AN ACT CONCERNING CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS FOR PSYCHOLOGISTS.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2014) (a) Except as provided in subsection (e) of this section, on and after October 1, 2014, each psychologist licensed in accordance with chapter 383 of the general statutes shall complete a minimum of ten hours of continuing education during each registration period. For purposes of this section, "registration period" means the twelve-month period for which a licensee has been renewed in accordance with the provisions of section 19a-88b of the general statutes and is current and valid.

(b) Qualifying continuing education activities shall be related to the practice of psychology and shall include courses, seminars, workshops, conferences and postdoctoral institutes offered or approved by: (1) The American Psychological Association; (2) a regionally accredited institution of higher education graduate program; (3) a state or regional psychological association; (4) a postdoctoral training center; (5) a nationally recognized provider of continuing education seminars; or (6) a behavioral science organization that is professionally or scientifically recognized. Not more than five continuing education units shall be completed via the Internet, distance learning or home study. Qualifying continuing education activities may include a licensee's presentation of an original paper, essay or research-based poster relating to the practice of psychology or a formal lecture in psychology at a professional conference or participation in a panel presentation before a group of psychology professionals, provided not more than five continuing education units shall be completed by such activities. A licensee who has earned a diplomate from the American Board of Professional Psychology or American Board of Psychological Hypnosis during the registration period may substitute credits toward the diplomate for continuing education requirements for such period. For purposes of this section "continuing education unit" means fifty to sixty minutes of participation in accredited continuing professional education.

(c) Each licensee shall obtain a certificate of completion from a provider of continuing education for all continuing education activities that are successfully completed and shall retain such certificate for not less than three years after the license renewal date for which the continuing education activity was completed. Upon the request of the Commissioner of Public Health a licensee shall submit such certificate to the Department of Public Health. A licensee who fails to comply with the continuing education requirements prescribed in this section may be subject to disciplinary action pursuant to section 20-192 of the general statutes.

(d) A licensee who holds a professional educator certificate that is endorsed for school psychologist or counseling psychologist issued by the State Board of Education pursuant to chapter 166 of the general statutes may substitute professional development activities described in section 10-148a of the general statutes for continuing education activities required in accordance with this section.

(e) A licensee applying for license renewal for the first time shall be exempt from the continuing education requirements under subsection (a) of this section. In individual cases involving medical disability or illness, the Commissioner of Public Health may grant a waiver of the continuing education requirements or an extension of time within which to fulfill the continuing education requirements of this section to any licensee, provided the licensee submits to the department an application for waiver or extension of time on a form prescribed by the commissioner, along with a certification by a licensed physician of the disability or illness and such other documentation as may be required by the commissioner. The commissioner may grant a waiver or extension for a period not to exceed one registration period, except the commissioner may grant additional waivers or extensions if the medical disability or illness upon which a waiver or extension is granted continues beyond the period of the waiver or extension and the licensee applies for an additional waiver or extension. The commissioner may grant a waiver of the continuing education requirements to a licensee who is not engaged in active professional practice, in any form, during a registration period, provided the licensee submits a notarized application on a form prescribed by the commissioner prior to the end of the registration period. A licensee who is granted a waiver under the provisions of this subsection may not engage in professional practice until the licensee has met the continuing education requirements of this section.

(f) Any licensee granted a waiver of the continuing education requirements pursuant to the provisions of subsection (e) of this section shall be required to complete five hours of continuing education not later than six months after the date on which such licensee returned to active practice. In addition, such licensee shall comply with the certificate of completion requirements prescribed in subsection (c) of this section.

(g) Any licensee whose license has become void and who applies to the department for reinstatement of such license pursuant to section 19a-88b of the general statutes, shall submit with such application evidence documenting that such applicant has successfully completed five hours of continuing education within the one-year period immediately preceding the date of application for reinstatement.

(h) The commissioner may accept continuing education activities completed by a licensee in another state or country to meet the requirements of this section.

Statement of Purpose:

To require continuing education for psychologists.

[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]