An Act to regulate the practice of psychology in the District of Columbia
PL 91-657 (S.1626), enacted 01/08/1971

84 STAT. ] 
PUBLIC LAW 91-657-JAN. 8, 1971 
1955 
"5947. Quarters, subsistence, and allowances for employees of the Corps of 
Engineers, Department of the Army, engaged in floating plant 
operations." 
immediately below: 
"5946. Membership fees; expenses of attendance at meetings; limitations.". 
(c) The Act entitled "An Act to authorize the furnishing of sub- 
^^p^^i-
sistence and quarters without charge to employees of the Corps of 
Engineers engaged on floating plant operations", approved May 13, 
1955 (69 Stat. 48; Public Law 35, Eighty-fourth Congress), is 
repealed. 
RESTRICTIONS ON POSTAL SERVICE EMPLOYMENT OF RELATIVES 
SEC. 8. (a) Section 410(b)(1) of title 39, United States Code, as 
enacted by section 2 of the Postal Reorganization Act (84 Stat. 725; 
Public Law 91-375), is amended— 
(1) by inserting "section 3110 (restrictions on employment of 
relatives)," immediately before "section 3333"; and 
(2) by striking out "except that not regulation" and inserting 
in lieu thereof "except that no regulation". 
(b) The provisions of this section shall become effective on the 
effective date prescribed under section 15(a) of the Postal Reorganiza-
tion Act for section 410 of title 39, United States Code, as enacted by 
that Act. 
81 Stat. 640. 
5 u s e 3110. 
Effective date. 
Ante, p. 787. 
SUPERGRADES 
SEC. 9. (a) Section 5108(c) of title 5, United States Code, is 
^"te, pp. lew, 
amended— 
^^^^' 
(1) in paragraph (8), by striking out the word "and" at the 
end thereof; 
(2) in paragraph (9), by striking out the period at the end 
thereof and inserting in lieu of the period a semicolon and the 
word "and"; and 
(3) by adding a new paragraph to read as follows: 
" (10) the Chief Judge of the United States Tax Court, without 
regard to this chapter (except section 5114), may place a total of 
5 positions in GS-16,17, and 18.". 
(b) Section 5108(a) of title 5, United States Code, is amended by 
striking out "2,734" and inserting in lieu thereof "2,754". 
Approved January 8, 1971. 
Public Law 91-657 
AN ACT 
January 8, 1971 
To regulate the practice of psychology in the District of Columbia. 
[s. i626] 
Ante, p. 51. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled. 
SECTION 1. This Act may be cited as the "Practice of Psychology 
Act." 
Practice of 
Psychology Act., 
47-348 O - 72 - 40 (Pt. 2) 
1956 
PUBLIC LAW 91-657-JAN. 8, 1971 
[84 STAT. 
Definitions. 
Consultation. 
Prohibition. 
Licensing, 
exemptions. 
SEC. 2. The practice of psychology in the District of Columbia is 
hereby declared to affect the public health, safety, and welfare, and 
to be subject to regulation and control in the public interest to protect 
the public from the practice of psychology by unqualified persons and 
from 
unprofessional 
conduct 
by 
persons 
licensed 
to 
practice 
psychology. 
SEC. 3. As used in this Act-— 
(A) "Commissioner"' means the Commissioner of the District of 
Columbia. 
(B) "Person" includes an association, partnership, or corporation, 
as well as natural persons. 
(C) "Accredited college or university" means any college or uni-
versity which, in the Commissioner's determination, offers either an 
acceptable full-time resident graduate program of study in psychology 
leading to the doctoral degree, or a comparable program. In making 
his determination concerning domestic educational institutions, the 
Commissioner shall accredit those institutions included in the listings 
of approved academic institutions published by the United States 
Office of Education; in determining what foreign educational insti-
tutions shall be accredited the Commissioner may take into account 
the published lists of recognized accrediting agencies and professional 
associations. 
