Section 1140.90   Continuing Education

 

a)         Continuing Education Hours Requirements

 

1)         Every licensee who applies for renewal or restoration of an acupuncturist license shall complete 30 hours of CE relevant to the professional skills and scientific knowledge of the licensee in the practice of acupuncture.

 

2)         A pre-renewal period is the 24 months preceding June 30 of each odd-numbered year.

 

3)         One CE hour shall equal one 60-minute clock hour with not less than 50 minutes of instructional content within the hour.  30 to 49 minutes of instructional content would be reported be as 0.5 CE hour and 50 to 60 minutes of instructional content would be reported as 1.0 CE hour.

 

4)         A renewal applicant shall not be required to comply with CE requirements for the first renewal of an Illinois acupuncturist license.

 

5)         Acupuncturists licensed in Illinois but residing and practicing in other states shall comply with the CE requirements set forth in this Section.

 

6)         CE credit hours used to satisfy the CE requirements of another state may be applied to fulfill the CE requirements of the State of Illinois if they meet the requirements for CE in Illinois.

 

b)         Approved Continuing Education

 

1)         Except for those activities listed in subsections (b)(3), (4), (5) and (6), all CE hours must be earned through sponsors approved under subsection (c) and must comply with program requirements set forth in subsection (c).

 

2)         A maximum of 23 hours of CE credit may be earned in a pre-renewal period for completion of self-study (including online, correspondence, audio or video) courses that are provided by a sponsor approved by the Division pursuant to subsection (c).  Each self-study course shall include an examination that the licensee must pass to obtain credit. 

 

3)         A maximum of 30 hours of CE credit may be earned in a pre-renewal period for successful completion of post-graduate courses related to the clinical aspects of acupuncture at a school of acupuncture accredited by ACAOM or a similar accrediting body approved by the Division.  CE credit will be allotted at the rate of 15 CE hours for each semester hour or 10 CE hours for each quarter hour of school credit awarded.

 

4)         A maximum of 15 hours of CE credit may be earned in a pre-renewal period for verified teaching of coursework that is part of the curriculum of an acupuncture program accredited by ACAOM or a similar accrediting body approved by the Division and/or as an instructor of CE programs provided by a sponsor approved by the Division pursuant to subsection (c).  Credit will be applied at the rate of 1.5 hours for each hour of teaching or presenting the course or program material and only for the first presentation of the course or program (i.e., credit shall not be allowed for repetitious presentations of the same program).

 

5)         A maximum of 5 hours of CE credit may be earned in a pre-renewal period for completion of coursework that is part of the curriculum of an accredited college or university and/or for completion of CE programs in Illinois approved by the Division but not approved under this Part.  The course or program material must be relevant to the professional skills and scientific knowledge of the licensee in the practice of acupuncture.

 

6)         A maximum of 5 hours of CE credit may be earned in a pre-renewal period for authoring papers published in refereed professional journals or books.

 

c)         Approved CE Sponsors and Programs

 

1)         Approved sponsor, as used in this Section, shall mean:

 

A)        American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine or its affiliates;

 

B)        Asian American Acupuncture Association, or its affiliates;

 

C)        Illinois Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, or its affiliates;

 

D)        Korean American Acupuncture Association of Illinois, or its affiliates;

 

E)        Chicago Korean American Acupuncture Association, or its affiliates;

 

F)         The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine and individuals and organizations approved by NCCAOM to provide acupuncture CE programs; or

 

G)        American Society of Acupuncturists, or its affiliates;

 

H)        American Academy of Medical Acupuncture; or

 

I)         Any other person, firm, association, corporation or  group that has been approved and authorized by the Division pursuant to subsection (c)(2) upon the recommendation of the Board to coordinate and present CE programs.

 

2)         Entities seeking registration as a CE sponsor pursuant to subsection (c)(1)(I) shall file a CE sponsor application, a sample CE program in accordance with subsection (c)(3), a sample evaluation in accordance with subsection (c)(4), and a sample certificate of attendance in accordance with subsection (c)(5) along with the fee specified in Section 1140.20. (State agencies, State colleges and State universities in Illinois shall be exempt from paying this fee.)  The applicant shall also certify to  the following:

 

A)        That all programs offered by the sponsor for CE credit will comply with the criteria in subsection (c)(3) and all other criteria in this Section;

 

B)        That the sponsor will be responsible for verifying attendance at each program and provide a certificate of attendance as set forth in subsection (c)(5);

 

C)        That, upon request by the Division, the sponsor will submit evidence necessary to establish compliance with this Section.  Evidence shall be required when the Division has reason to believe that there is not full compliance with the statute and this Part and that this information is necessary to ensure compliance.

 

3)         All programs shall:

 

A)        Contribute to the advancement, extension and enhancement of the professional skills and scientific knowledge of the licensee in the practice of acupuncture that includes direct and indirect patient care, acupuncture treatment, treatment techniques, point location and theory, herbal therapy or preparation, and ethics;

 

B)        Foster the enhancement of general or specialized acupuncture practice and values;

 

C)        Be developed and presented by persons with education and/or experience in the subject matter of the program;

 

D)        Specify the course objectives, course content and teaching methods to be used; and

 

E)        Specify the number of CE hours that may be applied to fulfilling the Illinois CE requirements for acupuncturist license renewal.

