4755-3-15. Military provisions related to licensure

(A) Definitions.

(1) "Armed forces" means:

(a) The armed forces of the United States, including the army, navy, air force, marine corps, and coast guard;

(b) A reserve component of the armed forces listed in paragraph (A)(1)(a) of this rule;

(c) The national guard, including the Ohio national guard or the national guard of any other state;

(d) The commissioned corps of the United States public health service;

(e) The merchant marine service during wartime; or

(f) The Ohio organized militia when engaged in full-time national guard duty for a period of more than thirty days.

(2) "Member" means any person who is serving in the armed forces.

(3) "Veteran" means any person who has completed service in the armed forces, who has been discharged under honorable conditions or who has been transferred to the reserve with evidence of satisfactory service.

(B) Eligibility for licensure.

In accordance with section 5903.03 of the Revised Code, the following military programs of training, military primary specialties, and lengths of service are substantially equivalent to or exceed the educational and experience requirements for licensure as an:

(1) Occupational therapist.

(a) Military programs of training.

There are no military programs of training that are substantially equivalent to or exceed the educational and experience requirements for licensure as an occupational therapist. An individual serving in a military primary specialty listed in paragraph (B)(1)(b) of this rule must be a graduate of an occupational therapy program accredited by the accreditation council for occupational therapy education (ACOTE) to serve in that specialty.

(b) Military primary specialties.

(i) Army: occupational therapist (AOC 65A)

(ii) Navy: occupational therapy (NOBC 0874)

(iii) Air force: occupational therapist (AFSC 42T3)

(c) Lengths of service.

There are no minimal lengths of service that would be substantially equivalent to or exceed the educational and experience requirements for licensure as an occupational therapist.

(2) Occupational therapy assistant.

(a) Military programs of training.

The occupational therapy assistant program at the medical education and training campus at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, is substantially equivalent to the educational requirements for licensure as an occupational therapy assistant.

(i) Army: school 083; course 303-68L10 (course 303-N3 prior to 2014).

(ii) Navy: school 083; course B-303-0152.

(b) Military primary specialties.

(i) Army: occupational therapy specialist (MOS 68L).

(ii) Navy: occupational therapy assistant (NEC HM-8467).

(c) Lengths of service.

There are no minimal lengths of service that would be substantially equivalent to or exceed the educational and experience requirements for licensure as an occupational therapy assistant.

(C) License renewal.

(1) In accordance with section 5903.10 of the Revised Code, a licensee whose license expired due to the licensee's service in the armed forces shall be eligible for renewal of the expired license in accordance with section 4755.10 of the Revised Code and rules 4755-3-10 and 4755-5-05 of the Administrative Code, if the following conditions are met:

(a) The licensee presents the board with satisfactory evidence that, not more than six months prior to the date the evidence is submitted to the board, the licensee was honorably discharged or separated under honorable conditions;

(b) The licensee is not suffering a mental or physical illness, including physical deterioration that adversely affects cognitive, motor, or perception skills, that affect the licensee's ability to practice according to acceptable and prevailing standards of care; and

(c) The licensee meets the requirements for license renewal required by section 4755.10 of the Revised Code and rules 4755-3-10 and 4755-5-05 of the Administrative Code.

(2) The provisions of paragraph (C) of this rule also apply if the licensee's spouse served in the armed forces and the spouse's service resulted in the licensee's absence from this state.

(D) Continuing education.

(1) In accordance with section 5903.12 of the Revised Code, the provisions of this paragraph apply to a licensee who has been a member of the armed forces who has served on active duty for a period in excess of thirty-one days.

(2) A licensee who meets the provisions contained in paragraph (D)(1) of this rule may submit an application to the board requesting an extension of the current continuing education reporting period.

(a) The licensee shall submit proper documentation certifying the active duty service and the length of that active duty service.

(b) Upon receiving the application and proper documentation, the board shall extend the current continuing education reporting period by an amount of time equal to the total number of months that the licensee spent on active duty during the current continuing education reporting period. Any portion of a month served shall be considered one full month.

(E) Determining fulfillment of continuing education.

(1) In accordance with section 5903.121 of the Revised Code, the board shall consider relevant education, training, or service completed by a licensee as a member of the armed forces in determining whether a licensee has met the continuing education requirements needed to renew the license.

(2) For the board to consider relevant education, training, or service completed by the licensee in accordance with paragraph (E) of this rule, the licensee shall submit a request for consideration and documentation of the education, training, or service to the board at least ninety days prior to the expiration of the license.

(F) Waiver of license application fee.

(1) The application fee shall be waived for an applicant who is a current member of the armed forces.

(2) Paragraph (F) of this rule applies to the following application fee types:

(a) Initial licensure by examination, outlined in rule 4755-5-01 of the Administrative Code.

(b) Initial licensure by endorsement, outlined in rule 4755-5-01 of the Administrative Code.

(c) Reinstatement of an expired license, outlined in rule 4755-5-08 of the Administrative Code.

(d) Restoration of a license in escrow, outlined in rule 4755-5-09 of the Administrative Code.

(G) Application process.

(1) The board's applications shall include a question to identify if the applicant is a member of the armed forces, a veteran, or a spouse or surviving spouse of a member of the armed forces or veteran. This status shall be stored in the licensing system.

(2) When the board receives an application from an individual identified in paragraph (G)(1) of this rule, the processing of that application shall be prioritized, with a goal of ensuring that a license is issued the same day that the application is complete.

Five Year Review (FYR) Dates: 8/2/2018 and 08/02/2023
Promulgated Under: 119.03
Statutory Authority: 5903.03
Rule Amplifies: 4743.04, 5903.121, 5903.12 , 5903.10, 5903.03
Prior Effective Dates: 09/01/2014

Prior History: (Effective: 09/01/2014
R.C. 119.032 review dates: 04/01/2017
Promulgated Under: 119.03
Statutory Authority: 5903.03
Rule Amplifies: 4743.04, 5903.03, 5903.10, 5903.12, 5903.121)