(D) "The practice of psychology" means the rendering of or offer-
ing to render to the public for a fee, monetary or otherwise, any 
service involving the application of established methods and prin-
ciples of the science and profession of psychology. These principles 
and methods are concerned with understanding, predicting, and chang-
ing behavior, and include, but are not restricted to, the use of counsel-
ing and psychotherapy with groups or individuals having adjustment 
problems in the areas of work, family, school, and personal relation-
ships; measuring, testing, and assessing aptitudes, skills, public 
opinion attitudes, emotions, personality, and intelligence; teaching, 
doing research, or lecturing in psychology. 
(E) "Psychotherapy" means the use of learning or other psycho-
logical behavioral modification methods in a professional relationship 
to assist a person or persons to modify feelings, attitudes, and behavior 
w^hich are intellectually, socially, or emotionally maladjustive or 
ineffectual. 
SEC. 4. All persons licensed or certified under this Act shall assist 
their clients in obtaining professional help for all relevant aspects of 
the clients' problem that fall outside of the boundaries of the psycholo-
gist's competence. All persons so licensed or certified shall make pro-
vision for the diagnosis and treatment of relevant medical problems 
by an appropriate and qualified medical practitioner, and shall, in 
instances where a medical problem is involved, collaborate effectively 
with such a medical practitioner. No person licensed or certified under 
this Act shall administer or prescribe drugs, or perform surgery or 
any manual or mechanical treatment whatsoever. 
SEC. 5. It shall be unlawful for any person to practice or to offer 
to practice psychology, or to represent himself to be a psychologist, 
unless he shall first obtain a license or certificate pursuant to this Act: 
Provided^ hoioever, That the following categories of persons need not 
obtain a license: 
84 STAT. ] 
PUBLIC LAW 91-657-JAN. 8, 1971 
1957 
(A) A person bearing the title of "psychologist" in the employ of 
any governmental agency, academic institution, or research labora-
tory: Provided^ That the services performed by such an employee, 
which services shall not include psychotherapy, are a part of his office 
or position and are provided only within the confines of the organiza-
tion or are offered to like organizations. 
(B) Persons providing services, exclusive of psychotherapy, to the 
public through governmental organizations, such as clinics., who are 
compensated by their employer rather than their clients. Persons com-
ing under the exemptions established by subsections (A) and (B) may 
offer lecture services to the public for a fee but may not offer other 
psychological services to the public for a fee without having obtained 
a license. 
(C) A student intern, or resident in psychology, pursuing a course 
of study or research with an accredited college, university, or training 
center: Provided^ That such activities are supervised as part of his 
(•ourse of study, and he is designated by such title as "psychology 
intern," "psychology trainee," or other title clearly indicating trainee 
status. 
(D) A person not licensed as a psychologist under the provisions 
of this Act employed by a licensed psychologist to assist in the per-
formance of psychological and other services, other than psycho-
therapy, if such person works under the supervision of the licensed 
psychologist who assumes full responsibility for his acts, and if such 
person is not in any manner held out to the public as a psychologist. 
(E) Qualified members of other established businesses or pro-
fessions, recognized by the Commissioner, doing work of a psycho-
logical nature consistent with their training and with any code of 
ethics provided by their respective businesses or professions: Pro-
vided, That they do not hold themselves out to the public by title or 
description incorporating the words "psychological," "psychologist," 
or "psychology," unless licensed under this Act. 
(F) A psychologist who is not licensed or certified under the pro-
visions of this Act, but (1) who is licensed or certified under the laws 
of a State or territory of the United States or of a foreign country 
or province whose standards in the opinion of the Commissioner were 
substantially equivalent, at the date of his certification or licensure, 
to the requirements of this Act; or (2) who meets the requirements of 
subsections (A) and (B) of section 7; and who is employed or invited 
by a licensed psychologist who is a resident of or maintains a place 
of work in the District of Columbia to offer professional services in 
said District for a total of not more than sixty days in any calendar 
year without holding a license issued under the Act. Upon arrival in 
the District of Columbia, such an unlicensed psychologist shall report 
to the Commissioner with respect to the nature and duration of his 
professional activities in the District as well as the name of the person 
who has requested him to render services. A psychologist claiming 
exemption under the provisions of this section who offers professional 
services in the District of Columbia for more than twenty days in any 
calendar year shall file with the Commissioner evidence of his right 
to such exemption. Upon proof of that right to the satisfaction of the 
Commissioner, the Commissioner shall enter the name of the applicant 
in a register kept for that purpose and shall issue to the applicant a 
certificate in evidence of such registration. 
