6911 PRACTICE OF PSYCHOLOGY BY STUDENTS, GRADUATES, OR PERSONS SEEKING RE-LICENSURE

6911.1 A student, graduate, or a person seeking re-licensure may practice only under the primary supervision of a psychologist licensed in the District under the Act and in accordance with this section. The primary supervising psychologist may, based on his or her professional judgment, delegate some supervisory responsibility to another psychologist, a psychiatrist, or an independent clinical social worker licensed in the District, provided that he or she retains full responsibility for ensuring that the supervisee comply with the laws and regulations governing the practice of psychology.

6911.2 Only the following persons shall be authorized to practice under this section:

1. (a) Students whose practice fulfills educational requirement under § 103(c) of the Act, D.C. Official Code §§ 3-1201.03 (2001), and 6902;
2. (b) Students whose practice is not in fulfillment of educational requirements, provided that the student receives academic credits for such practice and does not receive any compensation for such practice;
3. (c) Graduates in psychology accruing postdoctoral psychology practice experience required for licensure pursuant to § 504(o)(2) of the Act, D.C. Official Code § 3-1205.04(o)(2).
4. (d) Applicants for licensure seeking to practice while their application is pending; and
5. (e) Persons seeking re-licensure pursuant to § 6910.

6911.3 A person who has been denied a license or disciplined in the District of Columbia or other jurisdiction in the United States may not practice pursuant to this section unless authorized by the Board in writing to do so.

6911.4 Subject to an extension granted by the Board for good cause shown, unlicensed supervised practice shall be subject to the following limitations:

1. (a) Practice pursuant to § 6911.2(c) may be authorized in increments of twelve (12) months and may be renewed until the graduate has accrued the hours of psychological practice experience necessary to qualify for licensure, provided that practice authorized pursuant to § 6911.2(c) shall not exceed a total of three (3) years;
2. (b) Practice pursuant to § 6911.2(d) shall not be authorized for more than a

total period of one hundred and twenty (120) days;

(c) Practice pursuant to § 6911.2(e) shall not be authorized for more than a total period of six (6) months; and

(d) All unlicensed supervised practice as described in § 6911.2 shall cease immediately upon the termination of the supervisory relationship between the primary supervisor and the supervisee.

6911.5 A student, graduate, or person seeking re-licensure shall identify himself or herself as a student, graduate, or person seeking re-licensure to a client before practicing psychology with the client.

6911.6 A supervisor shall fully inform a client or patient that the supervisee will be providing services and obtain the client’s or patient’s consent thereto prior to the provision of the services by the supervisee.

6911.7 A minimum of ten percent (10%) of the total supervised practice hours shall be performed under immediate supervision of the primary supervisor.

6911.8 A student, graduate, or person seeking re-licensure shall not receive compensation of any nature, directly or indirectly, from a patient. Subject to the requirement of § 6911.2(b), the student, graduate, or person seeking re-licensure may receive a salary or other form of compensation from his or her employer based on hours worked in the training program.

6911.9 A supervisor shall be fully responsible for all supervised practice by a student, graduate, or person seeking re-licensure during the period of supervision, and shall be subject to disciplinary action for any violation of the Act or this chapter by the student, graduate, or person seeking re-licensure.

6911.10 A student, graduate, or person seeking re-licensure shall be subject to all applicable provisions of the Act and this chapter. The Board may deny an application for a license by, or take other disciplinary action against, a student, graduate, or person seeking re-licensure who is found to have violated the Act or this chapter, in accordance with Chapter 41 of this title.

6911.11 All documentation including patient’s and financial records shall clearly show work performed by the supervisor and the supervisee and the supervisee’s services shall not be invoiced as work performed by the supervisor. Nor shall the supervisee be permitted to independently invoice for his or her services.

6911.12 The Board shall not recognize the supervised practice of a student, graduate, or person seeking re-licensure whose supervisor fails to comply with the time requirement as specified in § 6911.4.

6911.13 A licensed psychologist intending to act as a primary supervisor for any psychological experience not meeting the requirements of § 6902.4(a) or (b) shall meet the following requirements:

(a) Possess and maintain a valid, active license free of any formal disciplinary action, whether pending or active, by the Board or any other licensing authority; and

(b) Complete a minimum of four (4) hours of continuing education or training in supervision during each licensure period in which he or she performs the duties of a primary supervisor.

6911.14 A primary supervisor shall have the duty of ensuring that the overall psychological practice experience complies with the requirements under this chapter and is consistent with the goals and principles of the professional practice of psychology.

6911.15 Supervised practice in accordance with § 6911.2(b), (c), (d), or (e) that does not meet the requirement of § 6902.4(a) or (b) shall meet the following requirements:

(a) Prior to the initiation of the supervision, the supervisor and the supervisee shall discuss, agree upon, and document the following:

(1) The goals and objectives of the supervised practice;

(2) The anticipated start and completion dates;

(3) Duties to be performed based on the goals and objectives of the supervised practice;

(4) Address of the location at which the duties will be performed;

(5) Name, license number, and signature of the primary supervisor;

(6) Name, license number, and signature of delegated supervisor(s) if applicable; and

(7) Name and signature of the supervisee;

(b) Prior to the initiation of the delegated supervision, the primary supervisor and the delegated supervisor shall discuss, agree upon, and document the scope of the delegated supervision as well as both supervisors' understanding of their respective responsibilities;

(c) Prior to the initiation of the supervision, the primary supervisor shall submit a request for and obtain authorization for the supervised practice from the Board;

(d) The supervisor shall inform the Board immediately upon a termination or change in the supervision based on the pre-initiation agreement(s) as detailed in subsections (a) and (b) above; and

(e) Upon the completion of the supervised practice, the primary supervisor shall submit to the Board a verification of the supervised practice and a confirmation that it complies with the requirements of this chapter, along with the rating of the supervisee's performance.

6911.16 A supervisor may not supervise an individual with whom he or she has a familial, social, or financial relationship that may create an appearance of or an actual conflict of interests.

6911.17 The primary and the delegated supervisors shall be jointly responsible for ensuring that the supervisee comply with all the ethical, professional, and legal requirements under the Act and this chapter.

6911.18 The Board may waive any specific requirements of this section if the supervised practice had previously been requested and granted prior to June 30, 2014.

SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 35 DCR 2921, 2929 (April 22, 1988); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 58 DCR 3241, 3242 (April 15, 2011); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 61 DCR 4921 (May 16, 2014).