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| Reporting Period Now Two Years |
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Continuing education reporting period extended to align with new two-year licensing period: Two Years 20 Hours
If your license expires in 2008 and your current continuing education (CE) reporting period ends in 2009, you will have a one-year extended reporting period to 2010. Upon renewal of your two-year license in 2010, you will attest to completing 30 CE hours (20 hours for the original CE reporting period ending in 2009 and 10 hours for 2010).
If your license expires in 2009 and your current CE reporting period ends in 2010, you will have a one-year extended reporting period to 2011. Upon renewal of your two-year license in 2011, you will attest to completing 30 CE hours (20 hours for the original CE reporting period ending in 2010 and 10 hours for 2011).
If your CE reporting period does not need adjustments you will complete your current reporting period and attest to 20 hours. Their next reporting cycle will be two years and 20 hours.
The extension is designed to align the CE reporting period with the new two-year licensing period effective October 1, 2008, for all OHLA-regulated professions.
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| 20 Hours Every Two Years |
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Continuing education is required as a condition of registration to ensure continuing efforts on the part of Oregon environmental health specialists, waste water specialists, and trainees to remain current with new developments in environmental sanitation and waste water sanitation and to encourage diversified training and qualifications in the profession .
Environmental health specialists and waste water specialists must complete 2.0 credits or 20 contact hours every two years as specified in Oregon Administrative Rule (OAR) 338-020-0030.
Continuing education must address subject matter related to environmental sanitation in accordance with OAR 338-005-0020(10) and (24), or waste water sanitation in accordance with OAR 338-005-0020(25) and (30).
Environmental health specialist
Duties of an environmental health specialist" means activities which include, but are not limited to, the enforcement of regulations and statutes; planning and/or conducting surveys, investigations, and inspections; interpretation and utilization of data to promote environmental sanitation as it affects the health of the public or the quality of the environment.
"Science courses relating to environmental sanitation" means those courses of study which relate to environmental sanitation in the physical and natural sciences and includes special courses in sanitary science and public health.
Waste water specialist
Waste water sanitation" means the art and science of applying sanitary, biological and physical science principles in the evaluation of soil for subsurface or surface disposal of waste water or for the land application of sludge; and determining the appropriate design of systems that use soil in the final stage of the waste water treatment processes.
"Soil science courses" means, as used in ORS 700.053(3), at least 23 quarter hours or 15 semester hours, or combination thereof, of college courses in soil science, plus enough additional quarter or semester hours in other related college courses of study in the physical and natural sciences to equal a total of 45 quarter hours or 30 semester hours.
Continuing education requirements apply whether the renewal applicant is living or working within Oregon or outside of the state so long as Oregon registration is maintained. Hours in excess of those required for the two-year reporting period shall not be carried forward and applied toward the succeeding two-year CEU renewal requirements.
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| Providers and Pathways |
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Continuing education includes attendance or participation at an instructional program presented, recognized, or under the auspices of any approved permanently organized institution or professional organization or association.
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Continuing education shall be approved for participation or attendance at an approved instructional program presented, recognized, or under the auspices of any institution, agency, professional organization or association, which conducts educational meetings, workshops, symposiums, seminars and other such activities where CEU credit is offered.
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Completion of established courses taken from a recognized college or university at the same rate of credit established by that institution;
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Professional courses which meet academic requirements in content, instruction and evaluation will be assigned CEU credit at the same rate as academic courses.
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Courses that do not meet standards as set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this subsection, such as workshops, symposiums, seminars, laboratory exercises, or any applied experience with or without formal classroom work may receive credit at the rate of one (1) CEU for each 10 contact hours of attendance.
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| Obtaining Course Approval |
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To obtain pre-approval of continuing education courses or programs please submit the following information and documentation:
- Name of sponsoring institution/association or organization
- Title of presentation and description of content
- Name of instructor or presenter
- Date of attendance and duration in hours (various dates and locations allowed)
- Course agenda
After continuing education offerings have been reviewed and approved, OHLA sends an approval letter that indicates the number of continuing education hours approved. The course is then posted to the OHLA Web site as a resource for licensees.
After programs have been reviewed and approved, OHLA sends an approval letter which includes the official transcript for verification of student completion of the curriculum and an authorized representative form. The authorized representative form must be returned and include a list of representatives who are authorized couriers / signers of official transcripts.
Fast Facts about Receiving Course Approval (PDF)
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| Self-Attestation, Audits |
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Licensees must attest, or declare, they have met continuing education requirements upon license renewal and are subject to periodic audits specified in OAR 331-415-0020.
Applicants for license renewal must submit the completed renewal form, with their signature affixed as attestation to completion of required continuing education hours. Documentation of continuing education hours earned must be provided to the agency only when selected for audit.
OHLA will audit a select percentage of licenses with continuing education requirements. Practitioners notified of selection for audit of continuing education attestation must submit to the agency, within 30 calendar days from the date of notification, satisfactory evidence of participation in required continuing education
Documentation of a certificate of completion of attendance at a program or course provided by the sponsor must include:
- Name of sponsoring institution/association or organization
- Title of presentation and description of content
- Name of instructor or presenter
- Date of attendance and duration in hours
- Course agenda
- Official transcript, diploma, certificate, statement or affidavit from the sponsor, attesting to attendance
Documentation verifying completion of all required continuing education shall be accumulated and held by the environmental health or waste water specialist for two-years following any reporting period, or until notification of audit is received. Continuing education documentation must be available and provided to the agency upon request.
If documentation of continuing education is invalid or incomplete, the licensee must correct the deficiency within 30 calendar days from the date of notice. Failure to correct the deficiency within the prescribed time shall constitute grounds for disciplinary action.
Misrepresentation of continuing education, or failing to meet continuing education requirements or documentation may result in disciplinary action, which may include but is not limited to assessment of a civil penalty and suspension or revocation of the license.
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| Additional Requirements |
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- Licensees failing to obtain the prescribed number of clock hours and/or complete appropriate continuing education content must reapply and meet requirements listed in OAR 331-410-0065.
- Hours of continuing education that are obtained in "excess" of the minimum requirements will not be carried forward as credit for the subsequent license renewal reporting cycle.
- Continuing education is required for renewal even if the environmental health or waste water specialist license has been inactive, revoked or suspended during that period.
- Continuing education is required for renewal every two years even if the environmental health or waste water specialist license has been inactive during that period.
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