D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 17, r. 17-6902

Current through Register Vol. 71, No. 49, December 6, 2024

Rule 17-6902 - EDUCATIONAL AND TRAINING REQUIREMENTS

6902.1

Except as otherwise provided in this subtitle, an applicant for a license shall furnish proof satisfactory to the Board, in accordance with § 504(o) of the Act, D.C. Official Code § 3-1205.04(o), of the following:

(a) That the applicant has received a doctoral degree from an institution which was accredited, at the time the degree was conferred, by an accrediting body recognized by the Secretary of the United States Department of Education or the Council on Postsecondary Accreditation;

(b) That the applicant meets one (1) of the following requirements:

(1) That the applicant's doctoral degree program is listed in the "Doctoral Psychology Program Meeting Designation Criteria" published annually by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards or the Council for the National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology (the National Register), applicable for the year in which the degree was conferred;

(2) That the applicant's doctoral degree program was accredited by the American Psychological Association ("APA") at the time the degree was awarded;

(3) That the applicant's doctoral degree was conferred prior to 1981; or

(4) That the applicant holds an active diploma awarded by the American Board of Professional Psychology ("ABPP"); and

(c) That the applicant has completed at least four thousand (4,000) hours of psychological practice experience (PPE) meeting the requirements of this chapter.

6902.2

The four thousand (4,000) hours of psychological practice experience required pursuant to § 6902.1(c) may have been acquired after conferral of the doctoral degree; or up to two thousand (2,000) hours may have been acquired during a pre-doctoral internship with the remaining hours acquired within two years after conferral of the doctoral degree. The Board may, at its discretion, grant an extension of the two (2) year time limit for good cause shown.

6902.3

If an applicant chooses to acquire the four thousand (4,000) hours of psychological practice after he or she has obtained the doctoral degree, the hours shall be obtained over a period of not less than two (2) years and not more than three (3) years commencing the day after conferral of the applicant's doctoral degree but before the date the application is submitted. The Board may, at its discretion, extend the three (3) year time limit for good cause shown.

6902.4

The psychological practice experience required pursuant to § 6902.1(c) shall be acquired in at least one of the following ways:

(a) An internship program accredited by the APA or meeting the membership criteria established by the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC);

(b) A postdoctoral program accredited by the APA or meeting the membership criteria established by APPIC; or

(c) A psychological practice experience meeting the criteria enumerated in § 6902.5.

6902.5

A psychological practice experience that does not meet the requirements of § 6902.4(a) or (b) shall meet the following requirements:

(a) All practice shall be under the general supervision of a psychologist licensed in a jurisdiction of the United States, who shall be the primary supervisor;

(b) The primary supervisor may delegate the supervisory responsibilities to another licensed psychologist, psychiatrist, or independent clinical social worker;

(c) A minimum of ten percent (10%) of the total practice hours shall be performed under immediate supervision of the primary supervisor;

(d) The primary supervisor shall ensure that the overall psychological practice experience complies with the requirements under this chapter and is consistent with the goals and principles of the professional practice of psychology; and

(e) The applicant's performance shall have been rated as at least satisfactory by each supervisor.

6902.6

An applicant for a license shall demonstrate the completion of the psychological practice experience required pursuant to § 6902.1(c) by submitting with the application a signed attestation from each supervisor who supervised the applicant during the required supervised practice. The supervisor's attestation shall set forth the following:

(a) That the supervision provided meets all the requirements of this section;

(b) Detailed information of any delegated supervision where applicable;

(c) The license numbers and the jurisdictions in which all supervisors were licensed during the supervisory period;

(d) The location at which and the period of time during which the psychological practice experience took place;

(e) The specific nature of and the responsibilities included in psychological practice experience obtained by the applicant; and

(f) A rating of the applicant's performance from all supervisors.

6902.7

An applicant for a license who has been licensed in another jurisdiction in the United States but who does not qualify for licensure by endorsement due to a lack of psychological practice experience meeting requirements of this section may rely upon at least two (2) years of licensed, unsupervised practice to fulfill the requirement of § 6902.1(c). The applicant shall submit a certificate of licensure in good standing with the application and a statement which sets forth the location, duration, total hours, and specific nature of the applicant's practice.

6902.8

An applicant whose doctoral program does not meet the requirements of § 6902.1(b) shall be eligible for licensure provided that the applicant was enrolled in the doctoral program prior to April 15, 2011, and the applicant meets all other requirements of this chapter necessary for licensure.

6902.9

The Board may waive any specific requirements of § 6902.5 if the psychological practice experience was initiated prior to June 30, 2014.

D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 17, r. 17-6902

Final Rulemaking published at 35 DCR 2921 (April 22, 1988); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 37 DCR 2747, 2754 (May 4, 1990); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 55 DCR 5250 (May 2, 2008); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 58 DCR 3241 (April 15, 2011); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 59 DCR 2159 (March 16, 2012); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 61 DCR 4921 (May 16, 2014)

Authority: § 302(14) of the District of Columbia Health Occupations Revision Act of 1985, effective March 25, 1986 (D.C. Law 6-99; D.C. Official Code § 3-1203.02(14) (2012 Repl.)), and Mayor's Order 98-140, dated August 20, 1998.