West Virginia Code of State Rules › Agency 17 - Psychologists › Title 17 - LEGISLATIVE RULE WV BOARD OF EXAMINERS OF PSYCHOLOGISTS › Series 17-03 - Requirements for Licensure as a Psychologist and/or a School Psychologist › Section 17-3-14 - Examinations

Current through Register Vol. XLI, No. 28, July 12, 2024
14.1. The Board
				adopts the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) provided
				by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards as the official
				examination for Psychologists. For School Psychologists, the required
				examination is the Praxis Exam for School Psychologists.
14.2. Licensure requires a passing score on
				the EPPP. The Board shall determine and set a passing score in consideration of
				prevailing national standards and in consideration of ensuring the public
				welfare. As the need arises, the Board may update the passing score and the
				said updated passing score shall then be in force.
14.3. All Supervised-Psychologists are
				required to take the EPPP at least once during the first 12 months of their
				status as a supervised-psychologist. Masters Supervised-psychologists must (a)
				pass the EPPP within 5 years, (b) must take the EPPP at least once per year,
				and (c) shall only take the EPPP a maximum of five (5) times during the 5-year
				supervision period. Doctoral degree supervised psychologists must pass the EPPP
				within two (2) years and shall only take the EPPP a maximum of five (5) times
				during the 2-year supervision period. Those who fail to pass the EPPP within
				the designated periods will no longer be eligible for licensure. Those that do
				not meet this requirement must cease all psychological practice and must stop
				using the title of "Supervised-Psychologist."
14.4. Supervised-psychologists shall also
				take a Board-prepared written and/or oral examination, which shall cover such
				matters as professional ethics, legal issues, competency, professionalism,
				knowledge and judgment, and to assure that the applicant appropriately limits
				the scope of independent practice to the extent of the applicant's training and
				supervision experience.
14.5. The
				supervision log as required in §
									17-3-9.4
				of the Board's Rules shall be made available to the Board upon request. If
				supervision logs have been provided, they will be returned after the oral
				examination.
14.6. At the
				supervised-psychologist's oral examination, a minimum of three work samples, a
				final report of supervision, a demonstrable competency form (completed by the
				applicant and approved by his or her supervisors) shall be submitted. Work
				Samples must be submitted in support of each major area of intended practice
				(i.e. adult therapy, child assessment) and for any areas of intended practice
				considered specialty areas within the profession (e.g. forensics,
				neuropsychology, medical psychology, gerontology). Taken together, the work
				samples must represent the full range of applicant's intended scope of
				practice. These materials, as well as performance on the oral and/or written
				examinations shall serve as the basis for the Board's determination of the
				supervised-psychologist's scope of independent practice. Licensees practice
				independently only within the specified Board approved scope of
				practice.
14.7. Once licensed, no
				additions or expansions to the specified scope of independent practice as
				delineated at the oral examination, can be initiated without prior Board
				approval. The licensee must submit to the Board a statement describing the new
				intended practice area(s), and documentation of educational and supervised
				experience sufficient to support the application for enhanced scope of
				practice. Unless waived by the Board, requests for expanded scope of practice
				shall require an oral examination by the Board or a Board committee. Applicants
				shall be notified in writing of Board action on such requests.
14.8. The written and/or oral examination for
				each applicant shall be scored on pass/fail basis by each member of the Board
				present at the examination.
14.9. A
				passing score of sixty percent (60%) on the written and/or oral examination
				derived from the ratings of all examiners shall be required for passing.
				Percentage of passing scores based on total Board members deliberating shall be
				rounded up to the next whole number (e.g. When seven Board members vote, 60%
				equals 4.2, meaning that 5 members must pass the examinee). The results shall
				be recorded as either P or F only. The Board may choose to continue an
				individual's oral examination as outlined in 14.11.
14.10. Although the above criteria shall
				serve as guidelines, the final decision of the Board shall be based on all
				available information concerning the candidate's professional ability to
				function as a psychologist within the requirements of the law.
14.11. When the Board considers it warranted,
				an oral examination may be continued for a period up to one year. Such a
				continuation shall be accompanied by specific requirements for supervision
				activities and learning objectives that the candidate must complete during the
				period of the continuation. Obtaining a new supervisor may be a part of the
				requirements. The Board is not obligated to allow the additional time to
				prepare for licensure, but may do so if it so chooses. This grace period may be
				revoked at any time if the examinee fails to follow the Board requirements or
				directives.
14.12. Examinations
				shall be scheduled at least twice a year.
14.13. Those who fail the oral examination
				are no longer eligible for supervised practice or independent practice in the
				State of West Virginia.
14.14. The
				Board may require an applicant to retake only part of the oral
				examination.
14.15. If a licensee
				obtains an additional graduate degree, in most cases this is a master level
				licensee obtaining a doctoral degree, subsequent to being licensed, the
				licensee is required to make application to the Board, pay all required fees,
				submit an official transcript from the university conferring the new degree and
				complete all other required materials. When, as a result of the additional
				educational achievement, a licensee intends to expand his or her scope of
				practice or other aspects of his/her professional practice, the applicant is
				required to sit for a new oral exam in order for the licensee to be considered
				licensed at the new degree level. The purpose of the process is to approve the
				degree as acceptable to the Board, to insure that the degree meets all
				statutory requirements, and to allow for the licensee to present new or
				additional competencies and professional practice intentions. Until the process
				is successfully completed, the licensee shall continue to present himself or
				herself as the original degree licensee.