La. Admin. Code tit. 46 § XLIV-3703

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 11, November 20, 2024

Section XLIV-3703 - Board Approval of Providers and Programs [Formerly Section 3901]

A. A continuing education provider is an individual and/or business that sponsors continuing education programs and presenters which has registered with the board and paid the continuing education provider fee provided for in R.S. 37:3562. The provider may also be a presenter. A continuing education provider registration term (providership) shall be for a period not to exceed 24 months. Upon expiration of the 24-month term, the provider may renew for another term. The provider shall be responsible for submitting all continuing education program information forms and payment of the continuing education program approval fee for each program being taught. The education provider fee includes the right to present two continuing education programs, which are identified in the initial registration form, during the providership period without additional charge.

1. A continuing education provider must be registered with the board before disseminating any notices that its program is approved for license renewal credit. In the event a provider does advertise without being registered with the board, that provider may be subject to a fine not to exceed $1,000.

B. Authority to Review and Revoke Approval. The board retains the right and authority to audit and/or monitor CEU providers. The board may at any time evaluate any provider and deny, revoke, and/or decline to renew approval of that provider for good cause.

C. Approved Providers. In order to register with the board, providers must comply with the following requirements.

1. The provider must retain attendance records for at least four years following each program.

2. The provider must furnish each participant with a certificate or letter of attendance verifying that the program has been completed. The certificate shall contain the provider's name and number, the title of the program and instructor, the program number assigned by the board, the date, the number of CEU hours, and the licensee's name and license number.

3. Within 30 days after the program, the provider must submit to the board attendance records which include the name, license number and date of attendance for each attendee and the provider number, program name, assigned program number and number of CEU hours. Submission of attendance records may be by mail or online through the board's website.

4. A CEU certificate cannot be issued for less than the number of hours approved and attendees must complete the entire course for credit.

D. Continuing Education Program and Presenter Requirements

1. Each program presented for Louisiana CEU credits shall be relevant to and focus on massage theory, practice, methods, or laws, regulations, business or ethical principles pertaining to the practice of massage therapy or the operation of a massage therapy business and shall have stated learning objectives. No Louisiana CEU credits will be approved for programs that include:

a. instruction in diagnosis;

b. the treatment of illness or disease; or

c. any service or procedure that otherwise exceeds the scope of the practice of massage therapy as defined in R.S. 37:3552(10).

2. Each program presented for Louisiana CEU credits shall be taught by a person who:

a. holds a minimum of a bachelor's degree from a college or university which is accredited by a regional accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, or a substantially equivalent accrediting body of a foreign sovereign state, with a major in a subject directly related to the content of the program to be offered; or

b. has completed at least five years of professional experience in the practice of massage therapy; or

c. has completed at least 100 hours of non-entry level education in the subject matter to be offered and has a minimum of two years of professional experience in the subject.

3. Program Approval

a. Program Information Form. Providers (approved pursuant to §3703 of this Part) shall submit on a program information form provided by the board all CEU programs to be offered or presented during a providership period which shall consist of 24 consecutive months.

i. Once the program information form is submitted to the board, the program described on the form will be added to the list of approved CEU programs contained on the board website unless the provider is notified otherwise.

ii. Each provider is entitled to present two approved programs as part of its biennial provider fee, provided such programs are identified on the initial program information form.

iii. A $50 per-program fee will be required for each additional program that the provider wishes to present for CEU credit.

iv. Once a program has been included on the approved list, it will remain on that list for the entire 24-month providership period provided that the materials presented for each program do not change.

v. The provider must demonstrate, upon request, that each program and presenter meets the requirements of Paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Subsection and failure to provide such information will result in the program being removed from the approved list.

vi. Any changes and/or amendments to a program during the 24-month providership period will require the completion of a new program information form together with the payment of a $50 program fee.

vii. Submission of the program information form for a particular program must be submitted no later than 15 days before the program is scheduled to be taught.

b. Other Program Approval. Louisiana licensees may request CEU approval of a non-standard program or course of study by submitting an application form issued by the board. The form, along with a non-refundable program review fee of $50 per program, must be presented during the year for which CEU credit is sought and the program must comply with the CEU guidelines as set forth in Paragraph 1 of this Subsection. This procedure may be used to apply for approval for activities which may include, but are not limited to, college courses, published works by the therapist, or other educational activities that may be used in lieu of CEUs for the given year. In order to be considered for approval, the non-standard program or course of study must have been completed within 12 months from the date the request for approval is submitted. Protocols for such proposed programs will be established by the board and the licensee will be provided with written notice as to whether the request for CEU credit has been approved.

c. Provider Renewal. A provider approval letter issued by the board pursuant to this Chapter shall be valid for a providership period of 24 months from the date that the letter was issued. Within 30 days from the expiration of the 24-month period, the provider may apply for a renewal of the providership period by submitting a renewal request. The renewal request form may be found on-line at the board website or upon request a renewal form will be mailed to the provider. In order to obtain renewal of the providership, the provider must return the completed renewal form to the board office on or before the expiration date of the current providership period, together with the provider fee of $100. Failure to renew on or before the expiration date will result in loss of providership status and all programs offered under the provider number will no longer be recognized as approved.

d. Statement as to Approval

i. The provider of a program approved for Louisiana CEU units may announce that the program is approved by the Louisiana Board of Massage Therapy so long as the provider number and the number of approved CEU hours are referenced in the advertising or other promotional materials.

ii. Providers may offer programs that are not approved pursuant to this Section. If a therapist is taking a program with anticipation that the program qualifies for CEU credits, it is the obligation of the therapist to make that determination by checking the list of approved programs on the board website or checking with the board office as to the approval status before taking the program.

La. Admin. Code tit. 46, § XLIV-3703

Promulgated by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Board of Massage Therapy, LR 20:1002 (September 1994), repromulgated LR 20:1111 (October 1994), amended LR 32:1236 (July 2006), LR 39:1772 (July 2013).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 37:3555 et seq., R.S. 37:3552(10), and R.S. 37:3562.