January 2009

In This Issue:

• Message From The Secretary
• Message From The Chair
• Message From The Executive Director
• Intern Development Program
• Continuing Education
• Contact Information Updates

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Message From The Secretary

Back in August, when I was appointed the Secretary of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, I set several goals for my first few months. Now that we are in the holiday season and nearing the end of this year, I have taken the time to reflect on those goals and assess my progress. I would like to share some of these goals and the progress we have made in reaching those goals during my time as Secretary.

One of the first goals I set for myself was to improve the licensure application process. We have started to achieve this goal by examining our applications and comparing them to law and rule. We want to ensure that we are only asking from you what the laws and rules require and nothing more. In several instances, we have been asking for more than what is required. We are now removing those requirements. We also are identifying requirements that are in law and rule that may no longer be necessary. In those cases, we will be asking the legislature and individual boards for their input. This is a tedious task but an important one, and I am pleased with the progress we have made.

Within my first few weeks as Secretary, I realized that it can be difficult working in a statewide agency based in Tallahassee, as I am not always readily able to meet with customers in other areas of the state. Knowing that insight provided by the end-user is the most valuable, I wanted to develop an initiative based on that fact. That is why we started the "On the Road to Better Business." I have traveled to our district offices across the state and given licensees the opportunity to meet with me in person. I have brought their feedback back to Tallahassee, and we are already making changes based on the feedback from those meetings.

Meeting with licensees and consumers provided me with great insight, but I also wanted to meet and form relationships with my fellow Governor appointees. DBPR provides services and support to 19 different boards and councils. It was my goal to meet or attend one meeting of each professional board before the end of the year. Looking back, this was a lofty goal. Although I will be just shy of my goal by the end of the December, I am scheduled to meet with all of the Boards before the end of January. I know that as public servants, we have the same goal to provide great service to our licensees and protect the public. We must work together to achieve our goals.

My first few months as Secretary of DBPR have been so rewarding. We have made great progress and we are working hard to achieve our goals. As I continue to assess our progress, we will have achieved some goals, some will carry over into next year and new goals will be created. We will continue to look for ways to serve you better while keeping public safety as our first priority. It is our duty to you and the citizens of Florida.

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Message From The Chair

Joyce Shore, Interior Designer

With the down turn of the economy our professions are experiencing a slow down along with the rest of the country.  Meanwhile, we are seeing more examples of unlicensed activities.  It is up to us, as licensed professionals, to inform the public on the value of licensing and how it protects them.  The best thing we can do is encourage the consumers we come in contact with to visit www.MyFloridaLicense.com and check the license status of people before hiring them.

Many architectural and interior design firms are beginning to concentrate on remodeling projects and green design.  This may be a good opportunity for others in the profession to learn new skills, find new places to market services and discover how to better manage cash flow.

We are all dedicated to our professions and remain optimistic that business will soon return to more stable levels. Until then, keep in mind why you chose the field of architecture or interior design, and rest assured better times are ahead of us. 

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Message from the Executive Director

Juanita Chastain

It is time to start planning for licensure renewal.  Both your personal and your business license will expire February 28, 2009.  The Department mailed renewal notices in mid- November to the last known address of record.  Please make sure the Department has your current mailing address.  You can check your address online at www.MyFloridaLicense.com and update if necessary.  If you fail to receive a renewal notice, you are still responsible for renewing.   You do not want to put your license in jeopardy. 

As Mr. Manausa’s article below indicates, you must obtain 20 hours of continuing education.  Please refer to the continuing education handbooks on the Board Web site at www.MyFloridaLicense.com > Direct to our Divisions > Architecture and Interior Design > forms. 

Of the 20 hours required, two must be an approved advanced Florida Building Code course.  You may locate advanced Florida Building Code courses approved by the Board of Architecture and Interior Design on our Web site.   Please follow the steps listed below:

1. Access www.MyFloridaLicense.com.
2. Click on “For Businesses”.
3. Click on “Find a Continuing Education (CE) Course”.
4. Select “Board of Architecture and Interior Design” from the Board drop down box.
5. Select “Advance Course” from the Requirement drop down box (this will provide you with a list of board approved courses).
6. Click on the “Search” button.
7. Select the “info” button under the provider column of the course you choose.
8. The “info” button will give you the name and contact information of the course provider who is authorized to teach the course.

