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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 carries
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, 2007 and November 30, 2009. Keep
certificates or documentation of the courses you have completed
until November 30, 2011.
HOW DO I GET THE CREDITS?
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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.
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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!
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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.
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Other approved providers: The State
Board of Psychology may also approve national and regional
professional associations to offer courses and programs for
psychologists.
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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.
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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.
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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,
2007– 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?
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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.
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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.
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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.
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