California Board of Occupational Therapy: licensing: fees.

Plain English Breakdown

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California Board of Occupational Therapy: Licensing and Fees

This bill extends the California Board of Occupational Therapy's licensing authority until January 1, 2031, updates requirements for occupational therapy education programs to be accredited by ACOTE, adds a requirement for supervised entry-level doctoral capstone experiences, sets new fees for licenses and permits, and requires licensees to provide an email address.

What This Bill Does

• Extends the board’s establishment from January 1, 2027, to January 1, 2031.
• Requires the board to meet at least three times a year, with one meeting in northern California and another in southern California each calendar year.
• Revises requirements for occupational therapy education programs to be accredited by ACOTE (American Occupational Therapy Association’s Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education).
• Adds a requirement for applicants to complete a supervised entry-level doctoral capstone experience approved by the board.
• Limits the limited permit fee to $125 and sets fees for other licensing documents like pocket cards, duplicate certificates, and letters of good standing.

Who It Names or Affects

• Occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants in California.
• Educational institutions offering occupational therapy programs.
• The California Board of Occupational Therapy.

Terms To Know

ACOTE

American Occupational Therapy Association’s Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education, which accredits educational programs in occupational therapy.

Capstone experience

A supervised doctoral-level project or practice that students complete as part of their education to become an occupational therapist.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how the new fees will be implemented or enforced.
• It is unclear what actions will be taken if licensees do not provide their email address as required by the bill.

Official Summary Text

AB 2773, as amended, Committee on Business and Professions.
California Board of Occupational Therapy: licensing: fees.
Existing law, the Occupational Therapy Practice Act, establishes the California Board of Occupational Therapy for the licensure and regulation of the practice of occupational therapy. Existing law requires the board to meet and hold at least one regular meeting annually in the Cities of Sacramento, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Existing law repeals the provisions establishing the board on January 1, 2027, and, upon the repeal of those provisions, renders the board subject to review by the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature.
This bill would extend the provision establishing the board to January 1, 2031, and would, instead, require the board to meet at least 3 times a year, meeting at least once each calendar year in northern California and once each calendar year in southern
California.
Existing law requires that an applicant applying for a license as an occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant meet certain requirements, including successfully completing a period of supervised fieldwork experience approved by the board and arranged by a recognized educational institution or arranged by a recognized professional association, as provided. Existing law specifies that these provisions do not prevent or restrict the practice, services, or activities of, among others, any person pursuing a supervised course of study leading to a degree or certificate of occupational therapy at an accredited education program. Existing law also specifies that these provisions do not prevent or restrict the practices, services, or activities of any person fulfilling the supervised fieldwork experience requirement.
This bill would recast
those provisions to require the educational institution and program to be accredited by the American Occupational Therapy Association’s Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE). The bill would additionally require that the applicant successfully complete a supervised entry-level doctoral capstone experience approved by the board and arranged by an ACOTE-accredited education institution, as provided. The bill would specify that these provisions do not prevent or restrict the practice, services, or activities of any person completing the supervised entry-level doctoral capstone experience, as provided.
The
This
bill would require an applicant or licensee to
provide the board with their electronic mail address and would require the board to remind licensees and applicants of their obligation to report and keep current their electronic mail address, as provided.
Existing law requires the board to establish certain fees, which are deposited into the Occupational Therapy Fund, including a limited permit fee.
This bill would limit the limited permit fee to $125 and would require the board to establish a license fee for a pocket card, a duplicate wall certificate, and a letter of good standing, endorsements, or verification of licensure, as provided.
Existing law specifies that the Occupational Therapy Practice Act does not prevent or restrict the practice, services, or activities of, among others, any person pursuing a supervised course of study leading to a
degree or certificate in occupational therapy at an accredited education program, as provided.
This bill would require the educational program to be accredited by the American Occupational Therapy Association’s Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE). The bill would specify that these provisions do not prevent or restrict the practice, services, or activities of any person completing a supervised entry-level doctoral capstone experience, as provided.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF