Part 1 GENERAL INFORMATION about THE BOARD
Section 1.1 The Board's Purpose
The Board of Psychological Examiners (referred to as "the
Board" in this Rule) has been created and given certain powers by Vermont law.
Its purpose is to protect the public health, safety, and welfare. It does this
by setting standards, licensing applicants, and regulating licensed
psychologists and those engaged in supervised practice toward licensure as
psychologists and their practices.
Section 1.2 Business Location
The business location of the Board is the Office of the
Secretary of State, Office of Professional Regulation, in the City Center 89
Main St., Fl. 3, Montpelier, VT 05620-3402, (the Office). the mailing address
is Board of Psychological Examiners, Office of Secretary of State, Office of
Professional Regulation, 89 Main St., Fl. 3, Montpelier VT 05620-3402. the
telephone number is (802) 828-1505.
Section 1.3 Information Sources
Copies of these rules and more information about the Board and
its requirements and procedures are available by contacting the Office or
through the OPR website at http://vtprofessionals.org.
Practitioners and applicants should periodically consult the website for
matters of interest to the profession.
Section 1.4 Regular, Special, and Emergency
Meetings
(a) The Board is required to hold at
least two regular meetings a year, although it usually meets more often, as
dictated by the volume of business to be conducted. If necessary, the Chair or
any two members may call a special or emergency meeting.
(b) Three members of the Board constitute a
quorum for all meetings. the Board may not take any formal action at any
meeting unless a majority of the members present vote in favor of the
action.
(c) Meeting dates and
locations may be obtained from the Office. Notice of meetings may usually be
found online at
http://vtprofessionals.org.
Section 1.5 Laws that Govern the
Board
(a) The Board is governed by Title 26,
Chapter 55 of the Vermont Statutes Annotated that establishes its
responsibilities for setting standards, issuing licenses, and regulating the
profession. Board powers are also conferred by subchapter III of Chapter 5 of
Title 3 "Professional Regulation," the statutes creating and governing the
Office of Professional Regulation ( 3 V.S.A. §§ 121-132 ).
(b) In addition, the Board is obligated to
comply with several other state laws, including the Administrative Procedure
Act ( 3 V.S.A. §§ 801-849 ); the "Vermont Open Meeting Law" ( 1
V.S.A. §§ 311-314 ), and the "Public Records Law" ( 1 V.S.A.
§§ 315-320 ). in contested cases, the Board follows the Vermont Rules
of Evidence, as amended by the Administrative Procedure Act. These laws spell
out the rights of an applicant, licensed psychologist, or member of the public.
"The Vermont Statutes Online" are available on the Internet at
http://www.leg.state.vt.us/statutesMain.cfm.
Section 1.6 The Rules
The Board is authorized to make these rules by 26 VS.A. §
3009a. These rules were approved by the Vermont Legislative Committee on
Administrative Rules before adoption and are presumed valid. These rules have
the force of law.
3 V.S.A. §
845(a). Violation of these
rules can be unprofessional conduct.
3 V.S.A. §
129a(a)(3).
Section 1.7 Need for a License
26 V.S.A. §
3002 states: "(a) a person who is not
licensed under the Act shall not engage in the practice of psychology. (b) a
person who is not licensed under the Act shall not use the title 'psychologist'
or any title which contains that word."
Section 1.8 Temporary License
A person licensed with no disciplinary history and in good
standing to practice psychology in another United States or Canadian
jurisdiction may apply to the Board for a temporary license to practice in
Vermont for no more than 10 days or 80 hours in any 12-month period.
Information about temporary licenses and associated fees may be obtained from
the Office. No applicant may be issued more than two temporary
licenses.
Section 1.9
Emergency License
The Board may issue temporary emergency licenses during a
declared state of emergency. the psychologist issued a temporary emergency
license must be currently licensed, in good standing, and not subject to
disciplinary proceedings in any other United States or Canadian jurisdiction.
the temporary emergency license shall authorize the holder to practice in
Vermont until the termination of the declared state of emergency or 90 days,
whichever occurs first, as long as the licensee remains in good standing. There
is no fee for an emergency licensure under this rule.
Section 1.10 School Psychologists
School psychologists are licensed by the Vermont Department of
Education. a school psychologist who practices outside of his or her scope of
school psychology practice may be considered to be engaged in the unauthorized
practice of psychology and be subject to administrative penalties, civil
action, and criminal prosecution.
Section
1.11 Definitions
Unless otherwise indicated, all words and phrases used in these
rules have the same meaning as the terms defined in 26 V.S.A. Chapter 55. as
used in these rules:
(a) "APA" means
the American Psychological Association.
(b) "CAMPP" means the Council of Applied
Master's Programs in Psychology.
(c) "Disciplinary history" means disciplinary
action resulting in a finding of unprofessional conduct.
(d) "Good standing" means that the
professional holds a current, unrestricted license.
(e) "Jurisprudence Examination" means the
examination of Vermont Statutes and Board Administrative Rules regarding the
regulation of psychologists given by the Board as part of the registration and
licensure process.
(f) "National
Register" means the National Register of Health Service Providers in
Psychology.
(g) "The Office" or
"Office" means the Office of Professional Regulation.
(h) "Supervised practice" as used in these
rules means post degree clinical work toward licensure as a psychologist. It is
supervised by a licensed psychologist who is familiar with the nature of the
individual's clinical activities and who monitors the quality of the work and
contributes to the enhancement of the individual's knowledge of self and of
clinical work. Both the supervisor and supervisee in Vermont are subject to the
disciplinary authority of the Board.
(i) "Unprofessional Conduct" means conduct
defined by statute for which an applicant or licensee may be held
accountable.
(j) "V.S.A." means the
Vermont Statutes Annotated, the authorized compilation of Vermont legislative
enactments.
Part
2 DOCTORAL LEVEL LICENSURE
Section
2.1 Routes to Licensure
(a) There
are five ways to become licensed in Vermont as a psychologist at the doctoral
level.
(1) Examination: An applicant may
apply on the basis of education, licensing examination, and
supervision;
(2) Endorsement: An
applicant who is licensed in another jurisdiction may seek licensure on the
basis of that license or certification.
(3) Diplomate status;
(4) Certification from an individual
certification program; and
(5)
"Up-grade" from master's level licensure.
(b) Statutes and rules examination All
applicants must successfully complete the Board's jurisprudence (statutes and
rules) examination before a license will be issued.
Section 2.2 Licensure by Examination
To be eligible for licensure by examination, an applicant
must:
(a) have attained the age of 18
years;
(b) hold a doctoral degree
in psychology as defined below;
(c)
successfully complete the examinations specified below;
(d) have completed 4,000 hours of supervised
practice, of which no fewer than 2,000 hours were completed after the doctoral
degree in psychology was received; and
(e) complete the Board's jurisprudence
examination.
Section 2.3
Degree Requirement
An applicant must hold a doctoral degree in psychology
from:
(a) a professional psychology
training program regionally accredited by a body approved by the Council on
Postsecondary Accreditation and the United States Office of Education,
or
(b) a Canadian institution which
is a member of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, and is a
doctoral program designated by the Joint Designation Committee of the
Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards and the National Register
of Health Service Providers in Psychology; or
(c) a doctoral program accredited by the
American Psychological Association or the Canadian Psychological Association;
or
(d) "other acceptable degree
programs" as defined below.
Section
2.4 Other Acceptable Degree Programs - Accreditation
A doctoral degree from a program, other than the ones specified
in subsections (a) through (d) of Rule
2.3 must be:
(a) from an American institution regionally
accredited by a body approved by the Council on Postsecondary Accreditation and
the United States Office of Education and meet the requirements of Rule
2.6 below; or
(b) from a Canadian institution which is a
member of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, and meet the
requirements of Rule
2.6 below; or
(c) from an institution outside the United
States or Canada whose educational requirements are equivalent to the standards
of a professional psychology training program as defined by these rules; and,
(1) The institution must be accredited by the
respective official organization having such authority.
(2) The Board will evaluate an applicant's
academic credentials after the Board receives a report from a Board-approved
credentials evaluation service.
(A) Applicants
should consult the Board's Web page or contact the Board for a current list of
acceptable services.
(B) Applicants
are responsible for the costs of this evaluation.
Section 2.5 Other
Acceptable Degree Programs - Structure
A doctoral degree from a program other than the ones specified
in subsections (a) through (c) of Rule
2.3 must, in the sole
determination of the Board, be:
(a)
from a program that:
(1) wherever it may be
administratively housed, is clearly identified and labeled as a psychology
program;
(2) has an identifiable
psychology faculty and a licensed psychologist responsible for the
program;
(3) is directed and taught
predominantly by psychologists;
(4)
offers both training in the practice of psychology and a degree in
psychology;
(5) is specified in
pertinent institutional catalogs and brochures that it is intended to educate
and train professional psychologists in the area of psychology; and,
(b) the degree must be based on
substantial course work that is primarily psychological in nature, meaning
courses which:
(1) are taught in the
Department of Psychology or by an instructor with a graduate degree in
psychology or with psychological training and experience appropriate to the
content of the course;
(2) include
a review of the scholarly literature in the particular area of psychology
involved; that is, a review of psychological theory, research methods, and
applications, as distinguished from practice and field experience;
and
(3) are psychological in
content, as distinguished from courses which ordinarily are the subject matter
of another discipline that may incidentally draw on psychological theory or
research.
(c) To qualify
for consideration under this rule, degrees from programs, including acceptable
foreign degree programs, must require a minimum of 400 hours in program and
clinical courses, exclusive of internship, to be in person on campus.
Section 2.6 Courses Required from
"Other Acceptable Degree Programs" - Approval
To be eligible for licensure an applicant must have
successfully completed the following. An applicant whose degree does not meet
these requirements may supplement as set forth in Rule 2.9.
(a) Assessment 9 credit hours
(1) Assessment refers to psychological
theory, research, and methods concerning the measurement and assessment of an
individual's behavioral or psychological functioning. This section must include
3 credit hours of general foundation course(s) providing a general overview of
the subject area. General foundation courses may include, but are not limited
to:
(A) Psychological
Testing/Assessment;
(B)
Intellectual (Cognitive) Assessment;
(C) Personality Testing/Assessment;
and
(D) Introduction to
Psychometrics.
(2)
Assessment course(s) may cover areas such as the assessment of psychopathology,
personality characteristics, intellectual functioning, skills and interests,
and neuropsychological functioning. Assessment courses may include, but are not
limited to:
(A) Specialized courses:
(i) Projective Testing;
(ii) Neuropsychological Testing;
(iii) Diagnostic Interviewing;
(iv) Minnesota Multiphasic Personality
Inventory (MMPI); and
(v) Tests and
Measurements.
(b) Intervention 9 credit hours. Intervention
courses relate to psychological theory, research, and methods concerning the
remediation, treatment, or prevention of behavior disorders, adjustment
problems, and psychopathology, or other disturbances in psychological
functioning. Examples of relevant courses may include, but are not limited to
the following:
(1) Cognitive
Psychotherapy;
(2) Family
Therapy;
(3) Group
Therapy;
(4)
Psychoanalytic/Psychodynamic Therapy;
(5) Community Psychology;
(6) Prevention of Psychopathology.
(c) Psychopathology 9 credit
hours.
(1) Psychopathology courses relate to
psychological theory, research, and methods concerning the descriptive
characteristics, diagnosis, and etiology of psychopathology, or mental and
behavioral disorders of children and adults. This section must include 3 credit
hours of foundation course(s) providing a general overview of the subject area.
General foundation courses may include, but are not limited to:
(A) Advanced Abnormal Psychology;
(B) Child Psychopathology;
(C) Adult Psychopathology;
(D) DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of
Mental Disorders) / ICD (International Classification of Diseases);
(2) Examples of relevant
specialized courses in psychopathology may include, but are not limited to the
following:
(A) Mood Disorders;
(B) Substance Abuse;
(C) Eating Disorders;
(D) Mental Retardation; and
(E) Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
(ADHD).
(d)
Statistical Methods (Statistics or Research Methodology) 3 credit hours;
and
(e) Professional Ethics 3
credit hours.
Section
2.7 Interpretation
In determining whether an applicant's training program has met
course distribution requirements, the Board will accept a course as fulfilling
the requirement of one area only. the Board will not accept subdivision of the
credit hours of a course into two or more areas.
Section 2.8 Documentation
Applicants bear the responsibility to submit to the Board
official or primary source documentation. This documentation permits the Board
to determine whether an applicant's degree and education meet the requirements
of these rules.
Section 2.9
Permitted Supplementation
Applicants whose transcripts show that they have not met all
the requirements of Rule
2.6 may supplement their
education as set forth herein.
(a) A
doctoral degree in psychology which has not met all the requirements set forth
in sections (a) - (e) of Rule
2.6 may be supplemented by up
to six (6) hours of course work.
(b) No more than three credit hours of course
work may be taken to supplement the requirements of any one section. Example:
An applicant cannot take 2 courses (six hours) in intervention to supplement
courses lacking in that category.
(c) Supplemented courses must be taken from a
program meeting the requirements of Rule 2.6(a)-(e).
(d) Undergraduate courses and work
experiences may not be substituted for course work under this
section.
Section 2.10
Examination
Applicants must successfully complete the Examination for
Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP), prepared by the Association of
State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB), or other examination(s)
approved by the Board and made known through its website in advance. See,
Application Process for timing of the examination. More information about the
examination is available from the Office or by accessing the Board's Web page
at http://vtprofessionals.org/opr1/psychologists/.
Section 2.11 Recent Examination Required
For applications received after the effective date of these
rules: Applicants who have not previously been licensed must successfully
complete the EPPP or other examination approved by the Board within 5 years of
applying for licensure.
Section
2.12 Examination Report
(a) The
passing score is set by the ASPPB who reports the score to the Board.
(b) The Board will tell an applicant whether
he or she successfully completed the examination.
Section 2.13 Retaking the Examination
Unsuccessful candidates may retake the examination as permitted
by the examination provider.
Section
2.14 Supervised Practice
(a) The
post-doctoral degree supervised practice may not be completed in less than one
(1) year.
(b) The specific
supervised practice requirements are contained in Part 4 of these
rules.
Section 2.15
Exceptional Cases
The Board may waive the education, experience, or examination
requirement in exceptional cases when the applicant demonstrates appropriate
qualification. Only one of the three requirements may be waived. in general,
this section applies to individuals who by reason of research, teaching, or
practice are nationally or internationally recognized as exceptional; that is,
those individuals who, in the sole judgment of the Board, are generally
recognized by the profession at large as having made a major contribution to
the practice of psychology. in all other instances, success or failure in
attaining a license shall depend on meeting the requirements of these rules and
not on any waiver of educational or other requirements.
Section 2.16 Vermont Licensure Based on
License from Another Jurisdiction
Psychologists licensed in another United States or Canadian
Jurisdiction may be eligible for licensure in Vermont as set forth in the
following rules.
Section
2.17 Licensure by Endorsement
(a)
Applicants who are licensed doctoral level psychologists in good standing in
another jurisdiction in the United States or Canada may be licensed in Vermont
upon showing that the jurisdiction's current licensing requirements are
substantially equivalent to Vermont's. in determining substantial equivalence
of supervised practice requirements, the Board will consider a state whose
standards require no fewer than 1,500 hours of post-degree supervised practice
to be substantially equivalent.
Section 2.18 Vermont Licensure Based on
Current Diplomate Status
Applicants licensed in another United States or Canadian
jurisdiction who demonstrate that they are diplomates in good standing in one
of the academies of the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) may be
granted a license.
Section
2.19 Vermont Licensure Based on Certification Programs
Applicants licensed in another United States or Canadian
jurisdiction who present evidence of professional qualification from an
individual certification program acceptable to the Board may be granted a
license. Applicants may contact the Board by accessing its Web page for a list
of acceptable individual certification programs.
Section 2.20 Change to Doctoral Level
Licensure from Master's Level Licensure
(a) a
psychologist currently licensed by this Board as a psychologist-master, who has
since earned a doctoral degree in psychology from a doctoral program meeting
the requirements of these rules, may be eligible to upgrade the license to a
psychologist-doctorate. to do so, the licensee must file a new application and
submit certified copies of transcripts.
(b) Note: Licensees who change their level of
licensure from the master's to doctoral level in this manner may not meet
licensure requirements of other jurisdictions.
Section 2.21 Jurisprudence Examination
Applicants who have not previously taken the jurisprudence
examination must also successfully complete the jurisprudence
examination.
Section 2.22
Change to Doctoral Level Licensure from Master's Level Licensure
(a) A psychologist currently licensed by this
Board as a psychologist-master, who has since earned a doctoral degree in
psychology from a doctoral program meeting the requirements of these rules, may
be eligible to upgrade the license to a psychologist- doctorate. To do so, the
licensee must file a new application and submit certified copies of
transcripts.
(b) Note: Licensees
who change their level of licensure from the master's to doctoral level in this
manner may not meet licensure requirements of other jurisdictions.
Section 2.23 Change to Doctoral
Level Licensure from Master's Level Licensure
Jurisprudence Examination Applicants who have not taken the
jurisprudence examination to become registered for Vermont supervised practice
or for licensure at the master's level must also successfully complete the
jurisprudence examination.
Part 3 MASTER'S DEGREE LEVEL LICENSURE
Section 3.1 Routes to Licensure
There are two ways to become licensed in Vermont as a
psychologist at the master's level:
(a) Examination An applicant may apply on the
basis of education, licensing examination, and supervision; or
(b) Endorsement An applicant who is licensed
in another jurisdiction may seek licensure on the basis of that license or
certification.
Section
3.2 Licensure by Examination
To become licensed at the master's level an applicant
must:
(a) be at least 18 years of
age;
(b) hold a master's degree in
psychology (
26 V.S.A. §
3011a(a)(3)(B) ) as defined
below;
(c) successfully complete
the examinations specified in the rules that follow;
(d) have completed 4,000 hours of supervised
practice, of which no fewer than 2,000 hours were completed after the master's
degree in psychology was received; and
(e) complete the Board's jurisprudence
examination.
Section 3.3
Degree Requirement
Applicants must possess a master's degree in psychology
obtained through a professional psychology training program awarded by an
institution of higher education. to qualify under this rule, the psychology
training program must be offered by a full member of the Council of Applied
Master's Programs in Psychology (CAMPP).
Section 3.4 Equivalent Programs
The Board may grant a master's level license to an applicant
who has received a master's degree which is determined by the Board to be
equivalent to that described in Rule
3.3 above.
Section 3.5 Equivalence Determinations
To be considered equivalent the degree must be from a
university, professional school, or other institution of higher learning
that:
(a) in the United States, is
regionally accredited by bodies approved by the Council on Postsecondary
Accreditation and the United States Office of Education;
(b) in Canada, holds a membership in the
Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada; or
(c) in other countries, has educational
requirements equivalent to the standards as defined by these rules; and
(1) The institution must be accredited by the
respective official organization having such authority.
(2) The Board will evaluate an applicant's
academic credentials after the Board receives a report from a Board-approved
credentials evaluation service.
(A) Applicants
should consult the Board's Web page or contact the Board for a current list of
acceptable services.
(B) Applicants
are responsible for the costs of this evaluation.
(d) In addition, the graduate
training program must be a planned program of study which reflects an
integration of the science and practice of psychology and includes courses in
assessment, intervention, psychopathology, statistical methods, and
professional ethics, as well as a supervised practicum and internship;
and
(e) the program:
(1) wherever it may be administratively
housed, is clearly identified and labeled as a Psychology program;
(2) has an identifiable psychology faculty
and a licensed psychologist responsible for the program;
(3) is directed and taught predominantly by
psychologists;
(4) offers both
training in the practice of Psychology and a degree in Psychology;
and,
(5) is specified in pertinent
institutional catalogs and brochures that it is intended to educate and train
professional psychologists in the area of Psychology; and,
(f) the degree is based on substantial course
work that is primarily psychological in nature, meaning courses which:
(1) are taught in the Department of
Psychology or by an instructor with a graduate degree in Psychology or with
psychological training and experience appropriate to the content of the
course;
(2) include a review of the
scholarly literature in the particular area of Psychology involved; that is, a
review of psychological theory, research methods, and applications, as
distinguished from practice and field experience;
(3) are psychological in content, as
distinguished from courses which ordinarily are the subject matter of another
discipline that may incidentally draw on psychological theory or research;
and
(4) the program is the
equivalent to two years of full time academic study, no fewer than sixty (60)
credit hours; and
(g) To
qualify for consideration under this rule, degrees from programs, including
acceptable foreign degree programs, must require a minimum of 275 hours in
program and clinical courses, exclusive of internship, to be in person on
campus.
Section 3.6
Documentation Needed
Applicants bear the responsibility to submit to the Board
official or primary source documentation. This documentation permits the Board
to determine whether an applicant's degree and education meet the requirements
of these rules.
Section 3.7
Courses Required for Licensure for Applicants Whose Degrees Are Approved under
Rules 3.4 - 3.6 above
To qualify for consideration under this rule, degrees from
programs meeting the requirements of Rules
3.4 through
3.6 must include six (6) credit
hours in each of the following areas:
(a) Assessment 6 credit hours
(1) Assessment refers to Psychological
theory, research, and methods concerning the measurement and assessment of an
individual's behavioral or psychological functioning. This section must include
3 credit hours of general foundation course(s) providing a general overview of
the subject area. General foundation courses may include, but are not limited
to:
(A) Psychological
Testing/Assessment;
(B)
Intellectual (Cognitive) Assessment;
(C) Personality Testing/Assessment;
(D) Introduction to Psychometrics.
(2) Assessment course(s) may cover
areas such as the assessment of psychopathology, personality characteristics,
intellectual functioning, skills and interests, and neuropsychological
functioning. Assessment courses may include, but are not limited to:
(A) Specialized courses:
(i) Projective Testing;
(ii) Neuropsychological Testing;
(iii) Diagnostic Interviewing;
(iv) Minnesota Multiphasic Personality
Inventory (MMPI);
(v) Tests and
Measurements.
(b) Intervention 6 credit hours. Intervention
courses relate to psychological theory, research, and methods concerning the
remediation, treatment, or prevention of behavior disorders, adjustment
problems, and psychopathology, or other disturbances in psychological
functioning. Examples of relevant courses may include, but are not limited to
the following:
(1) Cognitive
Psychotherapy;
(2) Family
Therapy;
(3) Group
Therapy;
(4)
Psychoanalytic/Psychodynamic Therapy;
(5) Community Psychology; and
(6) Prevention of Psychopathology
(c) Psychopathology 6 credit
hours.
(1) Psychopathology courses relate to
psychological theory, research, and methods concerning the descriptive
characteristics, diagnosis, and etiology of psychopathology, or mental and
behavioral disorders of children and adults. This section must include 3 hours
of foundation course(s) providing a general overview of the subject area.
General foundation courses may include, but are not limited to:
(A) Advanced Abnormal Psychology;
(B) Child Psychopathology;
(C) Adult Psychopathology; and
(D) DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of
Mental Disorders) / ICD (International Classification of Diseases).
(2) Examples of relevant
specialized courses in psychopathology may include, but are not limited to the
following:
(A) Mood Disorders;
(B) Substance Abuse;
(C) Eating Disorders;
(D) Mental Retardation; and
(E) Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
(ADHD).
(d)
Statistical Methods (Statistics or Research Methodology) 3 credit hours;
and
(e) Professional Ethics 3
credit hours.
(f) Undergraduate
courses and work experiences may not be substituted for course work.
(g) A master's degree in psychology which has
not met all the requirements set forth in sections (a) - (e) of Rule
3.7 may be supplemented by up
to six (6) credit hours of course work.
Section 3.8 Permitted Supplementation
A master's degree in psychology which has not met all the
requirements set forth in sections (a) - (e) of Rule
3.7 may be supplemented by up
to six (6) hours of course work.
Section
3.9 Interpretation
In determining whether an applicant's training program has met
course distribution requirements, the Board will accept a course as fulfilling
the requirement of one area only. the Board will not accept subdivision of the
credit hours of a course into two or more areas.
Section 3.10 Examination
(a) Applicants must successfully complete the
Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP), prepared by the
Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB), or other
examination(s) approved by the Board and made known through its website in
advance.
Section 3.11 Recent Examination
Required
For applications received after the effective date of these
rules: Applicants who have not previously been licensed must successfully
complete the EPPP or other examination approved by the Board within 5 years of
applying for licensure.
Section
3.12 Examination Score Report
(a)
The passing score is set by the ASPPB which reports the score to the
Board.
(b) The Board will tell an
applicant his or her score, and whether he or she successfully completed the
examination.
Section
3.13 Re-taking the Examination
Unsuccessful candidates may retake the examination as permitted
by examination service.
Section
3.14 Supervised Practice
(a) The
post master's degree supervised practice may not be completed in less than one
(1) year.
(b) The specific
supervised practice requirements are contained in Part 4 of these
rules.
Section 3.15
Licensure by Endorsement
Applicants who are licensed psychologists at the master's level
in another jurisdiction in the United States or Canada may be licensed in
Vermont upon showing that the jurisdiction's current licensing requirements are
substantially equivalent to Vermont's.
Part 4 POST GRADUATE DEGREE: SUPERVISED
PRACTICE FOR APPLICANTS FOR LICENSURE BY EXAMINATION
Section 4.1 Explanation
"Supervised practice" means post graduate degree clinical work
that is supervised by a licensed psychologist who is familiar with the nature
of the individual's clinical activities and who monitors the quality of the
work and contributes to the enhancement of the individual's knowledge of self
and of clinical work. Supervised practice is always in person.
Section 4.2 Mandatory Registration for
Supervised Practice in Vermont
Any person in the State of Vermont who wishes to engage in post
degree supervised practice toward licensure as a psychologist must, if not
licensed as a clinical mental health counselor, marriage and family therapist,
licensed independent clinical social worker, or licensed master social
worker:
(a) be registered on the
roster of psychotherapists who are nonlicensed and noncertified. Those who are
currently registered as psychological trainees, instead of renewing
registration with the Board, shall register on the roster of nonlicensed and
noncertified psychotherapists. Registration forms are available from the Office
or on line;
(b) pay the applicable
registration fee.
(c) Both the
supervisor and supervisee are responsible for verifying that the supervisee is
properly registered.
(d) No
supervised practice may occur within the State of Vermont until the supervisee
is registered.
Section
4.3 Failure to Register, Penalties
(a) Unregistered supervised practice is
unauthorized practice and may subject the individual and the supervisor to
disciplinary sanctions.
(b)
Unregistered supervised practice in Vermont will not be counted toward the
supervised practice requirement.
Section 4.4 Supervisor Prerequisites
A supervisor of anyone engaged in supervised practice toward
licensure as a psychologist must:
(a)
possess a valid unencumbered psychologist's license for the state in which the
supervised practice occurs, and
(b)
for supervision commencing after the effective date of these rules have a
minimum of three years licensed practice in good standing before supervision
begins and be in good standing at all times during the period of
supervision.
(c) Clinical
supervision must be limited to areas in which the supervisor has sufficient
education, training, and experience to provide meaningful guidance and be
consistent with ethical standards for practice.
(d) Applicants and supervisors share
responsibility for ensuring that supervision provided meets the requirements of
these rules.
Section 4.5
Supervisor Responsibilities
A clinical supervisor assumes full professional and legal
responsibility for the supervised individual's work. the clinical supervisor
maintains a level of supervision and practice consistent with professional
standards.
Section 4.6
Nature of Supervision
The supervisor may provide both administrative and clinical
supervision. Both are necessary to ensure professional standards are
maintained, however, only clinical supervision counts toward the supervised
practice required by these rules.
Section
4.7 Situations Limiting Supervision
(a) Successful supervision requires that the
future licensee and supervisor have a full and candid exchange regarding all
aspects of the supervised practice. Treatment issues, for example, issues of
sexual attraction and other matters between practitioner and client, and work
conditions affecting practice, should be fully explored. Because full candor is
needed, conflicts of interest between supervisor and future licensee must be
avoided.
(b) Applicants and
supervisors must avoid any situation that suggests a "multiple relationship,"
as defined in the APA Code of Conduct. Exploitive relationships or a potential
or demonstrable conflict of interest may disqualify supervision from being
credited.
(c) A licensee who
personally financially gains from the practice of the supervisee is
disqualified from providing clinical supervision to the trainee. Receipt of
compensation for supervision is not barred by this rule.
Section 4.8 Identification of Those in
Supervised Practice
Persons engaged in supervised practice toward licensure shall
identify themselves to clients as "psychological trainees" or "psychological
interns." They may not hold themselves out as psychologists before becoming
licensed by the Board. They must comply with the disclosure requirements for
rostered psychotherapists.
Section
4.9 Number of Supervisors Required
The applicant must have no fewer than two supervisors during
the course of supervised practice training. Each supervisor shall supervise no
fewer than 500 hours of clinical practice for the supervision to be
accepted.
Section 4.10 Type
and Frequency of Supervision
(a) No person
engaged in supervised practice toward licensure may practice more than forty
hours without receiving 2 hours of supervision.
(b) One of the two hours of the supervision
must be in a formal, individual, in person setting.
(c) The second hour of supervision may occur
in a group supervision setting.
Section 4.11 Part Time Clinical Practice
Applicants who document less than 20 hours per week of clinical
practice require individual supervision and may not count group supervision as
satisfying the supervision requirement.
Section 4.12 Supervised Practice - Completion
Time
(a) Supervised practice, whether toward
master's or doctoral level licensure, may not be completed in less than one (1)
year.
(b) Absent exceptional
unforeseen circumstances, a year which contains fewer than 700 hours of
supervised practice will not count toward the supervised practice
requirement.
(c) For applications
received after the effective date of these rules: to ensure that an applicant's
supervised practice reflects a current competence for licensure, only
supervised practice hours acquired within 5 years of completion of the
application for licensure will be counted.
Section 4.13 Insufficient Supervision
A ratio of one hour of supervision to 20 or fewer practice
hours must be maintained. a trainee who receives more than one but less than
two hours of supervision for 40 hours supervised practice may count only 20
hours toward the number of supervised hours required.
Section 4.14 Limits on Supervised Hours
No more than 40 hours of practice may count as "supervised
practice" in any one week period.
Section
4.15 Board Jurisdiction
Persons engaged in supervised practice are subject to the
jurisdiction of the Board and may be sanctioned for unprofessional
conduct.
Section 4.16
Documentation of Supervision
(a) In addition
to the Supervision Report in Rule 4. 17, the supervisor shall create and
maintain a record of the number and dates of one-to-one supervision hours and
group supervision hours.
(1) This record shall
be retained by the supervisor for four years and kept available for the Board's
review.
(2) As part of the
application process the Board may request that the supervisor submit the record
to the Board for review.
(3) The
Board may request this record as part of a random audit of supervision
documents.
(b) The
supervisor is not obligated to send this record to the Board unless and until
it is requested.
Section
4.17 Supervision Reports
Each clinical supervisor must submit a supervision report.
Supervision report template forms are available on line or from the Office. the
report must contain the following and be sufficiently detailed to permit the
Board to evaluate the trainee's supervised experience. Supervision reports
shall include, but are not limited to:
(a) The supervisee's name;
(b) The supervisor's name, signature,
address, license number, jurisdiction(s) where granted, date granted, and areas
of specialization;
(c) The name and
nature of the supervisee's supervised practice setting, and a description of
the client population served;
(d)
The specific dates of practice covered in this report;
(e) The number of practice hours during this
period (to include all duties);
(f)
The trainee's specific duties;
(g)
A detailed description and assessment of the trainee's performance which shall
include, but is not limited to:
(1) The
clinical skills supervised;
(2) The
ethical practices reviewed; and
(3)
The professional readings covered.
(h) A photocopy of the supervisor's license
or licenses and;
(i) the
supervisor's opinion of whether the applicant is prepared to meet the
responsibilities of independent practice.
Section 4.18 Applicant's Summary of
Supervised Experience
Each applicant shall submit as part of the application for
licensure, on a form available from the Board, a "Summary of Supervised
Experience." the summary shall document:
(a) the practice setting and how the practice
was supervised;
(b) the number of
hours of supervised practice;
(c)
the name of every person providing individual or group supervision of the
applicant; and
(d) the number of
individual and group supervision hours acquired.
Part 5 APPLICATION PROCESS
Section 5.1 Application
(a) Applications for a license, or
registration on the roster of nonlicensed and noncertified psychotherapists for
those who will engage in supervised practice, and information about the
application process are available through the OPR website or from the Office.
An applicant must file a completed application in sufficient time to allow the
Board at least 60 days to review the application before the candidate sits for
the examination.
(b) The Board will
review an application following receipt of transcripts and other documentation
to determine if the applicant's education meets the requirements of the
rules.
(c) The Board will review
supervision reports as they are received.
Section 5.2 Applications Expire
For applications received after the effective date of these
rules: An application is deemed to have expired, if after five years the
applicant does not provide the Board any report on progress towards licensure.
If no updated information is provided to the Board within five years, the
applicant must begin the application process anew. This will require a new
application and application fee. the Board will then consider the application a
new application.
Section 5.3
Approval to Sit for Examination
Once an applicant's education is approved, the applicant may
sit for the examination. the applicant bears the responsibility of scheduling
his or her examination.
Section
5.4 Procedure for Processing Applications
When the Board receives a completed application, the
application is reviewed. Sometimes during the review process questions about
the meaning or adequacy of some documents may arise. Rather than deny the
application, the Board may request that the applicant submit additional or
clarifying information. When that information is provided, the Board can, then
make a full assessment of the application. by asking for additional or
clarifying information, the Board can avoid unnecessary denials of
applications.
Section 5.5
Right to a Written Decision
When it appears from the application and accompanying documents
that the applicant does not meet all of the requirements for licensure, the
office on behalf of the Board will notify the applicant. This is called a
preliminary denial. the preliminary denial letter will specify why the
application is not approved. the applicant is notified of the right to file an
appeal which is heard as a formal hearing by the Board. at the appeal hearing
the burden of proof is on the applicant to show that the preliminary denial was
in error. after that hearing the Board issues a final decision in
writing.
Section 5.6 Right
to Appeal
A person who is aggrieved by a final decision of the Board may
appeal to an appellate officer within 30 days of the Board's decision. the
appellate process is governed by Vermont law,
3 V.S.A. §
130a, and
has its own procedural rules. Information about the appellate process is
available from the Office.
Part 6 INFORMATION FOR LICENSED PSYCHOLOGISTS
Section 6.1 Change of Name or Address
Licensees are responsible for notifying the Office within 30
days of any name or address change.
Section 6.2 Complete Title
Under
26 V.S.A. §
3016(2) a licensee is
required to indicate a complete title (that is, psychologist-doctorate, or
psychologist-master) on all signs, business cards, letterhead, promotional
materials, and other professional uses. a licensee whose name appears in an
advertisement listing individuals in a practice must include his or her full
professional title in the listing, clearly indicating licensure as a
psychologist-doctorate or psychologist-master. This rule applies wherever the
professional listing occurs.
Section
6.3 Code of Ethics
(a) It is the
licensee's responsibility to become familiar with the "Ethical Principles of
Psychologists and Code of Conduct," of the American Psychological Association,
Inc., and the "ASPPB Code of Conduct" as guides to conduct and practice.
Conduct which violates these ethical principles and codes, or their successor
principles and codes, constitutes unprofessional conduct under
26 V.S.A. §
3016(9) and §
3016(10).
(b) Copies of the
"Ethical Principles" are available on line through the American Psychological
Association and may be obtained from the American Psychological Association
directly. Copies of the "ASPPB Code of Conduct" may be obtained from the
Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards or on line. However,
licensees are responsible for staying current with any successor versions of
either code.
Section 6.4
Telepractice
(a) Telepractice is governed by
statute,
26 V.S.A. §
3018. Professionals who provide service via
the Internet or other electronic means should provide as much information as
possible to individuals who access their services.
(b) Psychologists from other jurisdictions
providing telepractice services to persons in Vermont are deemed to be
practicing in Vermont. They must be licensed by the Board and must comply with
the disclosure requirements of Rule
6.8.
(c) Vermont licensed psychologists who
provide telepractice services to clients outside of Vermont remain under the
jurisdiction of the Board. They shall comply with the disclosure requirements
of Rule 6.8 and shall specifically disclose:
(1) Name, location, and telephone number of
the psychologist;
(2) What the
psychologist is licensed and trained to do; and
(3) The limits and limitations of Internet
practice and service delivery.
Section 6.5 Medication Recommendations to
Prescribing Providers
A psychologist may offer a medication recommendation to the
prescribing provider about a patient the psychologist has evaluated when such
recommendation is an informed opinion based on the psychologist's education,
training, and professional experience. the psychologist's opinion may inform
the physician's medication decision.
Section 6.6 Duty to Warn
Supervisees and licensees must be aware of and comply with
Vermont mandatory reporting requirements. Among them are
33
V.S.A. §
4913 (Reporting Child Abuse and
Neglect) and
33
V.S.A. §
6903 (Reporting suspected
abuse, neglect, and exploitation of vulnerable adults). Practitioners should
also be aware that common law imposes a duty to warn in certain circumstances.
See, e.g. Peck v. Counseling Service of Addison County, Inc., 146 Vt. 61, 499
A.2d 422, 425 (1985). the Board cannot provide legal advice to practitioners.
Those with questions regarding their duty to report should consult their legal
advisors.
Section 6.7
Responsibility to Cooperate with Investigations
(a) Each licensed psychologist has a
responsibility to cooperate with investigations by the Board.
(b) When an investigation seeks confidential
client information, the psychologist, whether or not the subject of the
investigation, has a duty to request that the client release the information to
the Board's investigators.
Section
6.8 Disclosure of Information
(a)
Each psychologist shall disclose to each client, whether residing in Vermont or
elsewhere, the following information, printed or typed in easily readable
format:
(1) The psychologist's professional
qualifications and experience, including:
(A)
all relevant graduate programs attended and all graduate degrees and
certificates earned, including the full legal name of the granting
institution;
(B) a brief
description of any special qualifications and areas of practice; and
(C) if providing direct human services in a
service or technique that is new to the profession, clear and concise
information about the innovative nature of and known risks associated with the
services, so that the client can exercise freedom of choice concerning such
services.
(D) A psychologist
providing services under subsection (C) above shall also provide the Board with
a copy of the written information provided to the client.
(2) A copy of the statutory definitions of
unprofessional conduct (
26 V.S.A. §
3016 and 3 V.S.A. § 129a );
and,
(3) Information on the process
for filing a complaint with, or making a consumer inquiry to, the Director of
the Office of Professional Regulation. Sample disclosure forms are available
from the Office.
(b)
Disclosure means, at a minimum,
(1) posting
the information and informing the client where the information is posted,
or
(2) having the information
printed, displaying the printed information in an easily accessible location,
and informing the client where the information is displayed, or
(3) having the information printed and
directly handing a copy of the information to the client.
(c) Not later than the third professional
contact, the psychologist shall present to the client for signature a document
stating that the information required to be disclosed in paragraphs (1), (2),
and (3) above has been disclosed to the client. the psychologist shall also
sign the document and shall prepare and shall retain the signed original. If,
by the third professional contact, disclosure cannot be made, or the client
declines to sign, the psychologist shall prepare and sign a written statement
explaining the omission, which shall be retained in place of the signed
copy.
(d) When the client is not
able to understand the disclosure, as in the case of a minor or an adult who is
under the supervision of a guardian, the disclosure shall be made to a suitable
parent or guardian.
(e) If no
guardian has been appointed, but a guardianship application has been made, the
disclosure should be to the person named in the petition. If the guardianship
petition is contested or soon to be awarded, the licensee may either wait or
have the client sign and then subsequently, if a guardian is appointed, have
the guardian sign.
(f) When the
client is a patient or resident in an institution, including a hospital,
nursing home, school, correctional facility, or community mental health center,
psychologists providing care are excused from obtaining a signed receipt of
disclosure so long as the information required in (a) above is readily
available from the institution. the psychologist must make individual
disclosure as provided in (a) and (b) above in cases where the institution's
disclosure is inadequate.
(g)
Psychologists employed by or belonging to a private practice group (partnership
or corporation) or managed care group (corporation or other form of business
organization) are considered to be practicing independently and subject to the
disclosure requirements of these rules.
