65-4206. Approved courses of mental health technology; standards; qualifications; providers of continuing education offerings. (a) An approved course of mental health technology is one which has been approved by the board as meeting the standards of this act and the rules and regulations of the board. The course, at a minimum, shall be of six months duration in which the institution shall provide for 18 weeks of schooling, one-half devoted to classroom instruction and one-half to clinical experience and shall include the study of:

(1) Basic nursing concepts;

(2) psychiatric therapeutic treatment; and

(3) human growth, development and behavioral sciences.

(b) An institution which intends to offer a course on mental health technology shall apply to the board for approval and submit evidence that the institution is prepared to and will maintain the standards and curriculum as prescribed by this act and the rules and regulations of the board. The application shall be made in writing upon a form prescribed by the board with the application fee fixed by the board by rules and regulations.

(c) The approval of a school of mental health technology shall expire five years after the granting of such approval by the board. An institution desiring to continue to conduct a course of mental health technology shall apply to the board for the renewal of approval and submit satisfactory proof that the institution will maintain the standards and the basic mental health technology curriculum as prescribed by this act and the rules and regulations of the board. Applications for renewal of approval shall be made in writing on forms supplied by the board. Each institution offering a course of mental health technology shall submit annually to the board an annual fee fixed by the board by rules and regulations to maintain approval status.

(d) Providers of continuing education. (1) To qualify as an approved provider of continuing education offerings, persons, organizations or institutions proposing to provide such continuing education offerings shall apply to the board for approval and submit evidence that the applicant is prepared to meet the standards and requirements established by the rules and regulations of the board for such continuing education offerings. Initial applications shall be made in writing on forms supplied by the board and shall be submitted to the board together with the application fee fixed by the board.

(2) A long-term provider means a person, organization or institution that is responsible for the development, administration and evaluation of continuing education programs and offerings. Qualification as a long-term approved provider of continuing education offerings shall expire five years after the granting of such approval by the board. An approved long-term provider of continuing education offerings shall submit annually to the board the annual fee established by rules and regulations, along with an annual report for the previous fiscal year. Applications for renewal as an approved long-term provider of continuing education offerings shall be made in writing on forms supplied by the board.

(3) Qualification as an approved provider of a single continuing education offering, which may be offered once or multiple times, shall expire two years after the granting of such approval by the board. Approved single continuing education providers shall not be subject to an annual fee or annual report.

(4) In accordance with rules and regulations adopted by the board, the board may approve individual educational offerings for continuing education which shall not be subject to approval under other subsections of this section.

(5) The board shall accept offerings as approved continuing education presented by: Colleges that are approved by a state or the national department of education and providers approved by other state boards of nursing, the national league for nursing, the national federation of licensed practical nurses, the American nurses credentialing center or other such national organizations as listed in rules and regulations adopted by the board.

History: L. 1973, ch. 308, § 6; L. 1992, ch. 151, § 5; L. 1997, ch. 146, § 4; May 8.