24.119.2101 CONTINUING EDUCATION

(1) Licensees are required to obtain continuing education annually, as follows:

(a) athletic trainers: continuing education required to maintain current certification by the Board of Certification for the Athletic Trainer;

(b) audiologists: 10 hours;

(c) occupational therapists and assistants: 10 hours, but the board recognizes maintenance of current National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy as fulfilling this requirement;

(d) physical therapists and assistants: 8 hours;

(e) speech-language pathologists: 10 hours;

(f) speech-language pathology or audiology assistants: 5 hours; and

(g) dual licensed speech-language pathologists and audiologists: 15 hours.

(2) Licensees are responsible for selecting quality programs that focus on protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the public or that contribute to licensees’ professional knowledge and competence.  Acceptable activities:

(a) directly relate to the licensee’s scope of practice as defined in board statute or rule;

(b) review existing concepts and techniques;

(c) convey information beyond the basic professional education;

(d) update knowledge of the practice and advances in the profession; or

(e) reinforce professional conduct or ethical obligations of the licensee.

(3) Licensees must maintain continuing education documentation and produce it upon request.

(4) Continuing education requirements do not apply until after the licensee’s first renewal.  A licensee may request from the department exemption from continuing education requirements due to undue hardship.

(5) The department is authorized to audit continuing education requirements and shall determine the percentage to audit based on a statistically relevant sampling of the total number of licensees and the compliance rate of past audits.

 

Authorizing statute(s): 37-1-131, 37-78-201, MCA

Implementing statute(s): 37-1-306, MCA

 

History: NEW, 2026 MAR, Notice No. 2026-148, Eff. 7/25/26.