Physical Therapist Assistant Graduates - Southwestern Illinois College

Physical Therapy Special Interest Group

The PT SIG is co-sponsored by SWIC PTA Program and Memorial Rehabilitation Services. The SIG provides Illinois approved continuing education courses for PT, PTA, OT and COTA. Courses are held at Memorial Rehabilitation Services in Belleville.

Each course will award 3 IL approved contact hours of face to face CEU.

A goal of the SIG is to provide a 3 hour Ethics course, every other year, so that PT’s and PTA’s can utilize this for IL licensure renewal requirements.

Upcoming Course Dates

Upcoming Course Dates
Nov 7, 2022
March 27, 2023  
Aug 21, 2023 
Nov 6, 2023

Advanced registration is required. Registrants are on a first-come, first-serve basis. Registration fees are $25. For more info, contact andrea.bingheim@bjc.org.

Applying for a License in Another State

See www.FSBPT.org for info and links to individual state applications.

If the state you are applying to requires verification and dates in which you were enrolled and/or graduated from the PTA Program, you need to contact Enrollment Services at 618-235-2700, ext. 5455. Most states require a school seal to be affixed to application along with transcripts.

Licensure Renewals

IL PTA Licenses:  Due Sept. 30, every odd year.

Illinois licensed PTA members,

September 30th, 2023 marks the Illinois PTA License renewal deadline.

What to know about renewing:

  • PTAs will be able to renew on the IDFPR website approximately 3 months prior to the expiration date shown on your license.  
  • If you don’t know your expiration date, you may find it by using the IDFPR License Lookup application.
  • Make sure your contact information (including email address) is up to date with IDFPR, as they no longer send out paper renewal notices.
  • For those requiring additional assistance with the login process, please contact IDFPR by emailing fpr.lmu@illinois.gov and indicate “RENEWAL” in the subject line of your e-mail.
  • Read IDFPR’s Tips for First Time Registration to Renew a Professional License.

In Illinois, every physical therapist assistant shall complete a minimum of 20 CE hours relevant to the practice of physical therapy during each prerenewal period as a condition of renewal. 

The IPTA sought clarification from the IDFPR regarding the NEW CE requirements for renewing Illinois PTA licenses in 2023.

Am I expected to complete the Implicit Bias and Dementia Training to renew my license in 2023?

Yes, for the 2023 renewals (and beyond), a health care professional who has continuing education requirements (including PTAs) must complete at least a one-hour course in training on implicit bias awareness per renewal period. And all licensed healthcare professionals in Illinois (i.e. PTAs), who have direct patient interaction with adults age 26 and above, will be required to complete one hour dementia training

The IPTA offers this training FREE for members/ CE Subscribers (nonmember price is $25):

  • DEMENTIA TRAINING: On Tuesday, June 20th, 2023, the IPTA GeriSIG is hosting a 1 hour virtual LIVE one hour CE presentation on “Alzheimer’s and Dementia: What Are We Forgetting? (1 CE). Since this is a virtual live webinar, this counts as “live” CE. 
  • IMPLICIT BIAS TRAINING: A recording of IPTA’s presentation on “Implicit Bias: Recognizing and Responding in Healthcare Settings (1 CE)  has been added to the IPTA store and is available for members, and nonmembers, to view and receive CE (self-study). 

FIRST TIME RENEWAL APPLICANTS: As outlined in the Rules of Administration of the IL PT Act, if this is your first renewal following the original issuance of your Illinois license, you do NOT need to comply with the CE requirements (including the implicit bias and dementia training), but you must still renew your license.

**Any PTA license issued AFTER July 1st (of the renewal year) is automatically extended to the next renewal cycle. So, for any new graduate who license will be issued on July 2, 2023 will not need pay the renewal fee, and will automatically be extended to September 30, 2025.

http://www.ipta.org/resource/resmgr/Keeping_You_Connected_Images/TimetoRenew_Small.jpgA couple other things to note about CE:

  • A prerenewal period is the 24 months preceding the September 30th renewal deadline. Meaning, CE must have been earned between 10/01/21 – 09/30/23.
  • PTs and PTAs are allowed to have 75% of their total CE required for license renewal be self-study.
  • Virtual attendance at live professional presentations, provided the participant is able to communicate in real time with the speaker and other participants, shall be considered “in person” CE.
  • At least 3 of the 20 CE hours must include content related to the ethical practice of physical therapy. 
  • In addition, all healthcare providers are required to complete a 1 hour sexual harassment prevention training – this includes PT and PTAs. The IPTA offers an on-demand program that is FREE for members and meets this requirement. Click here to view.    

Know the Rules: Click here to read the ways in which CE may be earned, as outlined in the Rules of Administration of the IL PT Act.

MO PTA Licenses: Due Jan. 31, every even year.

Required to have 30 contact hours of CEUs within 2 calendar years (Jan. 1-Dec. 31).  For greater details and the most current info, see www.pr.mo.gov.(SWIC’s PTA program provides this information as a courtesy to its graduates and is not held liable for its content. Licensees are solely responsible for checking with the state licensing boards if there are questions.)

Licensees are required to sign a statement each renewal attesting to the fact that the appropriate number of hours of CEU were attained. Audits of licensees occur at random, whereby the licensee is required to show proof of hours in the form of CEU certificates.

Certificates of attendance at CEU events must provide proof of numerous items to qualify for MO approved hours (ie. course descriptor, course instructor bio, number of hours, course objectives, etc.)

Note for new grads licensed in MO: The first renewal period following graduation, new grads are exempt from ½ of the CEUs required.

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