SECTION 575:10-1-8. Continuing professional education for psychologists

(a)   Purpose. The purpose of continuing professional education requirements for psychologists is to assure that licensees update and advance their skills such that the public shall benefit from the most current and effective standards of professional practice. To further the goal of public benefit, all psychologists are encouraged to fulfill a portion of their continuing professional education requirements in the areas of ethics, professional conduct, and related legal issues. A minimum of three (3) of the twenty (20) continuing professional education credits required for yearly licensure renewal shall be earned by licensees with HSP certification in activities that are specific to ethics, relevant laws and legal issues, and/or applicable professional practice guidelines and standards.

(b)   Credits required for annual license renewal. The minimum of twenty (20) credits of acceptable continuing professional education will be required for renewal of a license to practice psychology for the following year (one clock hour equals one credit). The continuing professional education year is a calendar year and all continuing professional education hours must be submitted online on the Board's official website by the close of business on December 31. For licenses issued after January 1 of a given year, the required credits of continuing professional education will be adjusted for the initial continuing professional education year only, to require 1.5 credits of continuing professional education per full month of licensure for the initial renewal of the license. Continuing professional education hours attained in a calendar year in excess of the minimum annual requirements may be carried forward for credit in the succeeding year up to twelve (12) hours of credit.

(c)   Preapproval of continuing professional education activities required.

(1)   Continuing professional education credits may be granted for acceptable educational activities at the graduate level which are preapproved by the Board, or by a committee appointed by the Board. No credits will be granted for any activities or categories of activities that have not been preapproved.

(2)   A provider of educational activities may apply to the Board for preapproval of an activity. The provider shall be responsible for compliance with the standards for approval of the activity, verification of participation, and for the provision of the necessary verification of attendance forms to all participants. This verification of attendance form shall include:

(A)   The participant's name.

(B)   The presenter's name, academic degree, profession, and whether licensed.

(C)   The presentation topic.

(D)   The program sponsor agency.

(E)   The location of the presentation.

(F)   The dates of presentation.

(G)   The total number of clock hours presented.

(d)   Exceptions to the requirements. Exceptions to the requirements of (c) of this section may be granted at the discretion of the Board for programs presented by recognized sponsors whose programs have been preapproved by the Board. The university academic hour is equal to fifteen (15) credits, and shall be verified by the presentation of an official graduate transcript showing course or audit credits. The licensee is ultimately responsible for providing all information necessary for the Board to make final determination concerning the acceptability of any requested continuing professional education credits.

(e)   Fee for preapproval. Providers of educational activities may be charged a fee for the review and preapproval of their program. This fee shall be set by the Board.

(f)   Kinds of educational activities for which credit may be received. Continuing professional education credits may be earned through formal organized learning experiences, scientific publications, attendance at regularly scheduled meetings of international, national, regional, or state professional associations, or through presentations to appropriate groups not related to the psychologist's regular employment. The same kinds of educational activities, when the subject matter is so designated, may be used to fulfill the mandatory three (3) hours of credit in the areas of ethics, relevant laws and legal issues and/or applicable professional practice guidelines and standards. Other acceptable activities include attendance at Board meetings and serving the Board as an appointed investigator, tutor, practice monitor or supervisor.

(g)   Credits allowed. Continuing professional education activities, whether received or presented by the psychologist, must be targeted toward a professional audience. In those instances when the psychologist is teaching a continuing professional education activity which has been granted preapproval by the Board, three (3) credits will be given for each one (1) hour that is taught, provided that such teaching is not a part of the psychologist's regular employment. Publication of a scientific book or chapter in a book, or publication of a scientific article in a refereed journal, shall be equal to ten (10) credits. Examination by the American Board of Professional Psychology shall be equal to twenty (20) credits.

(h)   List of approved Continuing Professional Education Recognized Sponsors. This list shall be reviewed and approved by the Board.

(i)   Verification of continuing professional education. Continuing professional education records shall be maintained in the Board files for two years. Individual psychologists are to keep verification of all continuing professional education credits claimed for a period of two years. In February of each year, the Board will randomly select from two (2) to twenty-five (25) percent of the number of psychologists on active status the previous year for an audit of their claimed continuing professional education credits. These selected psychologists must then provide the Board with verification of all credits claimed on their continuing professional education form within thirty (30) days following receipt of the audit notice.

(j)   Board audit. The Board may, at its discretion, audit and require verification of any continuing professional education credits claimed which it may consider questionable or fraudulent. In either condition, selected psychologists who do not furnish verification of claimed continuing professional education credits to the Board within thirty (30) days following receipt of the audit notice shall as of December 31 have their licenses invalidated for the practice of psychology, with possible suspension or revocation of the license to practice psychology.

(k)   Late fee for late filing. A psychologist who has not completed and reported the required twenty (20) credits of continuing professional education by December 31, shall pay a late fee which will be set by the Board.

(l)   Petition for relief for previous years. Under the extraordinary circumstances of active duty in the military, incapacitation, or serious illness of the licensed psychologist, or of an immediate family member, and upon the presentation of acceptable evidence thereof, a psychologist who is otherwise in full compliance with all renewal requirements, may petition the Board for partial or complete relief of the previous year's continuing professional education requirement. There shall be no fee for a psychologist who petitions the Board for compassionate relief of continuing professional education requirements under this subsection.

(m)   License rendered invalid for failure to comply. A licensed psychologist who is not in compliance with the required twenty (20) credits (hours) of continuing professional education by December 31 and/or who has not completed and reported his/her continuing professional education hours by December 31, and who has not petitioned the Board for compassionate relief under (l) of this section, shall as of December 31 have his or her license invalidated for the practice of psychology, with possible suspension of the license to practice psychology.

[Source: Amended at 12 Ok Reg 1263, eff 5-11-95; Amended at 13 Ok Reg 1719, eff 5-28-96; Amended at 15 Ok Reg 1784, eff 5-11-98; Amended at 20 Ok Reg 1016, eff 5-12-03; Amended at 24 Ok Reg 2657, eff 7-12-07; Amended at 29 Ok Reg 1815, eff 9-14-12; Amended at 32 Ok Reg 2167, eff 9-11-15; Amended at 33 Ok Reg 1806, eff 9-11-16; Amended at 34 Ok Reg 1892, eff 9-11-17; Amended at 35 Ok Reg 1933, eff 9-14-18]