OT Authorizations, Disclosures & Licensure

If you are considering an academic program that leads to obtaining professional licensure or certification in your state, note the following information.

Authorization

Sacred Heart University, as a member of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA), is authorized to offer distance programs in all states and United States Territories that participate in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA).

SARA is a voluntary agreement of states and United States Territories that has established comparable standards for distance education programs offered across state lines. Only accredited, federally-recognized institutions are able to offer distance education programs under SARA.

Sacred Heart University’s institutional participation was granted by the State of Connecticut Office of Higher Education on January 11, 2017. California is the only state that does not participate in SARA therefore Sacred Heart University is exempt from approval from the California Bureau of Post-Secondary Education.

Participation in SARA does not absolve Sacred Heart University programs from the need to meet applicable state licensing and certification requirements. Prospective students are advised to refer to the information below about state professional licensing and certification requirements, states in which clinical placements are either limited or restricted and potential consequences of relocating to a different state at any time after admission to a degree program.

Prospective students are also encouraged to review the Licensure & Certification Disclosures by State section of Sacred Heart University’s State Authorization, Disclosures & Student Complaints webpage for additional information.

Disclosures

NBCOT® policy regarding background checks for all exam takers

Effective January 1, 2018

The NBCOT Board of Directors has approved the implementation of background checks as part of the exam process. This enhancement offers the unique opportunity to apply a national standard to all entry-level practitioners in support of NBCOT’s mission of public protection.

Background checks will be completed as part of the exam application process for all first-time applicants beginning January 1, 2018. Candidates reapplying for the exam will not be subject to a background check. There is no change to the application fee as a result of this addition. The 2018 exam application fee will remain $515 for online applications and $555 for paper applications.

The NBCOT character review will continue to be guided by the character questions found on page 8 of the Certification Exam Handbook. Additional review will be conducted only when an incident results in an affirmative answer to one or more character questions.

For example, a candidate with a misdemeanor DUI (that did not involve harm to another) would typically not need to have the incident reviewed. However, if that DUI resulted in the suspension of their professional license or certification in another field (character question #2), a review will be required.

Similarly, a conviction of misdemeanor petit theft (that did not involve harm to another) with negative responses to all character questions would not be reviewed. However, if the candidate was suspended or expelled from their college or university due to the incident (character question #4), a review will be required. If you have questions regarding the expanded background check program, email professional.conduct@nbcot.org.

NBCOT® policy regarding presumptive denials

Effective January 1, 2019

Applications from individuals who have been convicted of serious crimes will not be accepted for initial certification or certification renewal. For further information, see the NBCOT OT Handbook.

Acceptance to the Program

Once students are formally accepted into the graduate program in Occupational Therapy at Sacred Heart and have deposited, the following are required in order to enroll and begin classes:

By May 1: Signed Essential Functions Policy agreement. Students must be able to meet the requirements for the essential functions consistent with occupational therapy practice with or without reasonable accommodations. A link to the agreement will be emailed to you from Graduate Admissions.
By May 1: Registration for the fall semester (registration forms will be mailed out to you from the OT Program). Send completed registration forms to the Occupational Therapy program by May.
By August 1: Successful completion of a Criminal Background Check (the College of Health Profession’s Criminal Background policy and instructions will be mailed out to you from the OT Program. View the policy
By August 1: Completed health requirements (instructions will be mailed to you from the OT Program) uploaded to your Exxat/Prism portal by August 1. Please note that after uploading health forms to Exxat/Prism, an additional copy of the Exxat/Prism forms must be uploaded to University Health Services Student Health Portal to meet the State of Connecticut requirements for college admission.
Proof of American Heart Association BLS for Health Care Provider (CPR & AED) uploaded to your Exxat/Prism portal.
Proof of Health Insurance uploaded to your Exxat/Prism portal.
By August 1: Signed Photographic Consent Form (this form will be mailed to you from the OT Program. You may decline but you will need to accept responsibility to avoid appearing in pictures that will be posted on the web) Return (if applicable) to the OT Student Services Coordinator by August 1.
By August 1: Information Release Authorization Form (this form will be mailed to you from the OT Program). Return to the OT Student Services Coordinator by August 1.
By August 1: Entering Student Data Form (this form will be mailed to you from the OT Program). Return to the OT Student Services Coordinator by August 1.
By August 1: Successful completion of OSHA/HIPAA training course in your Exxat/Prism portal.
By December 31 of first fall semester: Successful completion of VIRTUS training. Sacred Heart University and our Diocesan-Affiliated fieldwork sites require VIRTUS training for all students, faculty, staff that may have contact with children. Protecting God's Children^® for Adults is training conducted by VIRTUS^® certified facilitators on the prevention of child sexual abuse. The training makes participants aware of the signs of child sexual abuse, the methods and means by which offenders commit abuse, and steps one can use to prevent child sexual abuse. Occupational Therapy students must complete this three-hour training session and provide a copy of your certificate of training to the Student Services Coordinator by the end of the December of the first semester of the program. View a listing of locations and courses.
Completion of any outstanding prerequisites with a grade of C or better and verifying continued maintenance of all GPA and grade admission requirements. Send final official transcripts to Sacred Heart University's Graduate Admissions prior to enrollment.
If applicable, official transcript verifying completion of undergraduate bachelor’s degree.

Licensure

Graduates of the Occupational Therapy program are eligible to sit for the NBCOT (National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy) exam. After successful completion of the exam, you will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). All states and jurisdictions require graduation from an ACOTE accredited occupational therapy program and passing the NBCOT exam is a requirement for state licensure.

State-by-State Occupational Therapy Licensure

All 50 states and the jurisdictions of Washington DC, Guam, and Puerto Rico have licensure laws for occupational therapists. The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) website provides links to state regulations regarding qualifications and licensure, continuing competency requirements, regulations, supervision, and telehealth.

NBCOT offers an interactive US map with links to each state’s OT State Regulatory Board Contact List and AOTA links to each state’s licensure requirements.

AOTA provides a list of the states that offer temporary licensure to graduates from ACOTE accredited programs who have not yet passed the NBCOT exam.

AOTA’s Student Guide to Registration and Licensure offers a self-directed “tour” for graduates seeking information on the NBCOT exam and obtaining state licensure.

For transcript requests, contact Sacred Heart University Registrar's Office.