Washington, DC : Continuing Education Information

With the goal of enhancing the protection and promotion of public health and in accordance with the rulemaking authority under D.C. Official Code #3-1203.02(12), the director has promulgated rules requiring licensed health professionals to complete at least 10% of their required total of continuing education in the public health priorities of the District as determined and published every 5 years or less frequently as deemed appropriate. The following topics have been identified as key public health priorities:

1. Responsible opioid prescribing and effective pain management;
2. Nutrition and obesity prevention;
3. Identifying and reporting abuse (child and adult), neglect (child and adult), human trafficking, and domestic violence;
4. Sexual health (including taking sexual history, discussing sexual experiences with patients, sexually transmitted diseases (including HIV/AIDS), HPV vaccines, connections to cancer, latent tuberculosis, safe sex, and birth control);
5. Ethics and appropriate patient interactions (i.e. boundaries, patient privacy, and communications including telehealth);
6. Smoking, vaping, and tobacco (including dangers, smoking cessation, and non-smoke tobacco products);
7. Preparing your patients for an emergency and handling vulnerable populations in an emergency
8. Identifying impairment (physical or mental) in patients and providers (including complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Occupational Safety and Health Act);
9. Vaccinations (including legal requirements and appropriate exemptions); and,
10. Implicit bias, cultural competence and Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) in health and health care.