2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 5 - Businesses and Professions › Chapter 5-40.1 - Occupational Therapy › Section 5-40.1-8. - Requirements for licensure.

§ 5-40.1-8. Requirements for licensure.
(a)
Any applicant seeking licensure as an occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant in this state must:
(1)
Be at least eighteen (18) years of age;
(2)
Be of good moral character;
(3)
Have successfully completed the academic requirements of an education program in occupational therapy accredited by the American Occupational Therapy Association’s Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education or other therapy accrediting agency that may be approved by the board;
(4)
Have successfully completed a period of supervised fieldwork experience arranged by the recognized educational institution where he or she met the academic requirements:
(i)
For an occupational therapist, a minimum of twenty-four (24) weeks of supervised fieldwork experience shall be required;
(ii)
For an occupational therapy assistant, a minimum of twelve (12) weeks shall be required;
(5)
Have successfully passed the National Certification Examination for Occupational Therapists, Registered, or National Certification Examination for Occupational Therapy Assistants, of the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) or other occupational therapy certification examination as approved by the board.
(b)
Application for licensure to practice occupational therapy in this state, either by endorsement or by examination, shall be made on forms provided by the division that shall be completed, and submitted to the board thirty (30) days prior to the scheduled date of the board meeting. The application shall be accompanied by the following documents:
(1)
A document, evidenced in the manner prescribed by the department, showing the applicant is of good moral character;
(2)
For U.S. citizens: a certified copy of birth record or naturalization papers;
(3)
For non-U.S. citizens: documented evidence of alien status, such as immigration papers or resident alien card or any other verifying papers acceptable to the administrator;
(4)
Documented evidence and supporting transcripts of qualifying credentials as prescribed in this section;
(5)
A statement from the board of occupational therapy in each state in which the applicant has held or holds licensure, or is otherwise subject to state regulation, to be submitted to the board of this state attesting to the licensure status of the applicant during the time period the applicant held licensure in that state; and
(6)
The results of the written national examination of the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT).
(c)(1)
Applicants seeking licensure as occupational therapists or occupational therapy assistants are required to pass the national written examination of the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) approved by the board to test the applicant’s fitness to engage in the practice of occupational therapy pursuant to the provisions of this chapter; and
(2)
The date, time, and place of examinations shall be available from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT).
(d)
In case any applicant fails to satisfactorily pass an examination, the applicant shall be entitled to reexamination.
(e)
Occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants who are licensed or regulated to practice under laws of another state or territory or the District of Columbia may, upon receiving a receipt from the division, perform as an occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant under the supervision of a qualified and licensed occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant. If this applicant fails to receive licensure when the board reviews the application, all previously mentioned privileges automatically cease.
(f)
Applicants from foreign occupational therapy schools must meet the requirements of the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) and present evidence of passage of the National Certification Examination for Occupational Therapists or the National Certification Examination for Occupational Therapy Assistants of the NBCOT. Applicants must meet all of the appropriate requirements for licensure to the satisfaction of the board and in accordance with the statutory and regulatory provisions of this chapter.
History of Section.
P.L. 1984, ch. 356, § 1; P.L. 1997, ch. 350, § 1; P.L. 1999, ch. 354, § 12; P.L. 2018, ch. 176, § 12; P.L. 2018, ch. 289, § 12; P.L. 2019, ch. 308, art. 1, § 20.