Pennsylvania Psychological Association

State Board of Psychology Link

CE Requirements for Licensed Psychologists

WHAT EVERY PSYCHOLOGIST NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT CONTINUING EDUCATION

Regulations pursuant to the Professional Psychologists Practice Act require all psychologists to obtain continuing education contact hours to renew their licenses.

SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

The licenses of all Pennsylvania psychologists are renewed every two years. This time period extends from December 1 of an odd-numbered year to November 30 of the next odd-numbered year. As a requirement of your license renewal you must complete, during the preceding biennium, the required number of contact hours of continuing education in acceptable courses or programs offered by approved providers. Up to 10 contact hours in excess of 30 required in the preceding renewal period may be carried over from one renewal period to the next.

Many groups offer continuing education and call it by different names such as CE credit or CEUs. Keep in mind that a CE credit (such as APA and PPA offers) is given for every hour of instruction– it’s a 1-1 ratio. CEUs are given on the basis of 10 hours of instruction equals 1 CEU, or a 10-1 ratio. This is very important when calculating your “contact hours.”

WHAT DO I NEED FOR RENEWAL?

For renewals, you must complete a minimum of 30 contact hours of continuing education (3 of which must be in ethics education) between December 1, 2011 and November 30, 2013. Keep certificates or documentation of the courses you have completed until November 30, 2015.

HOW DO I GET THE CREDITS?

• College courses: Must be provided by an accredited college or university, and correspond to the scope of practice of psychology, and generate semester/quarter hour credit.

• Programs offered by the American Psychological Association (APA) and APA-approved sponsors (such as PPA): Be sure either APA is offering it or the sponsoring/co-sponsoring group is an APA-approved sponsor. The programs do not have to be offered in Pennsylvania.

When reviewing a program/workshop and deciding whether or not to attend, look for the following: somewhere the promotional piece will describe what continuing education is being offered. Make certain it states clearly that “XYZ workshop is being sponsored/co-sponsored by name of organization and the Pennsylvania Psychological Association (or APA or any other APA-approved sponsor). PPA is approved by the American Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. The APA-approved sponsor maintains responsibility for the program.” If it does not say this, or something very similar, then you should be aware that this workshop will not give you any credits toward your license renewal. Basically, you take it at your own risk. If a promotional piece says something like this: “credits have been applied for from APA, PPA or for psychologists...” please telephone the sponsoring organization BEFORE registering for the program/workshop to see if the credits have been approved. If they have, great! If they haven’t, please refer to the example above...you are still in the same boat!

• At-home study offered by APA or an APA-approved sponsor is acceptable up to 15 contact hours per renewal period. It must have specific learning objectives and the provider must evaluate the extent of learning that has taken place.

• Webinars: The State Board of Psychology has deceided that a continuing education program offered via the Internet (i.e. Webinar) is considered "live" if the instructors and participants can see, interact, and discuss information in real time. If the instructors and participants cannot engage in all three activities, the program is considered "home study."

• Other approved providers: The State Board of Psychology may also approve national and regional professional associations to offer courses and programs for psychologists.

• AMA approved providers: Credit may be awarded for attendance at continuing education programs approved by the American Medical Association, as long as the program relates to the practice of psychology, has specific learning objectives, and has procedure for determining the consumers’ perception of the extent to which the objectives were met.

• Teaching a course: Psychologists may accrue up to 15 of the 30 required contact hours by teaching a course in psychology in a regionally accredited college or university as long as the course generates semester/quarter credit, or by offering a workshop for an approved sponsor (APA, State Board, or AMA approved sponsor if the course generates continuing education credits for psychologists). The number of continuing education hours granted to a presenter will be determined by dividing the number of continuing education hours granted for the workshop by the number of instructors participating in the workshop. Credit for teaching a course or workshop can be given to an instructor only once every four years.

• Professional writing: Psychologists may also earn up to 10 of the required contact hours by writing an article or articles published in a journal abstracted in PSCYHLIT or by writing a chapter (or more) in a text or trade book for psychologists published by a commercial publisher or a state or national psychological association. In the case of multiple authorship, the 10 Continuing education credits will be divided by the number of authors.

MAY I CARRY OVER CREDITS FROM ONE RENEWAL PERIOD TO ANOTHER?

Up to 10 contact hours in excess of the 30 required in the preceding renewal period may be carried over from one renewal period to the next. Because of the opportunity to carry over continuing education credit, psychologists will be required to keep certificates, transcripts or other documentation showing the completion of the continuing education requirements for at lest two renewal periods. Psychologists who have an excess of 30 contact hours in one renewal period may carry over up to 10 credits for the next renewal period.

WHAT IS THE ETHICS REQUIREMENT?

In each renewal period, at least three contact hours of continuing education have to be ion ethical issues. Psychologists may not carry over extra continuing education hours in ethics from one renewal period to the next. The ethics requirement has to be met by taking a program from an approved provider of continuing education or through taking a college course.

COULD I BE EXEMPT FROM THE REGULATIONS?

If you received your license after November 30, 2011– you are currently exempt!

A special rule applies to persons licensed in other states who moved to Pennsylvania, were exempted from taking the national examination, and receive a Pennsylvania license after the Pennsylvania licensing renewal period began. These psychologists will have their contact hours prorated on a quarterly basis from the date of licensure in this Commonwealth to the next biennial renewal date. Each quarter will consist of three months. Beginning with the immediately following licensure in PA, at least 3.75 contact hours shall be earned for each quarter.

WHAT IF I DON’T/CAN’T COMPLY WITH THE REGULATION?

1. If you simply don’t comply: you could be disciplined by the State Board of Psychology. To get your license reinstated if it has lapsed or been inactive, you must show compliance with the CE requirement during the biennium immediately preceding the requirements for reinstatement. If your license has been suspended or restricted, you must show compliance with the CE requirement during the period of suspension or restriction.

2. Waivers: a psychologist who cannot meet the CE requirement may apply to the Board in writing for a waiver. You must show why compliance is impossible and these requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

3. Curing deficiencies: if you have a deficiency in contact hours you may apply to the Board, in writing, for leave to make up the contact hours in arrears. You must explain why the deficiency occurred and outlined a plan, along with the estimated time needed for curing it. Requests will be evaluated by the Board on a case-by-case basis.

HOW DOES THE STATE BOARD OF PSYCHOLOGY MONITOR COMPLIANCE?

The State Board of Psychology will conduct a random audit of licensed psychologists. In the event you are audited by the Board, simply forward copies of your transcripts as documentation for attending and completing the required 30 contact hours for the licensure renewal period.

For an additional fee, the Pennsylvania Psychological Association documents courses that you submit and keeps a record of the number of credits you have acquired over the licensure period. If you are already involved in PPA’s CE Registry and you are audited by the State Board of Psychology, contact PPA for a complete printout of your total CE credits.

If you would like additional information regarding PPA’s CE Registry, please contact Katie Boyer or call the PPA office at (717) 232-3817.