1958 
PUBLIC LAW 91-657-JAN. 8, 1971 
[84 STAT. 
Commissioner, 
duties. 
Board of 
Psychologist 
Examiners, 
appointment. 
Recordkeeping. 
License re-
quirements. 
Licenses 
without ex-
amination. 
SEC. 6. (A) The Commissioner shall be responsible for reviewing 
the applications of persons seeking licensure or certification for the 
practice of psychology in the District of Columbia, for the granting 
and renewal of such licenses and certificates, for the preparation and 
administration of oral and written examinations, and for other mat-
ters related to the purposes of this Act. 
(B) The Commissioner may appoint a Board of Psychologist 
Examiners. Each member of this Board shall be a citizen of the 
United States, licensed under the provisions of this Act, who shall 
either be a resident of the District of Columbia or have worked in the 
District of Columbia for at least two years preceding appointment to 
the Board. The initial appointees shall be psychologists eligible for 
licensure under the provisions of this Act. Subsequent appointees 
shall be persons licensed under the provisions of this Act. 
(C) The Commissioner shall maintain: (1) a record of licenses and 
certificates granted and refused and of licenses and certificates 
revoked or suspended which record shall be available to the public; 
and (2) a complete record of all hearings conducted pursuant to sec-
tion 13(B) in connection with the denial, suspension, or revocation 
of a license. A transcript of an entry in a record of hearing, properly 
certified, shall be prima facie evidence of the facts therein stated. 
SEC. 7. The Commissioner shall grant a license to practice psychol-
ogy to each applicant who submits satisfactory proof that— 
(A) he is of good moral character; 
(B) he holds either (1) a doctoral degree in psychology from 
an accredited college or university and has completed two years 
of postgraduate experience acceptable to the Commissioner, such 
two years not to include terms of internship, or (2) a doctoral 
degree from an accredited college or university in a field deter-
mined by the Commissioner to be related to psychology and has 
completed two years of postgraduate experience: Provided^ That 
his experience and training are considered by the Commissioner 
to be comparable to the requirements set forth in (B) (1) of this 
subsection; 
(C) he has passed an examination, written or oral or both, the 
scope and form of which shall be determined by the Commis-
sioner: Provided^ That at any given examination session all 
examinations shall be uniform; and 
(D) his application has been accompanied by the fees required 
by the Commissioner. 
SEC. 8. Within one year from and after the effective date of this 
Act, a license shall be issued without examination to any applicant 
who is of good moral character, who either maintains a residence or 
office, or participates in psychological activities as determined by the 
Commissioner, within the District of Columbia, who has submitted 
an application for license accompanied by the required fee, and who 
holds— 
(A) a doctoral degree in psychology from an accredited col-
lege or university or other doctoral degree acceptable to the Com-
missioner, and has completed at least two years of postgraduate 
experience not including terms of internship; or 
(B) a master's degree in psychology from an accredited col-
lege or university, and has engaged in psychological practice 
acceptable to the Commissioner for at least seven years after the 
attainment of his highest degree. 
84 STAT. ] 
PUBLIC LAW 91-657-JAN. 8, 1971 
1959 
SEC. 9. The Commissioner may, in his discretion, grant a license Licensed or certi-
without examination: (1) to any person who at the time of applica- '^'^ ^PP^^'^^"*^' 
tion is licensed or certified under the laws of a State or territory of 
the United States, or of a foreign country or province with standards 
which, in the opinion of the Commissioner, were substantially equiva-
lent at the date of such certification or licensure to the requirements 
of this Act, or (2) to any person who has been certified by a national 
examining board: Provided^ That the Commissioner determines that 
the examination given by the national examining board was as effec-
tive for the testing of professional competence as that required in the 
District of Cohimbia. 
SEC. 10. (a) The District of Columbia Council is authorized to 
Regulations. 
make regulations to carry out the purposes of this Act but may dele-
gate the responsibility to any Board of Psychologist Examiners 
which may be appointed. 
