Frank
Muñoz
Associate Commissioner
Associate Commissioner
Since 1891, the Board of Regents and the New
York State Education Department have overseen the preparation,
licensure, and practice of the professions. Currently, the Office of the Professions regulates
forty-eight professions defined in
Title VIII of the Education Law.
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The Office of the Professions is pleased to announce that online registration renewal is available. The online process will provide a timely and secure alternative to paper registration applications. When registering online, the registration fees can be paid using a credit card, and no additional charge will be added for this convenience.
More information will be sent to each licensee at the time of their registration renewal. Licensees will not be eligible to participate in online renewal until they are notified and given a PIN.
- H1N1 Disaster Emergency Declaration
- On October 28, Governor Paterson signed Executive Order 29 declaring a disaster emergency in New York. The Executive Order authorizes a 30 day temporary suspension or modification of several laws and regulations related to licensed professions overseen by the State Education Department and the New York State Department of Health in order to facilitate the timely administration of the 2009 H1N1 and seasonal influenza vaccines throughout the State of New York to prevent the further spread of these viruses. (October 30, 2009)
ServNY is a Department of Health registry of health care and mental health professionals who wish to volunteer during an emergency or major disaster.
- Registration Fee Surcharge
- The professional licensing registration fees for new applicants and the re-registration
fees for current licensees will be increased by a 15% surcharge effective September
25, 2009. This new law applies to all professions
licensed under Title VIII of the Education Law except Physician, Physician
Assistant, and Specialist Assistant.
- New applicants: Applicants for professional licenses whose payments are received on or after September 25, 2009 will pay fees that include the new 15% surcharge. Select the License Requirements section of the web page for your profession for exact charges.
- Current licensees: Beginning September 25, 2009, re-registration bills mailed to current licensees will reflect the new 15% surcharge.
- Pharmacy Regulation Changes
- Recent changes in Rules of the Board of Regents and Regulations of the Commissioner of Education have been implemented effective August 20, 2009. Changes to Part 29.7(a)(2), 29.7(a)(8)(v) and Part 63.6 provide a mechanism for pharmacists to maintain many records electronically. Changes to Part 63.3 provide applicants for licensure in pharmacy who chose to pursue an accredited residency program an alternative to the practical examination (Part III). (August 26, 2009)
- Site Update
- The Office of the Professions will be releasing a new design of its website
in the Fall of 2009. The new design will update many features, improve navigation,
provide a link to our searchable knowledgebase on every page, and bring such
material as the summaries of Regents Discipline Actions more up to date.
Meanwhile, discipline summaries have not been posted on the Office of the
Professions searchable database for 2009 due to technical issues related
to the conversion to a new website. The full posting is anticipated soon.
Meanwhile, Regents 2009 actions are available in the monthly press releases
posted on the Regents website at: http://www.oms.nysed.gov/press/,
but are not in searchable format. We apologize for the inconvenience, and
appreciate your patience as we work to improve the accessability of public
information. (September 10, 2009)
- Restrictions on Consecutive Hours of Work for Nurses Law
- Section 167 of the Labor Law, went into effect on July 1, 2009. Section 167 prohibits health care employers from mandating overtime for nurses, and stipulates the conditions under which exceptions to this rule may be made. The New York State Department of Labor (NYS DOL) is responsible for enforcement of this law and has posted information on their website. (July 1, 2009)
It should be noted however, that this new law permits voluntary overtime without restriction. Given the extensive literature and evidence from a broad base of professions and occupations on the positive correlation between number of hours worked and effects on job function and errors, the New York State Board for Nursing took the following position on voluntary overtime before enactment of this new law: Nurses, who voluntarily work beyond their normally scheduled hours in a situation which is not a declared emergency, must be able to demonstrate that they are competent to perform their professional responsibilities. Voluntarily working beyond 16 hours in a 24 hour time period will be considered by the New York State Board for Nursing as a factor in determining the willful disregard of patient safety by nurses and will be subject to a potential charge of unprofessional conduct. (added July 27, 2009)
- Physical Therapy Continuing Education
- Questions and answers for licensees, as well as information and forms for potential providers of continuing education have been posted. Chapter 207 of the Laws of 2008, which requires physical therapists and physical therapist assistants to complete thirty-six hours of continuing education during each three-year re-registration period takes effect September 1, 2009. (June 25, 2009)
