GOVERNOR SIGNS NEW YORK CHIROPRACTIC CONTINUING EDUCATION BILL

Governor George Pataki on August 5, 2003, signed into law A.978/S.316.b, legislation that requires chiropractors to acquire continuing education credit as a condition for licensure re-registration. This law goes into effect January 1, 2004. Many other professions in the state including dentists, podiatrists, pharmacists, attorneys and others already have a CE requirement in place. New York joins 47 other states that require chiropractic continuing education. What this means for doctors of chiropractic: + Each chiropractor licensed in New York, excepting those not engaged in chiropractic practice, is required to complete thirty-six (36) hours of acceptable formal continuing education credit per triennium. 6Twelve (12) of the 36 hours required may include self-instructional course work as approved by the Education Department (in consultation with the State Board for Chiropractic.) + Chiropractors must certify at each triennial registration that they have met the requirements of the law; must maintain adequate documentation of acceptable formal CE to support such certification and be able to provide such documentation to the Department upon request. + Doctors of Chiropractic may obtain all 36 of their approved CE credit all in one year within any triennial period or they can spread them out over the triennial period. - Credits for one triennial period, however, may not be carried over, credited or transferred to any subsequent triennium. + DC’s whose re-registration period expires before the first triennial period following enactment of this legislation will have their CE pro-rated a t a rate of one hour per month. A DC who has not satisfied the mandatory CE requirement will not be issued a triennial registration and may not practice chiropractic until a conditional registration is issued by the Department and the individual agrees to make up any deficiencies which the Department may require. 6 The Department cannot extend conditional registration beyond one year. +Chiropractors who are not engaged in the practice of chiropractic are exempt from the CE requirement. Nonetheless, they must file a statement with the SED declaring their exempt status. Continuing Education versus Continuing Competency Importantly, the legislation contains a provision that insures that the legislation cannot be used by the Education Department as a way to require or implement continuing competency testing or certification for chiropractors. The passage of CE legislation in recent years is partly an effort to staunch any effort on the part of the Education Department to require continuing competency testing as opposed to continuing education as a requirement for re-registration and re-licensure. NYSCA President Acknowledges Team Effort NYSCA President E. Daniel Quatro, DC, acknowledged the efforts of the New York Chiropractic College and its president Dr. Frank Nicchi in passing this important piece of legislation as well as the leadership effort of the New York Chiropractic Council, the NYSCA’s legislative coalition partner. Quatro also acknowledged others who stood behind the effort, including NYSCA’s legislative counsel, Don Mazzullo, Esq., and his team - Ric Scanlon, Mary Anne McCarthy, Esq. Amy Kellogg, Esq. Also acknowledged were NYSCA general counsel Ross Lanzafame, Esq. the Past Presidents of NYSCA Dr’s Leonard Venezia and Arthur Kojes, NYSCA Vice President Dr. Mariangela Penna and Dr. Lynn Pownall, NYSCA Board member. “With their steadfast leadership, help and assistance we were able to stave off the prospects of continuing competency in lieu of continuing education.” Quatro said.

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