(b) The Commissioner is authorized to fix, increase, or decrease 
^^^^• 
from time to time fees to be charged in such amounts as may be rea-
sonably necessary to defray the approximate cost of administering 
the provisions of this Act. 
SEC. 11. Every person licensed or certified to practice psychology 
Renewal. 
who desires to continue the practice of psychology shall annually pay 
the required fee for which there will be issued a renewal of licensure 
or certificate. The Commissioner shall provide a written reminder of 
the renewal date to every person licensed or registered under this Act, 
which reminder shall be mailed at least one month in advance of such 
date. A license or certificate not properly renewed as herein provided 
shall lapse. The Commissioner shall have the right to reinstate a 
Reinstatement. 
lapsed license or certificate upon payment of the renewal fee plus a 
penalty fee. A psychologist who wishes to place his license upon an 
inactive status may do so by submitting notice thereof to the Com-
missioner. Such a psychologist may reactivate his license by payment 
Reactivation. 
of the renewal fee herein required unless his license has been inactive 
for a period exceeding five years, in which case he will be required 
to furnish the Commissioner evidence of his competence to continue 
or resume the practice of psychology. 
SEC. 12. The Commissioner may refuse, revoke, or suspend licensure 
Suspension 
._ 
. 
.« 
1 
•
'
,
.
' 
, , ' 
^ - , . 
T 
or revocation. 
or certification it the person applying or the person licensed or 
certified be— 
(A) convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude; 
(B) found to be using any drug or any alcoholic beverage to 
an extent or in a manner dangerous to himself, any other person, 
or the public, or to an extent that such use impairs his ability to 
perform the work of a psychologist wnth safety to the public; 
(C) convicted of a violation of this Act as provided in section 
(D) determined to be a mental incompetent by a court with 
proper jurisdiction; or 
(E) found to have committed a violation of any provision of 
this Act or of standards for the ethical practice of psychology to 
be established in regulations issued by the Government of the 
District of Columbia. 
1960 
PUBLIC LAW 91-657-JAN. 8, 1971 
[84 STAT. 
Suspension 
or revocation 
proceedings. 
Hearing 
opportunity. 
Review. 
Appeals. 
Subpena power. 
Penalty. 
Enjoinment. 
Enforcement. 
77 Stat. 519. 
Appropriation. 
SEC. 13. (A) Proceedings leading toward the suspension or revoca-
tion of a license or certificate shall oe begun by petition, setting forth 
good cause therefor, filed with the Commissioner and served on the 
respondent. The Commissioner may determine whether a license or 
certificate shall be suspended or revoked, and if it is to be suspended 
the duration of such suspension and the conditions under which such 
suspension shall terminate. Revocation of a license shall not preclude 
the issuance of a new license or registration after the passage of at 
least five years. 
(B) Before the revoking, suspending, or refusing to issue a license 
or certificate for any cause under the provisions of this Act, the Com-
missioner shall give the person whose right to practice psychology is 
challenged an opportunity to be heard in person or by attorney, and to 
produce witnesses on his behalf. After such hearing, should the Com-
missioner decide to refuse, revoke, or suspend licensure or certification, 
he shall set forth in writing his reasons for so doing, and shall include 
detailed findings of fact. 
(C) Any person aggrieved by a decision of the Commissioner under 
subsection (B) of this section may, within thirty days after receiving 
notice thereof, seek review of said decision in the District of Columbia 
Court of Appeals. Such review shall be subject to appeal to the United 
States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. 
(D) In hearings conducted pursuant to subsection (B) of this sec-
tion, the attendance and testimony of witnesses may be compelled by 
subpena. Any person refusing to respond to such a subpena shall be 
guilty of contempt of court. 
SEC. 14. Any person who shall practice psychology, as defined in this 
Act, without having a validj unexpired, unrevoked, and unsuspended 
license or certificate of registration issued as provided in this Act, 
shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall 
be fined not more than $500, or confined in jail for not more than six 
months, or both. Prosecutions shall be in the name of the District of 
Columbia by the Corporation Counsel or one of his assistants. 
