Madison – Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) Secretary, Dan Hereth, announced this morning that Wisconsin is now offering Occupational Therapy (OT) and Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) Compact privileges, becoming the eighth state to open OT Compact applications.
This means OT/OTA professionals credentialed in Wisconsin can now apply for compact privilege to practice in the seven other states currently issuing compact privileges. In addition, OT/OTA professionals with credentials in those seven states can obtain compact privilege to practice in Wisconsin.
“The goal of compacts is to improve access to services, particularly in rural and underserved communities,” Sec. Hereth said. “Joining this compact drastically expands the workforce eligible to practice in Wisconsin, improving access to telehealth, facilitating ease of cross-border practice, and supporting OT recruitment and retention efforts. This all leads to a safer and healthier Wisconsin”
There will be three application methods for interested OTs/OTAs:
- Home State Approval: For applicants who already have a Wisconsin OT/OTA license who want a Compact Privilege to Practice in other compact states.
- Privilege to Practice: For applicants with a valid OT/OTA license in another compact member state who want a Compact Privilege to Practice in Wisconsin.
- Home State Conversion: For applicants who have a valid OT/OTA license in a compact member state and want to designate Wisconsin as their primary state of residence.
“I’m proud of the work our staff has put in to make this day possible. In addition to the normal rulemaking work involved in adding new credential types, joining compacts requires many months of additional work. Our implementation team worked with the Occupational Therapy Compact to integrate credentialing systems, establish fee and jurisprudence requirements, resolve technical and data-transfer issues, refine license upload procedures, and implement the criminal background check process required under the compact,” Sec. Hereth said.
In addition to that criminal background check, applicants will need to create an account with both Compact Connect, the OT Compact data system, and LicensE, Wisconsin’s online licensing platform. All application methods will be available through LicensE by logging into a LicensE account:
- Select “Apply for a License”
- Choose a Category – Health
- Choose a License Type – Occupational Therapist or Occupational Therapy Assistant
Governor Tony Evers signed legislation entering Wisconsin into the OT Compact in 2022, with the Badger State becoming the 10th to join. This proved pivotal because the compact required adoption by 10 states before it could formally implement the governing Compact Commission. Wisconsin’s entry effectively triggered the implementation phase of the national compact, allowing the OT Compact Commission to formally establish its governance structure, adopt bylaws and rules, develop data-sharing and compliance systems, build the application infrastructure, and coordinate operations among participating states.
Wisconsin joins Minnesota, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, and Tennessee in offering OT compact privileges. Meanwhile, more than two dozen additional states are in various stages of operationalizing the OT Compact.
About DSPS
DSPS issues more than 240 unique licenses, administers dozens of boards and councils that regulate professions, enforces state building codes, and maintains the Wisconsin Enhanced Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, which is a key tool in the multi-faceted public health campaign to stem excessive opioid prescribing. A fee-based agency, DSPS is self-sustaining and receives no general fund tax dollars for its day-to-day operations. With two offices and roughly 250 employees, DSPS collaborates with constituents and stakeholders across a wide range of industries to promote safety and advance the economy.
