| Question: Are OTs and OTAs required to participate in the Continued Competency Program thru NBCOT here in Michigan? I thought I'd read somewhere that we don't have to be re-certified with NBCOT. |
Answer: The State of Michigan requires that persons who are applying for registration meet the following requirements:
1. Complete an educational program approved by AOTA (Proof through transcript required)
2. Pass the entry exam by NBCOT
3. Apply and pay fees to state of Michigan
In addition, if you are or have been licensed/regulated in another state, you are required to provide proof that your regulation has not been limited or revoked by that state. Continued certification with NBCOT is not required by the State of Michigan to be a registered OT practitioner.
After the state of Michigan's registration law was passed and implemented, NBCOT registered the trademarks of the titles "Occupational Therapist-OTR" and "Occupational Therapy Assistant - COTA”, and declared that only persons who are re-certified with NBCOT are legally allowed to use those titles. The Attorney General of Michigan was asked to address this issue, and released a formal statement that in Michigan it is the state of Michigan who determines who can use the protected titles, including OTR and COTA, through our state level registration process.
If you choose not to participate with NBCOT you cannot legally use those certification marks. You can, however, use others such as OT and OTA. This does not limit your ability to practice or to bill for your services in any way.
SO, are you required to re-certify with NBCOT or not? You are not required to re-certify by the state of Michigan.
There are reasons that you may choose to participate in NBCOT's recertification program, even though it is not required by the state of Michigan. You may not be willing to gamble on whether or not NBCOT will attempt to legally enforce the use of the trademarked titles by persons registered by the state of Michigan but not participating in the recertification program. Be aware that NBCOT is a private corporation, and they do not answer to MOTA or AOTA. It may change its rules at any time regarding the use of the trademarked titles.
If you think that you will practice OT outside of the state of Michigan in the future, NBCOT may require you retake the certification exam to become re-certified. (This is not a requirement now, but it is a possibility.) Your employer may make participation in the NBCOT continuing competence program a requirement of employment, and then you would need to participate for that reason. You may believe in the concept of requiring additional training/testing/professional activities as a way to demonstrate continued competence (which is the intent of the NBCOT Recertification Program) and wish to support the program by NBCOT.
Every OT practitioner in the State of Michigan should make an informed choice regarding his or her participation in NBCOT's Continuing Competence Program. It is not a requirement by the state or any third party payors to practice or bill for OT services provided by those registered by the State of Michigan.
For more information, see the NBCOT website.
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