Section 1130.550  Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias Training

a)         All health care professionals who hold a professional license listed in this Section shall complete a one-hour course on the diagnosis, treatment, and care of individuals with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias.  This training requirement only applies to health care professionals who provide health care services to and have direct patient interactions with adult populations age 26 or older in their practice.  This training requirement does not apply to health care professionals whose practice is limited to persons under the age of 26.  A licensee may count this one hour for completion of this course towards meeting the minimum credit hours required for continuing education.  A licensee who holds multiple licenses subject to this requirement may count this one hour for completion of this course towards meeting the minimum credit hours for continuing education for each professional license without having to repeat the course for each license.

b)         The requirement of completion of a one-hour course in Alzheimer's disease and other dementias shall apply to any person who holds one or more of the following licenses, subject to the limitation in subsection (a):

1)         Physician (medical);

2)         Physician (osteopathic);

3)         Chiropractic physician;

4)         Advanced practice registered nurse;

5)         Registered nurse;

6)         Licensed practical nurse;

7)         Clinical psychologist;

8)         Optometrist;

9)         Physical therapist;

10)       Physical therapist assistant;

11)       Physician assistant;

12)       Clinical social worker;

13)       Social worker;

14)       Nursing home administrator;

15)       Occupational therapist;

16)       Occupational therapy assistant;

17)       Podiatric physician;

18)       Respiratory care practitioner;

19)       Clinical professional counselor;

20)       Professional counselor;

21)       Speech-language pathologist;

22)       Speech-language pathology assistant; and

23)       Audiologist.

c)         The Alzheimer's disease and other dementias course may only be provided by the following persons or entities:

1)         a Division-approved continuing education provider for any profession subject to the requirement of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias training;

2)         an entity that is recognized as a continuing education provider under any licensing act administered by the Division for professions subject to the requirements of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias training;

3)         a State of Illinois agency;

4)         an Illinois county agency;

5)         an Illinois municipality;

6)         a federal agency;

7)         an accredited community college, college, or university; or

8)         a licensed health care institution, such as a hospital or nursing home, for its own employees or associates, or an association or other organization in partnership or collaboration with a licensed health care institution.

d)         Notwithstanding subsection (c), a licensee completing a course on Alzheimer's disease and other dementias in order to meet any other State licensure requirement, professional accreditation or certification requirement, or health care institutional practice agreement may count that course toward the one-hour requirement under this Section.

e)         The course shall be presented in a classroom setting, a webinar, or online.

f)         Course providers shall be subject to all other continuing education requirements for each profession.

g)         Completion of this course shall be a condition of renewing a license.  This requirement shall be effective for each affected profession, subject to the limitation in subsection (a), for the first applicable licensed renewal on or after January 1, 2023, at which continuing education requirements apply for that licensee. (See 20 ILCS 2105/2105-365.) The course shall be repeated once every six years.  If a licensee elects to complete the course more often, the course shall count towards meeting the minimum credit hours required for continuing education for that licensee's profession but no more than one credit hour for any one renewal period. (See 20 ILCS 2105/2105-375.) If a licensee whose profession is listed in subsection (b) but is not subject to the requirement to complete a course of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias elects to complete the course, the course shall count towards meeting the minimum credit hours required for continuing education for that licensee's profession but no more than one credit hour for any one renewal period.

(Source:  Added at 48 Ill. Reg. 8762, effective June 4, 2024)