SEC. 15. The unlawful practice of psychology, as defined in this Act, 
may be enjoined by the United States District Court for the District 
of Columbia on petition by the Corporation Counsel for the District 
of Columbia, upon a finding that the person sought to be enjoined has 
committed a violation of the provisions of this Act. In any such pro-
ceeding it shall not be necessary to show that any person is indi-
vidually injured by the actions complained of. If the respondent is 
found guilty of the unlawful practice of psychology, the court shall 
enjoin him from so practicing unless and until he has been duly 
licensed. The remedy oy injunction herein given may be imposed in 
addition to, or in lieu of, criminal prosecution and punishment as 
provided in section 14 of this Act. 
SEC. 16. It shall be the duty of the Commissioner of the District 
of Columbia to enforce the provisions of this Act. 
SEC. 17. Section 14-307 of title 14 of the District of Columbia Code 
shall apply with respect to any person licensed or certified under this 
Act to the same extent that such section applies to physicians and 
surgeons. 
SEC. 18. There is hereby authorized to be appropriated out of the 
revenue of the District of Columbia such sums as may be necessary 
to pay the expenses of administering and carrying out the purposes 
of this Act. 
Effective date. 
84 STAT. ] 
PUBLIC LAW 91-658-JAN. 8, 1971 
1961 
SEC. 19. If any section of this Act, or any part thereof shall be separability. 
adjudged by any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such 
judgment shall not affect, impair, or invalidate the remainder of any 
section or part thereof. 
SEC. 20. This Act shall become effective ninety days after the date 
of its enactment. 
Approved January 8, 1971. 
Public Law 91-658 
AN ACT 
January 8, 1971 
To amend chapter 83 of title o, United States Code, relating to survivor annu- 
[s. 4 37] 
ities under the civil service retirement program, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United 
States 
of America 
in Congress assemhled^ That section 
civu service 
8332(f) of title 5, United States Code, is amended by inserting imme- '^^sur^vor' 
diately after the first sentence thereof the following new sentence: annuities. 
"An employee or former employee who returns to duty after a period 
^^ ^'^'* ^^^* 
of separation is deemed, for the purpose of this subsection, to have 
been in a leave of absence without pay for that part of the period in 
which he was receiving benefits under subchapter I of chapter 81 of 
this title or any earlier statute on which such subchapter is based.'". 
^ ^'^*^ "•' 
SEC. 2 (a) Section 8339(i) of title 5, United States Code, is ,,^^^^f,^^f 
amended by striking out "his spouse'" and inserting in lieu thereof 
"any spouse surviving him". 
(b) Section 8339(j) of title 5, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by inserting "(1)" immediately after "(j)"; and 
(2) by adding at the end thereof the following new paragraph: 
"(2) An employee or Member, who is unmarried at the time of 
retiring under a provision of law^ which permits election of a reduced 
annuity with a survivor annuity payable to his spouse and who later 
marries, may irrevocably elect, in a signed w^riting received in the 
Commission within 1 year after he marries, a reduction in his current 
annuity as provided in subsection (i) of this section. His reduced 
annuity is effective the first day of the month after his election is 
received in the Commission. The election voids prospectively any elec-
tion previously made under paragraph (1) of this subsection.". 
SEC. 3. (a) Section 8341(a) of title 5, LTnited States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) by inserting "and" at the end of paragraph (2) ( B ) ; 
(2) by striking out paragraph (3) ; and 
(3) by renumbering paragraph (4) as paragraph (3). 
(b) Section 8341(b) of title 5, United States Code, is amended to 
read as follows: 
"(b)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, 
if an employee or Member dies after having retired under this sub-
chapter and is survived by a spouse to whom he w^as married at the 
time of retirement, or by a widow or widower whom he married after 
retirement, the spouse, widow, or widower is entitled to an annuity 
equal to 55 percent, or 50 percent if retired before October 11, 1962, 
of an annuity computed under section 8339(a)-(h) of this title as «i^°,^*^*;,"'^^^ 
may apply with respect to tlie annuitant, or of such portion thereof 
as may have been designated for this purpose under section 8339 (i) 
of this title, unless the employee or Member has notified the Commis-
sion in wanting at the time of retirement that he does not desire any 
spouse surviving him to receive this annuity. 
il Stat. 214, 64:!.