If your schedule allows, I encourage you to attend a Board meeting.  Attendance at a Board meeting qualifies for four hours of continuing education credit for those who do not have an item on the agenda.  The next board meeting is scheduled for January 7-8, 2009, at the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, 1940 North Monroe Street, Tallahassee.

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Intern Development Program (IDP)

John P. Ehrig, Vice-Chair

Six-Month Rule goes into effect July 1, 2009

At the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) Annual Meeting held earlier this year in Pittsburgh, delegates voted to adopt the new IDP Six-Month Rule.  This rule will require interns to submit their training units in reporting periods of no more than six months and within two months of completion of each reporting period. The rule will go into effect on July 1, 2009 for interns who begin an NCARB Record on or after that date and on July 1, 2010 for all interns regardless of application date. All training unit reports are also required to be submitted electronically.

In an effort to inform all IDP supervisors, interns and mentors of this new requirement, the Board of Architecture and Interior Design is disseminating this information for both the interns and the supervisors.  The Board relies on the information provided by NCARB to ascertain if an applicant has met the internship requirements for registration.  Florida was the second registration board to adopt the IDP requirements over 25 years ago and has been working with NCARB over the years to help improve the process. 

Things Supervisors and Interns Should Know:

• The Six-Month Rule is designed to improve both the accuracy of reporting and the overall IDP experience. The IDP Guidelines have long recommended that interns submit reports to NCARB every four months. Under the new rule, interns will need to submit training units earned in reporting periods of no more than six months and within two months of completion of each reporting period. However, they can submit reports more often if they wish.
• Regular reporting will provide an opportunity for interns and supervisors to review progress made over reporting periods and develop a plan for acquiring training in the remaining areas. This benefit should help prevent interns from being surprised by falling short of required training units as they near the end of their internship. Supervisors will also be more familiar with the work documented and therefore more likely to approve training reports.
• Implementation of the Six-Month Rule is dependent on an online reporting system. The electronic Experience Verification Reporting system (e-EVR) will be available by the end of December, but the Six-Month Rule will not go into effect until at least six months after the online reporting system is launched. Should the new system not be fully tested and operational by December 31, 2008, each implementation date will be pushed back and will go into effect six months after the system is operational.
• Once interns have submitted their training units by entering them into their record online, those units are protected while any loose ends are tied up. Interns will not be affected by any delay caused by their supervisor or NCARB. However, submitted training units can be lost if they are deemed invalid by their supervisor, or if they are not earned in accordance with the rules of IDP.
• Extensions for active military service, serious medical conditions, and birth or adoption of child are available.

All of the provisions of the Six-Month Rule are designed to make every internship experience more constructive and valuable. The rule will greatly improve the accuracy of reporting, which should help reduce the amount of time it takes interns to complete the IDP.

Introducing e-EVR (electronic Experience Verification Reporting)

Interns will soon be able to enter their Intern Development Program (IDP) training units online with the electronic Experience Verification Reporting system (e-EVR). Even though the e-EVR and the Six-Month Rule will work in tandem beginning July 1, 2009, they are two separate NCARB initiatives. The e-EVR will become the standard way for record holders to submit Experience Verification Reports before the Six-Month Rule goes into effect.  This is also the means that supervisors will utilize during the verification process for the interns for whom they are responsible.  NCARB will provide further guidance to supervisors in the future as the e-EVR is implemented.

Benefits of e-EVR
Interns should begin using the e-EVR as soon it is launched, as it offers many benefits over the paper employment verification form, which will be quickly phased out.

• Interns can enter their training units over any timeframe (weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, quarterly, or every six months). Units may be saved as work-in-progress and submitted for their supervisor's review at a later date.
• e-EVR will prevent some common errors, reducing the possibility of rejection during the evaluation process.
• Once interns submit an online report, their supervisor is automatically notified by e-mail that a training unit report is available for review and approval.
• Interns can check their IDP progress at any time by logging on to "My NCARB Record." They will be able to see which training units have been completed, which are pending supervisor approval, and which training areas still require additional documentation.
• The IDP progress report enables interns to identify training area deficiencies sooner so they can work with their supervisor and mentor to develop a plan to gain exposure to these areas.
• The system includes a message center that allows interns to track NCARB communications about their reports.

