Courses and Requirements for Suicide Assessment Continuing Education for PTs and PTAs

All PT and PTA licensees in Washington will need to take three hours of suicide assessment training soon. The specific date will vary depend on your continuing education reporting date. See below for details and additional resources.

Don't see an answer to your question? Email legislative@aptawa.org.
When Do I Need to Complete the Training?
PTs and PTAs must take the training by the end of their two-year continuing education reporting period after January 1, 2016. So if your continuing education reporting period after January 1, 2016 begins on March 6, 2017, you have until March 5, 2019 to take the course.

Your license renewal may include an area to submit your suicide assessment course information now. You may include the information at any time, but it’s not required until you are required to report your continuing education as specified above.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q – Do I need to take three hours or six hours of suicide assessment training?
A – Three hours. You may take a six-hour course but only three of them will count toward your continuing education hours.

Q – Do I need to take the training every six years?
A – No, you only need to take the training once.


Q – What if I received this training during my DPT or PTA program?
A – Licensees need to take the training – so training taken before you got your license does not count toward the three-hour requirement.

Q – What course can I take to meet the requirement?
A – If you take a course now, any course that focuses on screening and referral will meet the requirement. Starting on July 1, 2017, the training you take must be included on the model list developed by the Washington State Department of Health.

Q – What if I took a course before July 1, 2017 and it’s not on the model list?
A – The course only needs to be on the model list if you take it beginning July 1, 2017.

Q – Do the three suicide assessment course hours also apply toward the continuing ed requirement I need to meet every two years?
A – Yes. But since you only need to take the course once then you may have credits denied if you take an additional course and report the continuing ed hours in a subsequent reporting period.
Suicide Assessment Training Laws - RCW and WAC
The suicide assessment training law for health professions, HB 1424, which was passed by the legislature in 2015.

Washington Administrative Code (WAC) suicide assessment requirements for PTs and PTAs.