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Public Act 92-0297
HB3194 Enrolled LRB9205124LBgc
AN ACT concerning the regulation of professions.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Illinois Occupational Therapy Practice
Act is amended by changing Section 2 and adding Sections 3.1,
3.2, and 11.1 as follows:
(225 ILCS 75/2) (from Ch. 111, par. 3702)
Sec. 2. Definitions. In this Act:
(1) "Department" means the Department of Professional
Regulation.
(2) "Director" means the Director of Professional
Regulation.
(3) "Board" means the Illinois Occupational Therapy
Board appointed by the Director.
(4) "Registered occupational therapist" means a person
licensed to practice occupational therapy as defined in this
Act, and whose license is in good standing.
(5) "Certified occupational therapy assistant" means a
person licensed to assist in the practice of occupational
therapy under the supervision of a registered occupational
therapist, and to implement the occupational therapy
treatment program as established by the registered
occupational therapist. Such program may include training in
activities of daily living, the use of therapeutic activity
including task oriented activity to enhance functional
performance, and guidance in the selection and use of
adaptive equipment.
(6) "Occupational therapy" means the therapeutic use of
purposeful and meaningful occupations or goal-directed
activities to evaluate and provide interventions for
individuals and populations who have a disease or disorder,
an impairment, an activity limitation, or a participation
restriction that interferes with their ability to function
independently in their daily life roles and to promote health
and wellness. Occupational therapy intervention may include
any of the following:
(a) remediation or restoration of performance
abilities that are limited due to impairment in
biological, physiological, psychological, or neurological
processes;
(b) adaptation of task, process, or the environment
or the teaching of compensatory techniques in order to
enhance performance;
(c) disability prevention methods and techniques
that facilitate the development or safe application of
performance skills; and
(d) health promotion strategies and practices that
enhance performance abilities.
The registered occupational therapist or certified
occupational therapy assistant may assume a variety of roles
in his or her career including, but not limited to,
practitioner, supervisor of professional students and
volunteers, researcher, scholar, consultant, administrator,
faculty, clinical instructor, and educator of consumers,
peers, and family.
(7) "Occupational therapy services" means services that
may be provided to individuals and populations including,
without limitation, the following:
(a) evaluating, developing, improving, sustaining,
or restoring skills in activities of daily living, work,
or productive activities, including instrumental living
and play and leisure activities;
(b) evaluating, developing, improving, or restoring
sensory motor, cognitive, or psychosocial components of
performance;
(c) designing, fabricating, applying, or training
in the use of assistive technology or temporary, orthoses
and training in the use of orthoses and prostheses;
(d) adapting environments and processes, including
the application of ergonomic principles, to enhance
performance and safety in daily life roles;
(e) for occupational therapists possessing advanced
training, skill, and competency as demonstrated through
examinations that shall be determined by the Department,
applying physical agent modalities as an adjunct to or in
preparation for engagement in occupations;
(f) evaluating and providing intervention in
collaboration with the client, family, caregiver, or
others;
(g) educating the client, family, caregiver, or
others in carrying out appropriate nonskilled
interventions; and
(h) consulting with groups, programs,
organizations, or communities to provide population-based
services.
(8) "An aide in occupational therapy" means an
individual who provides supportive services to occupational
therapy practitioners but who is not certified by a
nationally recognized occupational therapy certifying or
licensing body. the evaluation of functional performance
ability of persons impaired by physical illness or injury,
emotional disorder, congenital or developmental disability,
or the aging process, and the analysis, selection and
application of occupations or goal directed activities, for
the treatment or prevention of these disabilities to achieve
optimum functioning. Occupational therapy services include,
but are not limited to activities of daily living (ADL); the
design fabrication and application or splints, administration
and interpretation of standardized tests to identify
dysfunctions, sensory-integrative and perceptual motor
activities, the use of task oriented activities, guidance in
the selection and use of assistive devices, goal oriented
activities directed toward enhancing functional performance,
prevocational evaluation and vocational training, and
consultation in the adaptation of physical environments for
the handicapped. These services are provided to individuals
or groups through medical, health, educational, and social
systems. An occupational therapist may evaluate a person but
shall obtain a referral by a physician before treatment is
administered by the occupational therapist. An occupational
therapist shall refer to a licensed physician, dentist, or
podiatrist any patient whose medical condition should, at the
time of evaluation or treatment, be determined to be beyond
the scope of practice of the occupational therapist.
(Source: P.A. 88-424.)
(225 ILCS 75/3.1 new)
Sec. 3.1. Referrals. A registered occupational therapist
or certified occupational therapy assistant may consult with,
educate, evaluate, and monitor services for clients
concerning non-medical occupational therapy needs.
Implementation of direct occupational therapy to individuals
for their specific health care conditions shall be based upon
a referral from a licensed physician, dentist, podiatrist, or
optometrist.
An occupational therapist shall refer to a licensed
physician, dentist, optometrist, or podiatrist any patient
whose medical condition should, at the time of evaluation or
treatment, be determined to be beyond the scope of practice
of the occupational therapist.
(225 ILCS 75/3.2 new)
Sec. 3.2. Practice of optometry. No rule shall be
adopted under this Act that allows an occupational therapist
to perform an act, task, or function primarily performed in
the lawful practice of optometry under the Illinois
Optometric Practice Act of 1987.
(225 ILCS 75/3.3 new)
Sec. 3.3. Rules. The Department shall promulgate rules
to define and regulate the activities of occupational therapy
aides.
(225 ILCS 75/11.1 new)
Sec. 11.1. Continuing education requirement. All
renewal applicants shall provide proof of having met the
continuing competency requirements set forth in the rules of
the Department. At a minimum, the rules shall require a
renewal applicant to provide proof of completing at least 12
units of continuing competency activities during the 2-year
licensing cycle for which he or she is currently licensed.
The Department shall provide by rule for an orderly process
for the reinstatement of licenses that have not been renewed
for failure to meet the continuing competency requirements.
The continuing competency requirements may be waived in cases
of extreme hardship as defined by rule.
The Department shall establish by rule a means for
verifying the completion of the continuing competency
required by this Section. This verification may be
accomplished through audits of records maintained by
licensees, by requiring the filing of continuing competency
certificates with the Department, or by any other means
established by the Department.
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect on
January 1, 2002.
Passed in the General Assembly May 17, 2001.
Approved August 09, 2001.
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