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Advisory Notice: Governor Kathy Hochul has issued Executive Order 4 Declaring a Statewide Disaster Emergency Due to Healthcare Staffing Shortages in the State of New York.
 

In addition, please be advised that The Declarations of the Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services issued pursuant to the federal Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act remain in effect and continue to provide certain authorizations and exemptions for many professions and activities related to the ongoing COVID-19 emergency response. These provisions include permitting an expanded list of professionals to administer vaccine or to administer COVD-19 testing. Specifically, the United States CDC has recently provided clarification that the federal preemption provisions of the PREP Act authorize "qualified persons" (licensed professionals and others authorized under the Act) to continue to order and administer covered COVID countermeasures (testing, vaccination, treatment, issuance of non-patient specific standing orders, and other response measures) under the Act, despite the ending of state-level emergency authorizations. This means that the federal Act will authorize individuals to continue these actions in New York, notwithstanding state laws that may conflict. Individuals should refer to the Declaration, Amendments, and Guidance documents issued by US HHS for specific information. For more information on those categories of qualified persons covered to administer COVID-19 vaccines under the PREP Act Declaration and its amendments: PREP Act Fact Sheet: Expanding the COVID-19 Vaccination Workforce. Additional information about the PREP Act can be found on our website.  

Please be advised that the COVID-19 Disaster Emergency declared by former Governor Andrew Cuomo, pursuant to Executive Order 202 issued on March 7, 2020, and each successor Executive Order to Executive Order 202 have expired as of June 25, 2021. While the several exceptions and authorizations relevant to the Title VIII statutes and regulations contained within Executive Order 202 and each successor Executive Order to Executive Order 202 have now expired, Title VIII professionals should return to compliance with all Title VIII statutory and regulatory requirements without delay unless specifically suspended or waived pursuant to Executive Order 4.

The Department is working closely with other New York State agencies and the Governor’s Office relative to issues related to COVID 19. Please continue to monitor the Department’s website for updated guidance.

Additional information is also available:

Due to the COVID-19 virus and the New York State of Emergency, staff in OP are not readily available to answer all phone calls. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please use the Contact Us Form to submit licensure and registration related questions to OP. Be advised that due to the volume of phone calls and emails received, there may be a delay before staff can provide you with an answer. Please review the OP website for answers to many frequently asked questions. COVID-19 related questions may be sent to NYSED’s COVID-19 mailbox at: COVID19@nysed.gov

OP will accept an electronic notarization on any application or form in accordance with Executive Orders, as long as specific criteria outlined here are met. 

Some regulations restrict licensees to a certain percentage of self-study for continuing education requirements. In response to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), and for those licensees whose registrations were due to renew between March 1, 2020 – January 1, 2023, the Department granted an adjustment to all licensees to complete up to 100% of the continuing education as self-study, provided that it was taken from a Department-approved provider and was in an acceptable subject area for the specific profession. Starting January 2, 2023, the adjustment is no longer available and licensees should resume their required percentages of self-study for continuing education that is in each individual profession’s laws and regulations.

Additionally, the Department granted an adjustment to all licensees, regardless of registration renewal date, to utilize self-study for any coursework taken during the period from March 1, 2020 – January 1, 2023, provided that it was taken from a Department-approved provider and is in an acceptable subject area for the specific profession. Coursework taken outside that timeframe must meet the continuing education requirements in each individual profession’s laws and regulations.

NYSED is working closely with other New York State agencies and the Governor’s Office to tackle issues relating to COVID-19. Please continue to monitor the Department’s website for updated guidance.

Please be advised that there will be delays in the printing and mailing of registration certificates and license parchments due to the COVID-19 State of Emergency. OP's Online Registration Renewal will remain continuously available and licensees are encouraged to timely registered if possible. OP’s Verification Searches will remain up-to-date and is a primary source for license and registration verification.

Telepractice is defined as the provision of professional service over geographical distances by means of modern telecommunications technology. Telepractice is used by many professionals in a growing number of areas including, but not limited to, health care (telehealth). As a general rule, New York State Public Health Law Article 29-G authorizes reimbursement for health care services provided by telehealth means. Public Health Law §2999-cc defines, among other things, the following professions as telehealth providers: physicians, physician assistants, dentists, nurse practitioners, registered professional nurses when such nurse is receiving patient-specific health information or medical data at a distant site by means of remote patient monitoring, podiatrists, optometrists, psychologists, social workers, speech language pathologists, audiologists, midwives, physical therapists and occupational therapists. For more information on the requirements of telehealth, please review New York State Public Health Law Article 29-G

In response to the COVID-19 emergency disaster, Governor Cuomo has issued a number of Executive Orders (EOs), including Executive Order 202.1 which temporarily Suspended and modified Section 2999-cc of the Public Health Law and any regulatory provisions promulgated thereunder by the Department of Health, the Office of Mental Health, the Office of Addiction Services and Supports, and the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities, to the extent necessary to allow additional telehealth provider categories and modalities, to permit other types of practitioners to deliver services within their scopes of practice and to authorize the use of certain technologies for the delivery of health care services to established patients, pursuant to such limitations as the commissioners of such agencies may determine appropriate.

Additional Telepractice Information and Resources

General Telepractice Information for all Professions

Profession-Specific Telepractice Guidance:

Department of Health:

Department of Financial Services:

Department of Health and Human Services: https://www.hhs.gov/

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/medicare-telemedicine-health-care-provider-fact-sheet

The Governor and the Commissioner of Health have sent out letters to active and inactive licensees in New York State seeking volunteers to assist in the COVID-19 response efforts: https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/home.

The credential review process for this endeavor is being administered by the Governor’s Office and NYS DOH. The NYS Education Department’s Office of the Professions does not require a form from these volunteers.

Please note that currently, pursuant to Executive Orders, NYS licensed physicians, physician assistants, specialist assistants, registered professional nurses, licensed practical nursesnurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, respiratory therapists, respiratory therapist technicians, pharmacists, dentists, dental hygienists, registered dental assistants, midwives, perfusionists, clinical laboratory technologists, cytotechnologists, certified clinical laboratory technicians, certified histological technicians, licensed clinical social workers, licensed master social workers, podiatrists, physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, mental health counselors, marriage and family therapists, creative arts therapists, psychoanalysts and psychologists do not need to be registered to practice in the State of New York. All other NYS licensed professionals are required to be currently registered in order to practice. Inactive licensees who wish to re-register their license should Contact Us to obtain a delayed registration form.

Additionally, pursuant to Executive Orders, out-of-state licensed physicians, physician assistants,  specialist assistants, registered professional nurses, licensed practical nurses, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, mental health counselorsmarriage and family therapistscreative arts therapists, psychoanalystslicensed clinical social workers, licensed master social workers, respiratory therapists and respiratory therapy technicians do not need to hold a NYS license or registration to practice in the State of New York. All other NYS licensed professionals are required to be licensed in the State of New York in order to practice.