- Influenza A (H1N1) virus (S-OIV)
- OP has posted a joint letter from the NYS Commissioners of Education and Health sent to pharmacies and wholesalers concerning availabiltiy of antiviral medications (Oseltamivir and Zanamivir) for prevention and treatment of S-OIV infection. Also posted is the New York State Clinical Guidance for Treatment of Swine-Origin Influenza A H1N1 (Swine Flu) Virus Infection. (May 6, 2009)
- FDA, FTC Warn Public of Fraudulent 2009 H1N1 Influenza Products
- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission are alerting the public to be wary of Internet sites and other promotions for products that claim to diagnose, prevent, mitigate, treat or cure the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus. (May 5, 2009)
- ServNY
- ServNY is a Department of Health registry of health care and mental health professionals who wish to volunteer during an emergency or major disaster. (March 5, 2009)
- Important Information for Licensed Master Social Workers (LMSWs)
- It has come to the attention of the State Board for Social Work that certain LMSWs have completed, or are in the process of completing, experience for licensure as an LCSW in a setting or under a supervision arrangement that may not be consistent with general requirements related to the practice of the professions. After reviewing the matter, the Committee on the Professions (COP) has determined that the State Board for Social Work may accept certain experience for licensure, if the experience was started prior to February 2, 2009 and meets all other requirements in law and regulation.
(January 30, 2009)
- Social Workers, Psychologists and Mental Health Practitioners
- At their December 2008 meeting, the Board of Regents Professional Practice Committee discussed the unintended consequences of a 2002 law which, among other provisions, restricted the practice of psychotherapy to individuals licensed by the State Education Department, established two new professions in place of a single social worker license, and created four new mental health professions.
(January 16, 2009)
- Announcing OPNEWS Listserv
- The Office of the Professions Strategic Communications Team announces an
initiative to provide interested parties with news and updates about the Office
of the Professions via email. Individuals can subscribe to OPNEWS to receive
regular updates about:
- office activities and performance
- the license, practice and discipline of the professions
- professional practice alerts, and
- meetings of the State Boards
- Employment Opportunities in Shortage Areas
- Immediate employment opportunities are available with the New
York City Department of Education in the areas of monolingual and
bilingual speech services,
bilingual school psychology,
occupational therapy and physical therapy. License holders in
psychology and speech-language pathology who do not hold school
certification should review new
regulatory provisions approved by the Board of Regents in
July, 2005. Experience gained in non-school settings may be given
to bilingual psychologists and bilingual speech-language
pathologists. Additional information on opportunities or
scholarship assistance can be obtained by contacting the New York
City Department of Education: http://schools.nyc.gov/teachnyc/
(April 30, 2007)
- Verifying Your New York License
- New York licensees are reminded that up-to-the-minute license
and registration status is available on
this site. Information on the this site is current and official. Licensees who require
written proof of licensure should file the Request for Written Confirmation of NYS
Licensure (PDF). This request requires the submission of a
fee and will be mailed to a third party.
- Regents Scholarship Opportunities
- Regents Professional Opportunity Scholarships are available annually to New York State residents who are economically disadvantaged and/or members of an underrepresented minority group and who are beginning or engaged in an approved program leading to a degree in an eligible profession licensed by the Regents. Award winners receive up to $5,000 per year, for a maximum of four academic years. Information and applications can be found on the Office of Higher Education's (OHE) Website. Information and applications for the Regents Health Care Scholarship in Medicine and Dentistry and the Regents Physician Loan Forgiveness Program are also available on the OHE Web site.
For Future Reference: In the event of an emergency that impacts the licensed professions, OP will provide important information, specific to the situation, through this Web site and other means. This information will include emergency provisions for professional practice as well as updates on scheduled events and services (licensing examinations, professional discipline proceedings, examination reviews, etc.)
Applicants and licensees can now print and mail an address/name change form. Please remember that OP is to be notified within 30 days of any change in name or address.
New York State Education Department
Office of the Professions
State Education Building - 2nd floor
89 Washington Avenue
Albany, New York 12234
Questions: op4info@mail.nysed.gov or 518-474-3817
Office of the Professions
State Education Building - 2nd floor
89 Washington Avenue
Albany, New York 12234
Questions: op4info@mail.nysed.gov or 518-474-3817
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