Certifying Entity

PURPOSE: This rule establishes the requirements of a certifying entity for occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants. (1) A certifying entity shall be a non-governmental entity or association that certifies or registers individuals who have completed academic and training requirements and successfully completed an examination with a passing score establishing minimum competency. A certifying entity must be approved by the division. (A) Approval as a certifying entity for an occupational therapist must require that an entity provide evidence to the division that certification or registration from the certifying entity requires an occupational therapist to have— 1. A degree/certificate in occupational therapy from an occupational therapy educational program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) or its successor organization; 2. Successfully completed the therapistlevel fieldwork required by the educational program; and 3. Successfully completed an examination with a passing score establishing minimum competency; or (B) Approval as a certifying entity for an internationally educated occupational therapist must require that an entity provide evidence to the division that certification or registration from the certifying entity requires an occupational therapist to have— 1. Graduated from an entry-level occupational therapy program approved by a member association of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT); or 2. Graduated from an entry-level occupational therapy program with academic and fieldwork education professionally equivalent to graduates of United States; and 3. Successfully completed an examination with a passing score establishing minimum competency; and 4. Met academic and fieldwork requirements which are professionally equivalent to those for graduates of the United States of America occupational therapy educational programs and a minimum of one thousand (1,000) hours of fieldwork shall be required. (C) Approval as a certifying entity for an occupational therapy assistant must require that the entity provide evidence to the division that certification or registration from the certifying entity requires an occupational therapy assistant to have— 1. A degree/certificate in occupational therapy assistant from an occupational therapy assistant educational program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) or its successor organization; 2. Successfully completed the assistantlevel fieldwork required by the educational program; and 3. Successfully completed an examination with a passing score establishing minimum competency. AUTHORITY: sections 324.050, 324.056, 324.065, 324.068, 324.071, 324.077, 324.083 and 324.086, RSMo Supp. 1997.* This rule originally filed as 4 CSR 205-2.010. Original rule filed Aug. 4, 1998, effective Dec. 30, 1998. Moved to 20 CSR 2205-2.010, effective Aug. 28, 2006. *Original authority 1997.