Occupational therapist; performance of dry needling.

(1) The board shall establish minimum standards of practice for the performance of dry needling by occupational therapists, including, but not limited to, all of the following:

(a) Completion of 2 years of licensed practice as an occupational therapist.

(b) Completion of 50 hours of face-to-face continuing education from an entity approved by the board on the topic of dry needling, which must include a determination by the instructor that the occupational therapist demonstrates the requisite psychomotor skills needed to safely perform dry needling. The continuing education must include instruction in all of the following areas:

1. Theory of dry needling.

2. Selection and safe handling of needles and other apparatus or equipment used in dry needling, including instruction on the proper handling of biohazardous waste.

3. Indications and contraindications for dry needling.

4. Psychomotor skills needed to safely perform dry needling.

5. Postintervention care, including adverse responses, adverse event recordkeeping, and any reporting obligations.

(c)1. Completion of at least 25 patient sessions of dry needling performed under the supervision of an occupational therapist, physical therapist, or chiropractic physician who holds an active license to practice in any state or the District of Columbia, who has actively performed dry needling for at least 1 year, and who documents that he or she has met the supervision and competency requirements and needs no additional supervised sessions to perform dry needling; or

2. Completion of 25 patient sessions of dry needling performed as an occupational therapist licensed in any state or in the United States Armed Forces.

(d) A requirement that dry needling may not be performed without patient consent and must be a part of a patient’s documented plan of care.

(e) A requirement that dry needling may not be delegated to any person other than an occupational therapist who is authorized to engage in dry needling under this chapter.

(2) The board shall establish additional supervision and training requirements before the performance of dry needling of the head and neck or torso by an occupational therapist if the board deems it necessary for patient safety.

(3) The Department of Health shall, within existing resources, submit a report to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives on or before December 31, 2028, detailing the number of occupational therapists in the state, the number of occupational therapists in the state performing dry needling, any increases or decreases in the number of occupational therapists in the state by geographic area, and any adverse medical incidents as defined by the board involving occupational therapists in the state performing dry needling.

(4) The performance of dry needling in the practice of occupational therapy does not limit the scope of practice of other licensed health care practitioners not governed by this chapter.