Pennsylvania Code › Title 49 - PROFESSIONAL AND VOCATIONAL STANDARDS › Part I - DEPARTMENT OF STATE › Subpart A - PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL AFFAIRS › Chapter 41 - STATE BOARD OF PSYCHOLOGY › MISCELLANEOUS › Section 41.59 - Continuing education

Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 28, July 13, 2024
(a)
Definitions.
The following words and terms, when used in this
					 section, have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates
					 otherwise:
Biennium
-The period from December 1 of
						an odd-numbered year to November 30 of the next odd-numbered year.
CEU-Continuing Education Unit
-A unit
						for measuring contact hours of continuing education. One CEU equals 10 contact
						hours.
Contact hour
-A unit of measure equaling
						50 to 60 minutes of participation in an approved continuing education course or
						program.
(b)
Continuing education requirement for biennial renewal.
As a
					 condition of biennial renewal, a psychologist shall have completed during the
					 preceding biennium a minimum of 30 contact hours (3 CEUs) of continuing
					 education in acceptable courses, programs or activities which shall include at
					 least 3 contact hours per biennium in ethical issues. At least 2 of the
					 required contact hours shall be completed in approved courses relating to child
					 abuse recognition and reporting, in accordance with §
											41.77(b)
					 (relating to child abuse recognition and reporting-mandatory training
					 requirement). The Board will accept child abuse courses approved in accordance
					 with §
											41.78 (relating to child abuse
					 recognition and reporting course approval process) without regard to whether
					 the course otherwise meets the Board's standards for acceptable courses,
					 programs and sponsors in subsection (d). Up to 10 contact hours in excess of 30
					 from the immediately preceding biennium may be carried over from one bien-nium
					 to the next. Excess hours in ethical issues may not be used to satisfy the
					 ethics requirement for the succeeding biennium but may be credited toward the
					 total requirement. Excess hours in child abuse recognition and reporting may be
					 counted toward the total 30 contact hours in the biennium in which they are
					 completed but may not be carried over.
(c)
Reports to the Board.
A
					 psychologist shall certify to compliance with the contact hours requirement at
					 the time of biennial renewal. A psychologist shall retain for at least two
					 bienniums, certificates, transcripts or other documentation showing completion
					 of the prescribed number of contact hours. These records are subject to audit
					 by the Board.
(d)
Approved
					 sponsors; acceptable courses and programs.
(1) Courses and programs approved by
					 Board-approved sponsors will be accepted as satisfying all or part of the
					 continuing education requirement. It is the responsibility of the psychologist
					 to ascertain the approval status of the sponsor before undertaking a continuing
					 education activity.
(2)
					 Irrespective of the sponsor, the Board reserves the right to reject a
					 continuing education course/program submitted by a psychologist if it is
					 outside the scope of practice of psychology or is otherwise unacceptable
					 because of presentation or content. The Board will not accept courses/programs
					 which are unrelated to the actual practice of psychology-for example,
					 instruction in office management or practice building. A psychologist will be
					 notified of a rejected course/program in writing, along with the reason for the
					 rejection.
(3) The Board has
					 approved the following sponsors:
(i)
					 Accredited colleges or universities as long as the course/program corresponds
					 to the scope of practice of psychology and generates semester/quarter hour
					 credit.
(ii) The American
					 Psychological Association (APA) and APA-approved sponsors.
(iii) Sponsors approved by the American
					 Medical Association who meet the criteria of paragraph (4). Programs offered by
					 these sponsors shall relate to the practice of psychology.
(4) The Board will consider for approval, on
					 a biennial basis, National and regional professional associations which offer
					 courses and programs for psychologists, and sponsors approved by these
					 associations. An association seeking Board approval for itself or its sponsors
					 shall submit an application to the Board. The applicant will be notified of
					 approval or disapproval in writing. Notifications of disapproval will set forth
					 reasons. The Board will not approve a sponsor unless it:
(i) Offers courses/programs with specific
					 learning objectives.
(ii) Has a
					 procedure for determining consumers' perceptions of the extent to which the
					 objectives have been met.
(5) The Board may withdraw approval of a
					 sponsor for cause. The sponsor will be notified in writing of the reasons for
					 withdrawal of approval.