Section 1295.100  Continuing Education

 

a)         Continuing Education Hour Requirements

 

1)         Beginning with the December 31, 2006 renewal, every renewal applicant shall complete 30 hours of Continuing Education (CE) relevant to the practice of naprapathy required during each prerenewal period.  A pre-renewal period is the 24 months preceding December 31 in the year of the renewal.

 

2)         A CE hour equals 60 minutes.  After completion of the initial CE hour, credit may be given in one-half hour increments.

 

3)         Courses that are part of the curriculum of a university or college shall be allotted CE credit at the rate of 15 CE hours for each semester hour or 10 CE hours for each quarter hour of academic credit awarded.

 

4)         A renewal applicant is not required to comply with CE requirements for the first renewal following the original issuance of the license.

 

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

 

b)         Approved Continuing Education

 

1)         Continuing education hours may be earned by verified attendance at or participation in a program that is offered by an approved continuing education sponsor who meets the requirements set forth in subsection (c).  All 30 CE hours may be earned through online programs or courses.

 

2)         CE credit may also be earned as follows:

 

A)        A maximum of 8 hours may be earned per pre-renewal period for papers prepared and delivered before recognized naprapathic organizations, papers published in nationally recognized naprapathic journals, or a chapter in a book of naprapathy, each appropriately verified.

 

B)        A licensee who serves as an instructor, speaker or discussion leader of a CE program will be allowed CE course credit for actual presentation time, plus actual preparation time of up to 2 hours for each hour of presentation.  Preparation time shall not be allowed for presentations of the same course.  The instructor must be able to provide verification of unique content for each CE course taught via course goals, objectives and outline.

 

C)        A maximum of 1 hour of continuing education in cardiopulmonary resuscitation may be earned per pre-renewal period.

 

3)         Continuing education credit hours used to satisfy the CE requirements of another jurisdiction may be submitted for approval for fulfillment of the CE requirements of the State of Illinois.

 

4)         Credit shall not be given for courses taken in Illinois from unapproved sponsors.

 

c)         Continuing Education Sponsors and Programs

 

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

 

A)        The American Naprapathic Association or its affiliates;

 

B)        The North American Naprapathic Association or its affiliates; or

 

C)        Any other person, firm, association, corporation, or group that has been approved and authorized by the Department pursuant to subsection (c)(2) upon the recommendation of the Committee to coordinate and present continuing education courses or programs.

 

2)         Entities seeking a license as a CE sponsor pursuant to subsection (c)(1)(C) shall file a sponsor application, along with the required fee.  (State agencies, State colleges and State universities in Illinois shall be exempt from paying this fee.)  The applicant shall certify to the following:

 

A)        That all courses and programs offered by the sponsor for CE credit will comply with the criteria in subsection (c) and all other criteria in this Section.  The applicant shall be required to submit a sample 3‑hour CE program with course materials, presenter qualifications and course outline for review prior to being approved as a CE sponsor;

 

B)        That the sponsor will be responsible for verifying attendance at each course or program, and provide a certification of completion as set forth in subsection (b); and

 

C)        That upon request by the Department, the sponsor will submit evidence as is necessary to establish compliance with this Section.  This evidence shall be required when the Department 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)         Each sponsor shall submit by December 31 of each even-numbered year a renewal application along with the renewal fee.  With the application, the sponsor shall be required to submit to the Department a list of all courses and programs offered in the pre-renewal period, which includes a description, location, date and time the course was offered.

 

4)         All courses and programs shall:

 

A)        Contribute to the advancement, extension and enhancement of professional clinical skills and scientific knowledge in the practice of naprapathy;

 

B)        Provide experiences that contain scientific integrity, relevant subject matter and course materials; and

 

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

 

5)         The tuition fees charged for programs conducted by the approved sponsors shall be reasonable and directly related to the sponsor's actual expense in conducting the programs.

 

6)         All programs given by approved sponsors shall be open to all licensed naprapaths and not be limited to the members of a single organization or group and shall specify the number of CE hours.

 

7)         Certificate of Attendance

 

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

 

i)          The name and address of the sponsor;

 

ii)         The name and address of the participant and their naprapathic license number;

 

iii)        A detailed statement of the subject matter;

 

iv)        The number of hours actually attended in each topic;

 

v)         The date of the program; and

 

vi)        The signature of the sponsor.

 

B)        The sponsor shall maintain these records for not less than 5 years.

 

8)         The sponsor shall be responsible for assuring verified continued attendance at each program.  No renewal applicant shall receive credit for time not actually spent attending the program.

 

9)         Upon the failure of a sponsor to comply with any of the foregoing requirements, the Department, after notice to the sponsor and hearing before any recommendation by the Committee pursuant to the Administrative Hearing Rules (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 the time as the Department receives reasonably satisfactory assurances of compliance with this Section.

 

d)         Continuing Education Earned in Other States

 

1)         If a licensee has earned CE hours in another state or territory for which he/she will be claiming credit toward full compliance in Illinois, that licensee shall submit an out-of-state CE approval form along with a $20 processing fee within 90 days of completion of the course.  The Committee shall review and recommend approval or disapproval of this 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 required time, late approval may be obtained by submitting the application with the $20 processing fee plus a $10 per hour late fee not to exceed $150.  The Committee shall review and recommend approval or disapproval of this program using the criteria set forth in this Section.

 

e)         Certification of Compliance with CE Requirements

 

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

 

2)        The Department may require additional evidence demonstrating compliance with the CE requirements.  It is the responsibility of each renewal applicant to retain or otherwise produce evidence of compliance.  The evidence shall be retained for at least 5 years following the renewal period in which the CE was taken.

 

3)         The Department may conduct random audits to verify compliance with CE requirements.

 

4)         When there appears to be a lack of compliance with CE requirements, an applicant will be notified and may request an interview with the Committee, at which time the Committee 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].

 

f)         Waiver of CE Requirements

 

1)         Any renewal applicant seeking renewal of his/her license without having fully complied with these CE requirements shall file with the Department a renewal application, the renewal fee set forth in Section 1295.75, a statement setting forth the facts concerning the non-compliance, and a request for waiver of the CE requirements on the basis of these facts.  If the Department, upon the written recommendation of the Committee, finds from the affidavit or any other evidence submitted, that good cause has been shown for granting a waiver, the Department shall waive enforcement of the requirements for the renewal period for which the applicant has applied.

 

2)         Good cause shall 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; or

 

B)        Extreme hardship, which shall be determined on an individual basis by the Committee and shall be limited to documentation of:

 

i)          An incapacitating illness documented by a currently licensed physician,

 

ii)         A physical inability to travel to the sites of approved programs, or

 

iii)        Any other similar extenuating circumstances.

 

3)         If an interview with the Committee is requested at the time the request for waiver is filed with the Department, the renewal applicant shall be given at least 20 days written notice of the date, time and place of the interview by certified mail, return receipt requested.

 

(Source:  Amended at 45 Ill. Reg. 1828, effective January 28, 2021)