen (14) five (5) calendar days, notify the committee in writing when the supervising relationship with the holder of the temporary permit has changed or been terminated. The notification to the committee shall must indicate the reason for the change or termination in supervision. It shall be the responsibility of Within five (5) calendar days of a change or termination of a supervising relationship, the holder of the temporary permit to shall notify the committee in writing of the name and license number of a new supervisor supervising occupational therapist. Sec. 14. (a) An occupational therapist may not supervise more than three (3) holders of temporary permits issued under IC 25-23.5-5-11(a)(3) at one (1) time. (b) The supervising occupational therapist shall maintain documentation of the supervision of each temporary permit holder. (c) Documentation must include the following: Sec. 1.5. "Occupational therapy aide" means an individual who supports and assists the occupational therapist and occupational therapy assistant by performing specifically delegated tasks. Sec. 2. An occupational therapy aide may contribute to indirect patient services through the provision of by providing the following: Sec. 3. (a) During each two (2) year license period, an occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant must shall complete at least eighteen (18) hours of continuing competency of which courses, with at least nine (9) hours must be being in category I courses. (b) An occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant may not earn more than nine (9) category II credit hours towards toward the requirements under this section. (c) All eighteen (18) hours of the continuing competency requirements courses may be obtained through distance learning methods. (d) If an individual's license has been expired for longer than three (3) years and the individual seeks reinstatement, the individual shall complete at least twenty-seven (27) hours of continuing education units (CEUs) within the preceding three (3) years, with at least fourteen (14) hours being in category I courses. The committee may require additional CEUs, remediation, or training under IC 25-1-8-6. Sec. 4. (a) As used in this rule, "category I continuing competency courses" includes the following, and must be at least one (1) contact hour in length: (b) As used in this rule, "category II continuing competency activities" includes the following: