§ 485.70 Personnel qualifications. This section sets forth the qualifications that must be met, as a condition of participation, under § 485.58, and as a condition of coverage of services under § 410.100 of this chapter. ( a ) A facility physician must be a doctor of medicine or osteopathy who— ( 1 ) Is licensed under State law to practice medicine or surgery; and
( 2 ) Has had, subsequent to completing a 1-year hospital internship, at least 1 year of training in the medical management of patients requiring rehabilitation services; or
( 3 ) Has had at least 1 year of full-time or part-time experience in a rehabilitation setting providing physicians' services similar to those required in this subpart.
( b ) A licensed practical nurse must be licensed as a practical or vocational nurse by the State in which practicing, if applicable.
( c ) An occupational therapist and an occupational therapy assistant must meet the qualifications in § 484.115 of this chapter.
( d ) An orthotist must— ( 1 ) Be licensed by the State in which practicing, if applicable;
( 2 ) Have successfully completed a training program in orthotics that is jointly recognized by the American Council on Education and the American Board for Certification in Orthotics and Prosthetics; and
( 3 ) Be eligible to take that Board's certification examination in orthotics.
( e ) A physical therapist and a physical therapist assistant must meet the qualifications in § 484.115 of this chapter.
( f ) A *prosthetist* must— ( 1 ) Be licensed by the State in which practicing, if applicable;
( 2 ) Have successfully completed a training program in prosthetics that is jointly recognized by the American Council on Education and the American Board for Certification in Orthotics and Prosthetics; and
( 3 ) Be eligible to take that Board's certification examination in prosthetics.
( g ) A *psychologist* must be certified or licensed by the State in which he or she is practicing, if that State requires certification or licensing, and must hold a masters degree in psychology from and educational institution approved by the State in which the institution is located.
( h ) A *registered nurse* must be a graduate of an approved school of nursing and be licensed as a registered nurse by the State in which practicing, if applicable.
( i ) A *rehabilitation counselor* must— ( 1 ) Be licensed by the State in which practicing, if applicable;
( 2 ) Hold at least a bachelor's degree; and
( 3 ) Be eligible to take the certification examination administered by the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification.
( j ) A respiratory therapist must complete one the following criteria: ( 1 ) *Criterion 1.* All of the following must be completed: ( i ) Be licensed by the State in which practicing, if applicable.
( ii ) Have successfully completed a nationally-accredited educational program for respiratory therapists.
( iii ) ( A ) Be eligible to take the registry examination administered by the National Board for Respiratory Care for respiratory therapists; or
( B ) Have passed the registry examination administered by the National Board for Respiratory Care for respiratory therapists.
( 2 ) *Criterion 2:* All of the following must be completed: ( i ) Be licensed by the State in which practicing, if applicable.
( ii ) Have equivalent training and experience as determined by the National Board for Respiratory Care.
( k ) A *respiratory therapy technician* must— ( 1 ) Be licensed by the State in which practicing, if applicable;
( 2 ) Have successfully completed a training program accredited by the Committees on Allied Health Education and Accreditation (CAHEA) in collaboration with the Joint Review Committee for Respiratory Therapy Education; and
( 3 ) Either— ( i ) Be eligible to take the certification examination for respiratory therapy technicians administered by the National Board for Respiratory Therapy, Inc,; or
( ii ) Have equivalent training and experience as determined by the National Board for Respiratory Therapy, Inc.
( l ) A *social worker* must— ( 1 ) Be licensed by the State in which practicing, if applicable;
( 2 ) Hold at least a bachelor's degree from a school accredited or approved by the Council on Social Work Education; and
( 3 ) Have 1 year of social work experience in a health care setting.
( m ) A speech-language pathologist must meet the qualifications set forth in part 484 of this chapter.
[48 FR 56293, Dec. 15, 1982. Redesignated and amended at 50 FR 33034, Aug. 16, 1985; 51 FR 41352, Nov. 14, 1986; 60 FR 2327, Jan. 9, 1995; 72 FR 66408, Nov. 27, 2007; 73 FR 69941, Nov. 19, 2008; 74 FR 62014, Nov. 25, 2009; 82 FR 4591, Jan. 13, 2017; 86 FR 61622, Nov. 5, 2021; 88 FR 36510, June 5, 2023]