Update on human trafficking CME requirements
FMA staff report
January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, which was created in 2010 to educate the public about how to identify and help prevent this crime. Human trafficking has not been a mandatory CME course for physician licensure in Florida since 2021. However, the state Department of Health recently competed an audit of educational records and determined that some licensees had not submitted documentation verifying that they had completed a one-hour human trafficking course — a one-time requirement mandated by the Florida Legislature in 2019. Here’s what you need to know.
The background
In 2019, the Florida Legislature enacted a law that required physicians and most healthcare providers to complete a one-time continuing education course on human trafficking by Jan. 1, 2021. This was the deadline for all affected professionals to fulfill this requirement, regardless of license renewal date. However, because the requirement was not tied to license renewal and therefore did not appear on physicians’ CE Broker transcripts, this has created some confusion. Another complicating factor is that CME providers could not code the course and report it specifically for the topic of human trafficking, as is the case with other state-mandated courses.
What’s happening now
During a recent audit of educational records, the state Department of Health determined that some licensees had not submitted documentation verifying completion of the course by the Jan.1, 2021, deadline. Last week, the Department and CE Broker notified by email those licensees who did not document completion of the course. The FMA has received several calls from physicians asking if the email alert is spam.
How you can fulfill the requirement
In response, we have reactivated the FMA’s online human trafficking course to help physicians fulfill this one-time requirement and avoid any adverse impacts. Members who have additional questions can also contact us directly at membership@flmedical.org or (850) 224-6496.
Learn more
Survive & Thrive Advocacy Center, a Tallahassee-based coordinator and service provider for victims of human trafficking, offers many educational resources on its website, including webinars and training sessions.