R4-26-207

A.  A licensee shall complete at least 40 hours of continuing education during each license period.  Unless specified otherwise, one clock hour of instruction, training, or making a presentation equals one hour of continuing education.

B.   During the license period in which an individual is initially licensed, the Board shall pro-rate the number of continuing education hours  , including a pro-rated number of hours addressing ethics, domestic violence, intimate partner abuse, abuse of vulnerable adults, child abuse, and bullying that the new licensee must complete during the initial license period. To calculate the number of continuing education hours that a new licensee must obtain, the Board shall divide the 40 hours of continuing education required in a license period by 24 and multiply the quotient by the number of whole months from the date of initial licensure until the end of the license period. To determine the number of ethics hours required during the first license period, the license shall complete one hour of ethics for every six months from the month of license issuance to the end of the license period.

C.  A licensee shall  ensure that the continuing education hours obtained include at least four hours in each of the following:

1.   Professional ethics; and

2.   Domestic violence, intimate partner abuse, child abuse, or abuse of vulnerable adults. The topic of bullying satisfies the requirement for child abuse.

D.  If the standards in subsection (F) are met, the Board shall accept the following for continuing education hours. In completing the continuing education requirement, a licensee shall ensure that hours are obtained from participating in at least two of the following:

1.   Post-doctoral study sponsored by a university or college that is regionally accredited under A.R.S. § 32-2071(A)(1)  and provides a graduate-level degree program ;

2.   A course, seminar, workshop, or home study for which a certificate of completion is provided; 

3.   A continuing education program offered by a national, international, regional, or state association, society, board, or continuing education provider;

4.   Teaching a graduate-level course in applied psychology at a university or college that is regionally accredited under A.R.S. § 32-2071(A)(1). A licensee who teaches a graduate-level course in applied psychology receives the same number of continuing education hours as number of classroom hours for those who take the graduate-level course;

5.   Organizing and presenting a continuing education activity. A licensee who organizes and presents a continuing education activity receives the same number of continuing education hours as those who attend the continuing education activity;

6.   Attending a Board meeting or serving as a member of the Board. A licensee receives up to six continuing education hours in professional ethics for attending both morning and afternoon sessions of a Board meeting and three continuing education hours for attending either the morning or afternoon session or at least four hours of a Board meeting. A licensee shall complete documentation provided by the Board at the time the licensee attends a Board meeting.  During a license period, the Board shall not accept from a licensee more than 10 continuing education hours obtained by attending a Board meeting;

7.   Serving as a complaint consultant.  During a license period, a licensee who serves as a Board complaint consultant to review Board complaints and provide a written report to the Board may receive continuing education hours equal to the actual number of hours served as a complaint consultant  to a maximum of 20 hours;

8.   Having an authored or co-authored psychology book, psychology book chapter, or article in a peer-reviewed psychology journal published. A licensee who has an authored or co-authored psychology book, psychology book chapter, or article in a peer-reviewed psychology journal published receives 10 continuing education hours in the year of publication;

9.   Participating in a study group for professional growth and development as a psychologist. A licensee receives one hour of continuing education for each hour of participation to a maximum of 10 continuing education hours for participating in a study group. The Board shall allow continuing education hours for participating in a study group only if the licensee maintains the documentation required under subsection (G)(5);

10. Presenting a symposium or paper at a state, regional, national, or international psychology meeting. A licensee who presents a symposium or paper receives the same number of continuing education hours as hours of the session, as published in the agenda of the meeting, at which the symposium or paper is presented to a maximum of 10 continuing education hours in a license period;

11. Presenting a poster during a poster session at a state, regional, national, or international psychology meeting. A licensee who presents a poster receives an hour of continuing education for each hour the licensee is physically present with the poster during the poster session, as published in the agenda of the meeting, to a maximum of 10 continuing education hours in a license period; and

12. Serving as an elected officer of an international, national, regional, or state psychological association or society. A licensee who serves as an elected officer may receive continuing education hours equal to the actual number of hours served to a maximum of 10 continuing education hours in a license period.

E.   The Board shall not allow continuing education credit more than once in a license period for:

      1.     Teaching the same graduate-level course,

      2.     Organizing and presenting a continuing education activity on the same topic or content area, or

      3.   Presenting the same symposium or paper at a state, regional, national, or international psychology meeting.

F.   Standards for continuing education. To be acceptable for continuing education credit, an activity identified in subsections (D)(1) through (4) shall:   

      1.   Focus on the practice of psychology, as defined at A.R.S. § 32-2061(8), for at least 75 percent of the program hours; and

      2.   Be taught by an instructor who is:

a.  Currently licensed or certified in the instructor’s profession or works at least 20 hours each week as a faculty member at a regionally accredited college or university;

      b.    A fellow   diplomate, or specialist; or

      c.   Readily identifiable as competent in the subject  of the continuing education by having an advanced degree, teaching experience, work history,  published professional  articles, or previously presented  continuing education on the same subject .

G.  The Board shall accept the following documents as evidence of completion of continuing education hours:

1.   A certificate of attendance;

2.   Statement signed by the provider verifying participation in the activity;

3.   Official transcript;

4.   Documents indicating a licensee’s participation as an elected officer or appointed member as specified in subsection (D)(12); or

5.   An attestation signed by all participants of a study group under subsection (D)(9) that includes a description of the activity,  subject covered,  dates, and  number of hours .

H.  A licensee shall maintain the documents listed in subsection (G) through the license period following the license period in which the documents were obtained.

I.    The Board may audit a licensee’s compliance with continuing education requirements. The Board may deny renewal or take other disciplinary action against a licensee who fails to obtain or document required continuing education hours. The Board may discipline a licensee who commits fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation regarding continuing education hours.

J.   A licensee who cannot meet the continuing education requirement for good cause may seek an extension of time to complete the continuing education requirement by submitting a written request to the Board with the timely submission of the renewal application required under R4-26-205.

1.   Good cause includes but is not limited to illness or injury of the licensee or a close family member, death of a close family member, birth or adoption of a child, military service, relocation, natural disaster, financial hardship, or residence in a foreign country for at least 12 months of the license period.

2.   The Board shall not grant an extension longer than one year.

3.   A licensee who cannot complete the continuing education requirement within the extension may apply to the Board for inactive license status under A.R.S. § 32-2073 (G).

K.  No continuing education hours may be carried over to the next licensing period.

L.   The Board shall not accept for continuing education hours a course, workshop, seminar, or symposium designed to increase income or office efficiency.