(h) Employees or persons under contract with
an institution which is under the oversight of a governmental agency are exempt
from the disclosure requirements of these rules but must inform clients that
the information listed in Rule
6.8 above is available upon
request.
(i) At its discretion, the
Board may inspect and audit a licensee's records of information disclosure. the
Board will inspect only general materials relating to information disclosure
and will not inspect individual client records or notes, unless a complaint has
been filed by or concerning a particular client. Individuals to be audited are
selected on a random basis or in response to a complaint.
Section 6.9 Record Retention
(a)
3 V.S.A. §
129a requires that client records be retained
for seven (7) years.
(b)
Non-regulatory considerations may dictate retaining client records for longer
than the seven years required for licensing purposes. Licensees and supervisees
should consult with their legal advisors or insurers to determine how long they
should retain client records.
Part
8 CONTINUING EDUCATION
Section
8.1 Continuing Education Renewal Requirements
At each renewal, each licensee must document attendance or
participation in 60 hours of continuing education.
(a) No fewer than 6 of those hours must be
specially devoted to professional psychologist ethics.
(b) No more than 30 hours may be dedicated to
any one topic.
(c) Self-help
activities and programs or activities that are designed to increase income or
office efficiency will not be counted toward the continuing education
requirement.
(d) No license will be
renewed until the licensee submits a verification of compliance with the
continuing education requirements
Section 8.2 Exemption
With the first renewal application after two years of
licensure, and with each subsequent renewal application, documentation of
completion of 60 hours of acceptable continuing education is required. Only
continuing education taken within two years of the renewal date is
counted.
Section 8.3 Content
Goals and Requirements
Continuing education is required so the public can be assured
that psychologists maintain continued competence to practice. It permits the
public to benefit from practitioners who are exposed to the most current and
effective standards of professional practice. Specifically:
(a) Continuing education is the study and
review of psychological concepts and techniques, and the acquisition of new
knowledge or skills relevant to the practice of psychology.
(b) Continuing education should contribute to
the growth of professional knowledge and practice competence.
(c) Continuing education must be related to
generally accepted fields of psychology.
Section 8.4 Acceptable Continuing Educational
Activities
Continuing education may be obtained via:
(a) large group and formal
presentations;
(b) small group
activities; and
(c) individual
activities.
Section 8.5
Large Group Activities and Formal Presentations
Continuing education may be obtained via group activities such
as:
(a) Formal academic courses and
in-person live lectures which may include attendance at professional or
scientific meetings relevant to the practice;
(b) Interactive programs such as symposia,
presentations, workshops, institutes, formal panel discussions, invited speaker
sessions, webinars, or other formats that allow for a live exchange among
participants.
(c) No fewer than 24
hours of the 60 hours must be obtained from large group and formal presentation
activities.
Section 8.6
Small Group Activities
Small group activities means in-person meetings or meetings
conducted via electronic visual media of small groups, 3 to 8 people, of
professional peers. to be counted toward continuing educational requirements,
these networking activities must be pre-planned meetings among psychologists
and other mental health professionals which:
(a) review current issues in psychology;
or
(b) discuss the practice of
psychology; or
(c) provide clinical
case conceptualizations and review, including on-going case consultation and/or
supervision; and
(d) which may
include group professional book or journal clubs.
Section 8.7 Small Group Activities -
Documentation
Each participant claiming credit for small group activities
must document each session or meeting. Licensees are encouraged to use the
small group activity documentation forms available from the Board's
website.
Documentation must include:
(a) list or number of participants;
(b) hours of attendance;
(c) a description of the topic(s)
covered;
(d) the way in which the
meeting was conducted; and
(e) an
assessment of how the meeting contributed to professional
development.
Section 8.8
Individual Activities
Continuing education may be obtained via individual activities
such as:
(a) independent study, e.g.
professional readings, audiotapes, videotapes, CD's, DVD's, on line continuing
education courses, professional writing, or speaking (including preparation of
courses and formal presentations) not more than once for the subject matter
covered);
(b) scholarship
research;
(c) journals;
and
(d) the study of alternative
paradigms in the field of psychology. Documentation for alternative paradigm
study will include a thorough critique (two or three pages) of the new
paradigm.
(e) During any 2 year
licensing period, the Board may determine that successful completion of the
Vermont Jurisprudence Examination may be counted for one hour of continuing
education credit.
(f) No minimum
number of individual activities is required, but no more than 24 hours of the
60 hours may be obtained via individual activities.
Section 8.9 Documentation
Licensees are responsible for proper documentation of all
continuing education activities. Documentation must show hours of attendance
and participation, process and product including relevant readings, activities,
research procedures, and products. for small group and individual activities
documentation shall include a brief critique of the material.
Section 8.10 Forms
Licensees are encouraged to use the continuing educational
documentation forms available from the Board's website. Licensees shall be
prepared to provide supporting documentation to enable a full review of the
continuing educational activity claimed.
Section 8.11 Pre-Approved Programs and
Providers
Continuing education programs sponsored by the American
Psychological Association and the Vermont Psychological Association are
pre-approved by the Board. the Board may pre-approve other specific providers
or programs. a list of those approvals will be kept by the Board and be
available from the Board's website.
Section 8.12 Retention of Continuing
Education Records
Documents pertaining to continuing education programs shall be
retained by the licensee for four years.
Section 8.13 Compliance Audits
(a) The Board will conduct continuing
education audits of currently conditioned licensees and randomly selected
licensees. the Board may also audit late renewing licensees and licensees who
in any of the preceding 2 renewal cycles were initially found to have not met
continuing education renewal requirements.
(b) If an audit shows that the licensee has
not acquired 60 hours of acceptable continuing education, the Board will inform
that licensee. the licensee will be given 90 days to develop and complete a
corrective plan to correct the deficiencies. Failure to comply with a
corrective plan may lead to disciplinary action.
