Continuing Education Extensions

PURPOSE: This rule details the requirements for licensed speechlanguage pathologists and audiologists requesting an extension of time to complete the required continuing education hours necessary for licensure renewal. (1) A licensee who cannot complete the required hours of continuing education because of personal illness, military service or other circumstances beyond the licensee’s control which the board deems to be sufficient to impose an insurmountable hardship may apply for an extension of time to complete the continuing education requirements. Any extension of time to complete the continuing education requirements will be granted solely in the discretion of the board. The licensee must make a written application for extension of time prior to the December 31 deadline for completion of the continuing education requirement. The application for extension shall be accompanied by a processing fee as specified in rule 20 CSR 2150-4.060, together with the application for extension. The licensee shall provide full and complete written documentation of the grounds supporting the reasons for which an extension is sought. A licensee who requests an extension of time to complete the required hours of continuing education shall not engage in active practice of speech-language pathology and/or audiology until the board grants the licensee’s request for extension and the licensee receives express written authorization to do so. (A) Military service extensions may be granted only to a licensee who was absent from the United States for at least a majority of the reporting period due to his/her military service commitment under combat circumstances or pursuant to a state of national emergency. At a minimum, the licensee must submit written documentation from the appropriate military authorities verifying the licensee’s military service commitment and the periods during which the commitment was being fulfilled under a combat or national emergency status; the number of hours earned during the reporting period and a plan for completing the balance of the required continuing education. (B) Illness extensions may be granted only to a licensee who has suffered a personal illness or personal disability of a nature as to prevent him/her from engaging in the active practice of speech-language pathology and/or audiology for at least a majority of the reporting period. At a minimum, the licensee shall provide the board with written documentation from the licensee’s treating physician stating the nature of the illness or disability, the period of the illness or disability, any limitations on the licensee’s activities which resulted from the illness or disability; and a statement from the licensee reporting the number of hours earned in the reporting period and a plan for completing the balance of the required continuing education. (C) The board, solely in its discretion, may grant an extension on unforeseeable circumstances beyond the licensee’s control which impose an insurmountable hardship precluding the licensee from obtaining the required continuing education. At a minimum, the licensee must provide written documentation explaining specifically and in detail the nature of the circumstances, why the circumstances were unforeseeable and beyond the licensee’s control, the period during which the circumstances were in existence, the number of continuing education hours earned in the reporting period and the licensee’s plan for completing the balance of the required continuing education. The board, in its discretion, shall determine if the situation described in the licensee’s application constitutes unforeseeable circumstances beyond the licensee’s control which impose an insurmountable hardship precluding the licensee from obtaining the required continuing education. (2) A licensee who is granted an extension of time shall complete the balance of his/her continuing education requirements no later than February 28 immediately following the end of the reporting period for which an extension was sought and shall provide the board with written documentation of his/her completion of the continuing education requirements no later than March 10 immediately following the end of the reporting period for which an extension was sought. Failure to complete the continuing education requirements by February 28 or to file the documentation with the board by March 10 shall constitute a violation of section 345.051, RSMo and this rule. (3) An extension of time shall not be granted to any licensee who obtained an extension in the immediately preceding reporting period in which the licensee held an active license, except in the case of a licensee who is unable to complete the requirements due to military service commitment pursuant to a combat or national emergency assignment. (4) Violation of any provision of this rule shall constitute misconduct, fraud, misrepresentation, dishonesty, unethical conduct or unprofessional conduct in the performance of the functions or duties of a speech-language pathologist and/or audiologist depending on the licensee’s conduct. In addition, a licensee who has failed to complete and report in a timely fashion the required hours of continuing education and engages in the active practice of speech-language pathology and/or audiology without the express written authority of the board shall be deemed to have engaged in the unauthorized practice of speech-language pathology and/or audiology and punishable as such under section 345.075, RSMo. AUTHORITY: section 345.030, RSMo Supp. 2007 and sections 345.051 and 345.075, RSMo 2000.* This rule originally filed as 4 CSR 150-4.054. Original rule filed Nov. 17, 1997, effective June 30, 1998. Amended: Filed Nov. 16, 1998, effective July 30, 1999. Moved to 20 CSR 2150-4.054, effective Aug. 28, 2006. Amended: Filed Dec. 14, 2007, effective June 30, 2008. *Original authority: 345.030, RSMo 1973, amended 1981, 1995, 1998, 2007; 345.051, RSMo 1990, amended 1995, 1998; and 345.075, RSMo 1973, amended 1981, 1995, 1998.