 

4)         Each CE program shall provide a mechanism for participants to evaluate the program and the instructor. 

 

5)         It shall be the responsibility of the sponsor to provide each participant in a program with a certificate of attendance to verify completion of the program.  The sponsor's certificate of attendance shall contain:

 

A)        The sponsor's name, address and Illinois CE sponsor registration number;

 

B)        The participant's name and Illinois acupuncturist license

number;

 

C)        The title of the program and a brief description of the

subject matter;

 

D)        The number of hours attended by the participant;

 

E)        The date and location of the program; and

 

F)         The signature of the sponsor.

 

6)         The sponsor shall be responsible for assuring that each participant receives CE credit only for time spent attending the program.

 

7)         The sponsor shall maintain attendance records for not less than 5 years.

 

8)         All programs given by approved sponsors shall be open to all licensed acupuncturists and not be limited to members of a single organization or group.

 

9)         An approved sponsor may subcontract with individuals and organizations to provide programs in accordance with the criteria set forth in this Section.

 

10)         To maintain approval as a registered CE sponsor, each sponsor shall submit a renewal application in accordance with Section 1140.60, along with the renewal fee specified in Section 1140.20.  Upon the Division's request, the sponsor shall provide a list of each program provided by the sponsor in the pre-renewal period, including the name of the program, a brief description of the subject matter, the number of credit hours available, the program date, and the location of the program.

 

11)         Upon the failure of a sponsor to comply with any of the foregoing requirements, the Division, after notice to the sponsor and hearing before and recommendation by the Board (see 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1110), shall thereafter refuse to accept for CE credit attendance at or participation in any of that sponsor's CE programs until such time as the Division receives assurances of compliance with this Section.

 

12)         Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section, the Division or Board may evaluate any sponsor of any approved CE program at any time to ensure compliance with the requirements of this Section.

 

d)         Certification of Compliance with CE Requirements

 

1)         Each renewal applicant shall certify, on the renewal application, full compliance with the CE requirements set forth in subsections (a) and (b).

 

2)         The Division may require additional evidence demonstrating compliance with the CE requirements (e.g., certificate of attendance).  This additional evidence may be required in the context of the Division's random audit.  It is the responsibility of each renewal applicant to retain or otherwise produce evidence of compliance.

 

3)         When there appears to be a lack of compliance with CE requirements, a renewal applicant shall be notified in writing, which shall include electronic communication.  At that time, the Board may recommend that steps be taken to begin formal disciplinary proceedings as required by Section 10-65 of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act [5 ILCS 100/10-65].

 

e)         Continuing Education Earned in Other Jurisdictions

 

1)         If a licensee will be earning or has earned CE hours in another state or territory for which the licensee will be claiming credit toward full compliance in Illinois and the sponsor is not approved by the Division pursuant to subsection (c), the applicant shall submit an out-of-state CE approval form, a description and schedule of the CE program, a description of the instructor's qualifications, proof of registration or attendance, and a $25 processing fee, prior to participation in the program or 90 days prior to the expiration of his or her acupuncturist license.  The Board or division shall review and recommend approval or disapproval of the program using the criteria set forth in this Section. 

 

2)         If a licensee fails to submit an out of state CE approval form within the time frame specified in subsection (e)(1), late approval may be obtained by submitting an out-of-state CE approval  form, a description and schedule of the CE program, a description of the instructor's qualifications, and proof of attendance, along with the required fee. The required fee shall be a $25 processing fee plus a late fee of $10 for each CE hour for which late approval is requested.  The late fee shall not exceed $150.  The Board or Division shall review and recommend approval or disapproval of the program using the criteria set forth in this Section.

 

f)         Waiver of CE Requirements

 

1)         Any renewal applicant seeking renewal of a license without having fully complied with these CE requirements shall file with the Division a renewal application along with the required fee set forth in Section 1140.20, a statement setting forth the facts concerning non-compliance, and a request for waiver of all or part of the CE requirements on the basis of these facts.  A request for waiver shall be made prior to the expiration date of the license.  If the Division, upon the written recommendation of the Board, finds from such affidavit or any other evidence submitted that extreme hardship has been shown for granting a waiver, the Division shall waive enforcement of the CE requirements for the license renewal for which the applicant has applied.

 

2)         Extreme hardship shall be determined on an individual basis by the Board and be defined as an inability to devote sufficient hours to fulfilling the CE requirements during the applicable pre-renewal period because of:

 

A)        Full-time service in the armed forces of the United States of America during a substantial part of the pre-renewal period;

 

B)        An incapacitating illness during a substantial part of the pre-renewal period, documented by a statement from a currently licensed physician;

 

C)        A physical inability to travel to the sites of approved programs during a substantial part of the pre-renewal period, documented by a currently licensed physician; or

 

D)        Any other similar extenuating circumstances.

 

3)         Any renewal applicant who, prior to the expiration date of the license, submits a request for a waiver, in whole or in part, pursuant to the provisions of this Section shall be deemed to be in good standing until the final decision on the application is made by the Division.

 

(Source:  Amended at 42 Ill. Reg. 16524, effective September 7, 2018)