NCARB has made it a top priority to improve their services and processing times.  A reference for any questions regarding IDP can be found in the IDP Guidelines published by NCARB. Interns can access their Record online at https://www.ncarb.org/Recordsvc/Logon.asp—many details about their file are available.

The Board and NCARB recommend that interns keep copies of all submitted documentation. You can also contact NCARB with questions at 202.783.6500 or by e-mail at customerservice@ncarb.org.

I would like to thank NCARB for providing the information in this article. 

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Continuing Education: Requirements and Penalties

C. Trent Manausa, AIA, Expert Witness to the Probable Cause Panel

Each architect and interior designer must complete 20 contact hours of continuing professional education during each biennium. Hours cannot be carried forward or back from other biennium periods. The current biennium period is March 1, 2007 – February 28, 2009. This is a statutory requirement mandated by the Legislature.

The 20 hours must include a minimum of 16 hours of Board-approved Health, Safety, Welfare (HSW) courses, which includes 2 hours of advanced courses approved by the Florida Building Commission on the Florida Building Code.

When you renew your license you affirm completion of your continuing education requirements.  Do not renew until you have met those requirements. You could be prosecuted for “ knowingly making a false report”.  The first offense minimum penalty is a one-year suspension, followed by two years probation and $1,000 fine to a maximum penalty of revocation and $1,000 fine. Additional penalties are listed below.

The Department of Business and Professional Regulation completes a compliance review each biennium to determine compliance with continuing education requirements. If you receive a notice from the Department you must provide written documentation showing compliance with the rule. If you fail to respond to the audit within 30 days, you will be fined $500.

Every new licensee must obtain the four-hour building code core course within two years of initial licensure.  Failure to obtain this course could result in a citation, $500 fine and suspension until compliance.  The building code core course may be taken online and found at www.FloridaBuilding.org > training.

In addition to the above penalties, your license will be disciplined as follows for your failure to obtain CE hours, (first offense), based on the number of hours lacking:

• 20 Hours: $1,000 fine, make up missing hours plus 20 additional hours and suspension until compliance.
• 15 – 19 Hours:  $1,000 fine, make up missing hours plus 20 additional hours in 180 days of final order.
• 10 – 14 Hours: $750 fine, make up missing hours plus 15 additional hours in 150 days of final order.
• 5 – 9 Hours: $500 fine, make up missing hours plus 10 additional hours in 120 days of final order.
• 1 – 4 Hours: $250 fine, make up missing hours plus 5 additional hours in 90 days of final order.

Please be aware that taking the missing hours and the additional hours cannot be used to meet the continuing education requirement of the current biennium.

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eNewsroom

Check out DBPR's eNewsroom, your source for important Department news and information. Here, you can watch public service announcements, read news releases, and subscribe to and flip through our publications

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Contact Information Updates

Please help us by notifying the Department when your address, telephone number, and/or e-mail changes. Service by regular mail to a licensee’s last known address of record constitutes adequate and sufficient notice to the licensee for any official communication, so it is important that your contact information is correct.

You may change your mailing address using our online services at www.MyFloridaLicense.com. If you have any questions regarding this requirement, or need assistance using the online services menu, please telephone the Customer Contact Center at 850.487.1395 or use our convenient contact form to submit any comments and/or questions you may have. In order to better serve you, please include as much information as possible about the nature of your request.

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The Correct Zip Code Makes a Difference!

The Department's Bureau of Central Intake and Licensure, located within the Division of Service Operations, receives and processes your license applications. To ensure your application and required documentation is sent directly to the Bureau of Central Intake and Licensure section for processing, always use the correct zip code, "plus-4" on all correspondence you send to us. The "plus-4" refers to the unique four-digit code that identifies the divisions and offices within the Department. The proper zip code, plus-4 for the Bureau of Central Intake and Licensure is 32399-0783. Thanks for helping us serve you better!

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