1. (a) Except as provided in section 2915(e) of the Business and Professions Code and section 1397.62 of these regulations, each licensed psychologist shall certify on the application for license renewal that the licensee has completed the continuing education requirements set forth in section 2915 of the Code. A licensee who renews their license for the first time after the initial issuance of the license is only required to accrue continuing education for the number of months that the license was in effect, including the month the license was issued, at the rate of 1.5 hours of approved continuing education per month. Continuing education earned via independent learning pursuant to section 1397.60(e) shall be accrued at no more than 75% of the continuing education required for the first time renewal. The required hours of continuing education may not be accrued prior to the effective date of the initial issuance of the license. A licensee who falsifies or makes a material misrepresentation of fact on a renewal application or who cannot verify completion of continuing education by producing verification of attendance certificates, whenever requested to do so by the Board, is subject to disciplinary action under section 2960 of the Code.

2. (b) Any person renewing or reactivating their license shall certify under penalty of perjury to the Board of Psychology as requested on the application for license renewal, that the licensee has obtained training in the subject of laws and ethics as they apply to the practice of psychology in California. The training shall include recent changes/updates on the laws and regulations related to the practice of psychology; recent changes/updates in the Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct published by the American Psychological Association; accepted standards of practice; and other applications of laws and ethics as they affect the licensee's ability to practice psychology with safety to the public. Training pursuant to this section may be obtained in one or more of the following ways:

   1. (1) Formal coursework in laws and ethics taken from an accredited educational institution;
   2. (2) Approved continuing education course in laws and ethics;
   3. (3) Workshops in laws and ethics;

   4. (4) Other experience which provide direction and education in laws and ethics including, but not limited to, grand rounds or professional association presentation.

      If the licensee chooses to apply a specific continuing education course on the topic of laws and ethics to meet the foregoing requirement, such a course must meet the content requirements named above, must comply with section 1397.60(c), and may be applied to the 36 hours of approved continuing education required in Business and Professions Code section 2915(a).

3. (c) The Board recognizes and accepts for continuing education credit courses pursuant to this section. A licensee will earn one hour continuing education credit for each hour of approved instruction.

   1. (1) Continuing education courses shall be:

      1. (A) provided by American Psychological Association (APA), or its approved sponsors;
      2. (B) Continuing Medical Education (CME) courses specifically applicable and pertinent to the practice of psychology and that are accredited by the California Medical Association (CMA) or the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME); or
      3. (C) provided by the California Psychological Association, or its approved sponsors.
      4. (D) approved by an accrediting agency for continuing education courses taken prior to January 1, 2013, pursuant to this section as it existed prior to January 1, 2013.
   2. (2) Topics and subject matter for all continuing education shall be pertinent to the practice of psychology. Course or learning material must have a relevance or direct application to a consumer of psychological services.
   3. (3) No course may be taken and claimed more than once during a renewal period, nor during any twelve (12) month period, for continuing education credit.
   4. (4) An instructor may claim the course for their own credit only one time that the licensee teaches the acceptable course during a renewal cycle, or during any twelve (12) month period, receiving the same credit hours as the participant.
4. (d) Examination Functions. A licensee who serves the Board as a selected participant in any examination development related function will receive one hour of continuing education credit for each hour served. Selected Board experts will receive one hour of continuing education credit for each hour attending Board sponsored Expert Training Seminars. A licensee who receives approved continuing education credit as set forth in this paragraph shall maintain a record of hours served for submission to the Board pursuant to section 1397.61(e).
5. (e) A licensee shall maintain documentation of completion of continuing education requirements for four (4) years following the renewal period, and shall submit verification of completion to the Board upon request. Documentation shall contain the minimum information for review by the Board: name of provider and evidence that provider meets the requirements of section 1397.61(c)(1); topic and subject matter; number of hours or units; and a syllabus or course description. The Board shall make the final determination as to whether the continuing education submitted for credit meets the requirements of this article.
6. (f) Failure to provide all of the information required by this section renders any application for renewal incomplete and not eligible for renewal.

This section is inoperative January 1, 2023, and repealed on December 31, 2023.

Note: Authority cited: Sections 2915(g) and 2930, Business and Professions Code. Reference: Sections 29, 32 and 2915, Business and Professions Code.

History

1. New section filed 12-29-94; operative 12-29-94 pursuant to Government Code Section 11346.2(d) (Register 94, No. 52).

2. Amendment of subsections (b) and (d), new subsections (e)-(f) and amendment of Note filed 4-9-96; operative 5-9-96 (Register 96, No. 15).

3. Amendment of subsection (b), new subsection (c), subsection relettering, and amendment of newly designated subsections (e) and (g) filed 4-30-98; operative 5-30-98 (Register 98, No. 18).

4. Repealer of subsection (g) filed 11-24-99; operative 12-24-99 (Register 99, No. 48).

5. Amendment of subsection (a), repealer of subsections (b) and (e), subsection relettering and new subsections (d)-(e) filed 12-18-2001; operative 1-1-2002 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4 (Register 2001, No. 51).

6. Amendment of subsections (d)-(f) and new subsections (g)-(h) filed 9-2-2003; operative 10-2-2003 (Register 2003, No. 36).

7. Amendment of section and Note filed 9-24-2004; operative 10-24-2004 (Register 2004, No. 39).

8. Amendment of subsection (a) filed 11-21-2005; operative 12-21-2005 (Register 2005, No. 47).

9. Amendment of subsections (f)-(f)(3) filed 11-29-2005; operative 1-1-2006 (Register 2005, No. 48).

10. Amendment of subsection (a) filed 11-16-2006; operative 12-16-2006 (Register 2006, No. 46).

11. Amendment of subsection (b) and new subsections (b)(1)-(4) filed 12-20-2006; operative 1-19-2007 (Register 2006, No. 51).

12. Repealer and new section filed 2-16-2012; operative 1-1-2013 (Register 2012, No. 7).

13. Editorial correction of section heading and history notes (Register 2018, No. 37).

14. Change without regulatory effect amending section heading and repealing first paragraph filed 12-5-2018 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 2018, No. 49).

15. Amendment of section heading, new first paragraph, amendment of subsections (a), (b) and (c)(4) and amendment of Note filed 6-29-2022; operative 10-1-2022 (Register 2022, No. 26). Transmission deadline specified in Government Code section 11346.4(b) extended 60 calendar days pursuant to Executive Order N-40-20 and an additional 60 calendar days pursuant to Executive Order N-71-20. Filing deadline specified in Government Code section 11349.3(a) extended 60 calendar days pursuant to Executive Order N-40-20 and an additional 60 calendar days pursuant to Executive Order N-71-20.