Brief Description: The State Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Board proposes to update various regulations relating to licensure requirements, reexamination, supervision, and standards for practice of telerehabilitation.
The Alaska State Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Board (Board) proposes to adopt regulation changes in Title 12, Chapter 54 of the Alaska Administrative Code including the following:
- 12 AAC 54.030. Requirements for physical therapy license by examination, is proposed to amend the requirements for a physical therapist (PT) or a physical therapist assistant (PTA) licensure by examination.
- 12 AAC 54.040. Foreign-trained physical therapy applicants, is proposed to amend the licensure by examination requirements for a foreign-trained PT or PTA; and amend the minimum passing scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-Based Test (TOEFL-iBT).
- 12 AAC 54.080. Passing scores, is proposed to amend the reexamination requirements, and require the recommended exam retake criteria from the national examination body.
- 12 AAC 54.510. Supervision of physical therapy assistants, is proposed to allow supervision via telemedicine when in person supervision is not attainable.
- 12 AAC 54.530. Standards for practice of telerehabilitation by physical therapist, is proposed to amend the provisions related to standards for practice of telerehabilitation by physical therapists.
- 12 AAC 54.810. Supervision of occupational therapy assistants, is proposed to allow supervision via telemedicine when in person supervision is not attainable.
- 12 AAC 54.825. Standards for practice of telerehabilitation by occupational therapy, is proposed to amend the provisions related to standards for practice of telerehabilitation by occupational therapists.
You may comment on the proposed regulation changes, including the potential costs to private persons of complying with the proposed changes, by submitting written comments to Jun Maiquis, Regulations Specialist, Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing, P.O. Box 110806, Juneau, AK 99811-0806. Additionally, the Board will accept comments by facsimile at (907) 465-2974 and by electronic mail at RegulationsAndPublicComment@alaska.gov. Comments may also be submitted through the Alaska Online Public Notice System by accessing this notice on the system at http://notice.alaska.gov/201726, and using the comment link. The comments must be received not later than 4:30 p.m. on April 13, 2021. Comments received after this deadline will not be considered by the Board.
You may submit written questions relevant to the proposed action to Jun Maiquis, Regulations Specialist, Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing, P.O. Box 110806, Juneau, AK 99811-0806 or by e-mail at RegulationsAndPublicComment@alaska.gov. The questions must be received at least 10 days before the end of the public comment period. The Board will aggregate its response to substantially similar questions and make the questions and responses available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System and on the Board’s website at https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/cbpl/ProfessionalLicensing/PhysicalTherapyOccupationalTherapy.aspx. The Board may, but is not required to, answer written questions received after the 10-day cut-off date and before the end of the comment period.
If you are a person with a disability who needs a special accommodation in order to participate in this process, please contact Jun Maiquis at (907) 465-2537 or RegulationsAndPublicComment@alaska.gov not later than April 6, 2021 to ensure that any necessary accommodation can be provided.
A copy of the proposed regulation changes is available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System and by contacting Jun Maiquis at (907) 465-2537 or RegulationsAndPublicComment@alaska.gov, or go to https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/portals/5/pub/PHY-0321.pdf.
After the public comment period ends, the Board will either adopt the proposed regulation changes or other provisions dealing with the same subject, without further notice, or decide to take no action. The language of the final regulation may be different from that of the proposed regulation. You should comment during the time allowed if your interests could be affected. Written comments and questions received are public records and are subject to public inspection.
Statutory Authority: AS 08.84.010; AS 08.84.030; AS 08.84.032; AS 08.84.040; AS 08.84.065; AS 08.84.080; AS 08.84.120; AS 08.84.190
Statutes Being Implemented, Interpreted, or Made Specific: AS 08.84.010; AS 08.84.030; AS 08.84.032; AS 08.84.040; AS 08.84.065; AS 08.84.080; AS 08.84.120; AS 08.84.190
Fiscal Information: The proposed regulation changes are not expected to require an increased appropriation.
DATE: 3/10/2021
Jun Maiquis, Regulations Specialist Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing
For each occupation regulated under the Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing, the Division keeps a list of individuals or organizations who are interested in the regulations of that occupation. The Division automatically sends a Notice of Proposed Regulations to the parties on the appropriate list each time there is a proposed change in an occupation's regulations in Title 12 of the Alaska Administrative Code. If you would like your address added to or removed from such a list, send your request to the Division at the address above, giving your name, either your e-mail address or mailing address (as you prefer for receiving notices), and the occupational area in which you are interested.
ADDITIONAL REGULATION NOTICE INFORMATION
(AS 44.62.190(d))
1. Adopting agency: State Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Board – Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development, Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing.
2. General subject of regulation: Requirements for physical therapy license by examination, foreign-trained physical therapy applicants, passing scores, supervision of physical therapy and occupational therapy assistants, and standards for practice of telerehabilitation by physical therapists and occupational therapists.
3. Citation of regulation: 12 AAC 54.030, 12 AAC 54.040, 12 AAC 54.080, 12 AAC 54.510, 12 AAC 54.530, 12 AAC 54.810, and 12 AAC 54.825.
4. Department of Law file number: To be assigned.
5. Reason for the proposed action: Update and clarification of current regulations; compliance with state statute.
6. Appropriation/Allocation: Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing – #2360.
7. Estimated annual cost to comply with the proposed action to:
A private person: None known.
Another state agency: None known.
A municipality: None known.
8. Cost of implementation to the state agency and available funding (in thousands of dollars): No costs are expected in FY 2021 or in subsequent years.
9. The name of the contact person for the regulation:
Connie Petz, Licensing Examiner
State Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Board
Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing
Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development
Telephone: (907) 465-2580
E-mail: connie.petz@alaska.gov
10. The origin of the proposed action: State Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Board.
11. Date: 3/10/2021
Prepared by: Jun Maiquis
Regulations Specialist