Current through Register Vol. XLII, No. 1, January 3, 2025
Section 85-27-6 - Continuing Education6.1. Every two (2) years, commencing from the effective date of this rule, each qualified rehabilitation professional is required to maintain and present documentation to the Insurance Commissioner, self-insured employer or private carrier, or to their third party administrator or managed care provider, whomever services are provided under this rule, of completion of forty (40) contact hours of continuing education. Provided, at least three (3) hours of continuing education credits in ethics must be completed every two (2) years. a. Certified case managers, certified rehabilitation counselors, certified disability management specialists, and certified rehabilitation registered nurses are exempt from the provisions of this section, but are required to verify and provide proof of their certification to the Insurance Commissioner, self-insured employer or private carrier, or to their third party administrator or managed care provider, whomever services are provided under this rule.6.2. Qualified rehabilitation professionals are required as outlined in section 6.1 of this rule to maintain documentation of continuing education at their place to employment, to be reviewed by the Commission or Insurance Commissioner, whichever is applicable, when determined necessary by the applicable, Commission or Insurance commissioner personnel.6.3. Programs of continuing education are formally organized educational programs offered in the form of a class, course, workshop, seminar, distance learning, staff development or training activity. Programs should enhance professional skills, values, knowledge, and/or ethical considerations in the qualified rehabilitation professional's practice. The following is a representative list of applicable subjects:b. Rehabilitation counseling or counseling;c. Career Development or Vocational Counseling;d. Medical, vocational and psychosocial aspects of disability;e. Disability case management;f. Managed care and disability management concepts;g. Workers' compensation and/or disability compensation systems;h. Community agencies and resources;i. Plan development in rehabilitation;j. Job development and placement;k. Foundations of rehabilitation;l. Research and statistics;m. Organizational psychology; social psychology; educational psychology;n. Employer consultation services;o. Family, gender and multicultural issues;p. Tests and measures or vocational assessment; individual intelligence testing;q. Problems in substance abuse;r. Theories/techniques of work adjustment;s. Environmental and attitudinal barriers for individuals with disabilities; andt. Theories of personality; individual differences; personality measures.6.4. Continuing education programs approved by the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification, the Certification of Disability Management Specialists Commission, the Commission for Case Manager Certification, the Commission on Certification of Work Adjustment and Vocational Evaluation Specialists, the American Board of Vocational Experts, the National Board of Certified Counselors, or the West Virginia Board of Examiners in Counseling will be accepted. Fifteen (15) contact hours for each academic graduate semester hour or ten (10) contact hours for each academic graduate quarter hour will be granted for classes in rehabilitation counseling, counseling, psychology, occupational therapy or nursing successfully completed at accredited educational institutions.6.5. A qualified rehabilitation professional whose eligibility was established based on certification as a certified rehabilitation counselor, certified disability management specialist, certified vocational evaluation specialist, certified rehabilitation registered nurse or certified case manager must maintain that certification to continue to be a qualified rehabilitation professional. Documentation of current certification must be maintained at their place of employment to be reviewed by the Commission, Insurance commissioner, private carrier or self-insured employer, or to their third party administrator or managed care provider, whomever services are provided under this rule, when determined necessary by the applicable Commission, Insurance Commissioner, private carrier or self-insurance, or their third party administrator or managed care provider, personnel.