§ 148.6402 — Definitions
Plain-Language Summary
This section defines key terms used in the occupational therapy licensing law, including 'occupational therapist,' 'occupational therapy assistant,' and 'occupational therapy services.'
148.6402 DEFINITIONS.
§
Subdivision 1.Scope.
For the purpose of sections 148.6401 to 148.645, the following terms have the meanings given them. §
Subd. 2.
[Repealed, 1Sp2017 c 6 art 11 s 56] §
Subd. 2a.Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education or ACOTE.
“Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education” or “ACOTE” means the entity that accredits occupational therapy education programs in the United States and its territories and establishes, approves, and administers educational standards ensuring consistency across all occupational therapy education. §
Subd. 3.Biennial licensure period.
“Biennial licensure period” means the two-year period for which licensure is effective. §
Subd. 4.Board.
“Board” means the Board of Occupational Therapy Practice established in section 148.6449. §
Subd. 5.Contact hour.
“Contact hour” means an instructional session of 60 minutes, excluding coffee breaks, registration, meals without a speaker, and social activities. §
Subd. 5a.Continuing competence.
“Continuing competence” means the process in which an occupational therapy practitioner develops and maintains the knowledge, critical reasoning, interpersonal skills, performance skills, and ethical practice necessary to perform their occupational therapy responsibilities. §
Subd. 6.Credential.
“Credential” means a license, permit, certification, registration, or other evidence of qualification or authorization to engage in the practice of occupational therapy issued by any authority. §
Subd. 7.Certification examination for occupational therapist.
“Certification examination for occupational therapist” means the examination sponsored by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy for certification as a registered occupational therapist. §
Subd. 8.Certification examination for occupational therapy assistant.
“Certification examination for occupational therapy assistant” means the examination sponsored by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy for certification as a certified occupational therapy assistant. §
Subd. 9.Delegate.
“Delegate” means to transfer to an occupational therapy assistant the authority to perform selected portions of an occupational therapy evaluation or treatment plan for a specific patient. §
Subd. 10.
MS 2018 [Repealed, 2020 c 79 art 2 s 26] §
Subd. 11.
MS 2018 [Repealed, 2019 c 50 art 1 s 130] §
Subd. 12.
MS 2018 [Repealed, 2019 c 50 art 1 s 130] §
Subd. 12a.Face-to-face supervision.
“Face-to-face supervision” means supervision occurring between a supervisor and a supervisee within each other’s sight or presence. Face-to-face supervision includes real-time audio and video communication where the supervisor and supervisee can see each other and clearly visualize the services being provided. §
Subd. 13.Licensed health care professional.
“Licensed health care professional” means a person licensed in good standing in Minnesota to practice medicine, osteopathic medicine, chiropractic, podiatry, advanced practice registered nursing, dentistry, or as a licensed physician assistant in Minnesota. §
Subd. 13a.National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy or NBCOT.
“National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy” or “NBCOT” means the entity that administers the certification examination and provides initial and renewal board certification for occupational therapy practitioners providing services in the United States, or any successor entity performing the certification examination and initial and renewal board certification. §
Subd. 14.Occupational therapist.
“Occupational therapist” means an individual licensed to practice occupational therapy under sections 148.6401 to 148.645 who is responsible for and directs the evaluation process, discharge planning process, development of intervention plans, and provision of occupational therapy services. §
Subd. 15.
MS 2018 [Repealed, 2020 c 79 art 2 s 26] §
Subd. 16.Occupational therapy assistant.
“Occupational therapy assistant” means an individual licensed to assist in the practice of occupational therapy under sections 148.6401 to 148.645 who works under the appropriate supervision of and in partnership with an occupational therapist, unless exempted under section 148.6432. §
Subd. 16a.Occupational therapy practitioner.
“Occupational therapy practitioner” means any individual licensed as either an occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant under sections 148.6401 to 148.645. §
Subd. 17.
MS 2018 [Repealed, 2019 c 50 art 1 s 130] §
Subd. 18.
[Repealed, 2001 c 7 s 91] §
Subd. 19.License or licensed.
“License” or “licensed” means the act or status of a natural person who meets the requirements of sections 148.6401 to 148.645. §
Subd. 20.Licensee.
“Licensee” means a person who meets the requirements of sections 148.6401 to 148.645. §
Subd. 21.Licensure by equivalency.
“Licensure by equivalency” means a method of licensure described in section 148.6412 by which an individual who possesses a current credential from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy may qualify for licensure. §
Subd. 22.Licensure by reciprocity.
“Licensure by reciprocity” means a method of licensure described in section 148.6415 by which an individual who possesses a credential from another jurisdiction may qualify for Minnesota licensure. §
Subd. 22a.
MS 2024 [Repealed, 1Sp2025 c 3 art 3 s 125] §
Subd. 23.Service competency.
(a) “Service competency” of an occupational therapy assistant in performing evaluation tasks means the ability of an occupational therapy assistant to obtain the same information as the supervising occupational therapist when evaluating a client’s function.
(b) “Service competency” of an occupational therapy assistant in performing treatment procedures means the ability of an occupational therapy assistant to perform treatment procedures in a manner such that the outcome, documentation, and follow-up are equivalent to that which would have been achieved had the supervising occupational therapist performed the treatment procedure.
(c) “Service competency” of an occupational therapist means the ability of an occupational therapist to consistently perform an assessment task or intervention procedure with the level of skill recognized as satisfactory within the national practice standards of occupational therapy. §
Subd. 24.
MS 2018 [Repealed, 2019 c 50 art 1 s 130] §
Subd. 25.Temporary licensure.
“Temporary licensure” means a method of licensure described in section 148.6418, by which an individual who (1) has completed an approved or accredited education program but has not met the examination requirement; or (2) possesses a credential from another jurisdiction or the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy but who has not submitted the documentation required by section 148.6420 may qualify for Minnesota licensure for a limited time period. §
Subd. 26.
MS 2018 [Repealed, 2019 c 50 art 1 s 130]
History:
2000 c 361 s 2; 2001 c 7 s 35,36; 2004 c 279 art 1 s 19; 2009 c 157 art 1 s 8,9; 2013 c 43 s 28; 2014 c 291 art 4 s 10; 2016 c 119 s 7; 1Sp2017 c 6 art 11 s 7,54; 2019 c 50 art 1 s 46,47; 2020 c 79 art 2 s 1,2; 1Sp2025 c 3 art 3 s 21-35
History: History: 2000 c 361 s 2; 2001 c 7 s 35,36; 2004 c 279 art 1 s 19; 2009 c 157 art 1 s 8,9; 2013 c 43 s 28; 2014 c 291 art 4 s 10; 2016 c 119 s 7; 1Sp2017 c 6 art 11 s 7,54; 2019 c 50 art 1 s 46,47; 2020 c 79 art 2 s 1,2; 1Sp2025 c 3 art 3 s 21-35