Board Meeting Highlights November 21-22, 2008

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The Board of Psychology conducts four quarterly board meetings each year. Board meeting minutes are available to the public once they have been approved and adopted by the Board at a subsequent meeting. To inform the public of the major actions or discussions of each Board meeting without waiting for the approved minutes, Board staff produces this document entitled "Board Meeting Highlights" and makes it available to the public as soon as possible following the Board meeting. This summary is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be viewed as the official minutes of the Board meeting.

The Board of Psychology met on November 21-22, 2008, at the Westin Los Angeles Airport, 5400 West Century Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90045. The following summarizes the major highlights of the board meeting:

• The Board conducted this meeting as part of the Professionals Achieving Consumer Trust Summit (Consumer Trust Summit), presented by the Department of Consumer Affairs and the California Consumer Affairs and the California Consumer Affairs Association. The Consumer Trust Summit was held from November 18 through November 21, 2008 and provided an unprecedented opportunity for Board members, consumer advocates, law enforcement and stakeholders to meet. The event laid the foundation for further cooperation and future collaboration in areas that impact consumers and licensees across the state. The Consumer Trust Summit included:
  • DCA board and bureau regulatory meetings
  • Training sessions designed especially for board members, consumer advocates and law enforcement
  • Panel discussions on issues that affect DCA's consumer protection mission
  • The California Consumer Affairs Association Training Session
  • The Small Claims Court Advisors Association Training Session

The Consumer Trust Summit enabled participants to establish new channels of communication, share best practices, leverage resources, and build partnerships. This will enhance participants' ability to gather and share information and to address common issues like workforce shortage and the value of a California professional license.

• The Board discussed the situation of doctoral students enrolled in state approved schools of psychology following the sunset of the Bureau for Private Post secondary and Vocational Education. The highlights of that discussion are as follows:
  • The Board voted to begin the regulatory process to define what degree from an approved school pursuant to Business & Professions Code section 2914(g) would meet the qualifications for licensure, including these requirements:
    (a) the applicant matriculated in an approved school by December 31, 2008,
    (b) the degree is conferred by December 31, 2013, and
    (c) there is no legislation reenacting the BPPVE or a successor agency that affects the status of the school or the degree conferred.
  • During the regulatory process, applications for licensure from graduates of approved schools will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis to determine whether the degree meets the statutory educational requirements.
  Please keep in mind that there is no guarantee that such a regulation will include these requirements as proposed, or ultimately be approved, so the Board encourages all students to know their rights and explore their options for completing their degrees.
• The Board is moving forth with its plans to conduct a diversity conference in collaboration with the California Psychological Association (CPA) although the target date for the conference has been changed to March 27, 2009. The Board is working with CPA to finalize the agenda and tentative speakers.
• The Board was presented with two proposals for amending the continuing education regulations. The first proposal would eliminate the requirement for individual course approval by the MCEP Accrediting Agency (MCEPAA) and make other minor changes, but would essentially leave the existing regulations intact, including the 100% audit performed by the MCEPAA.
• The second proposal would make substantial changes to the existing regulations, including eliminating the MCEPAA as well as the 100% audit that they perform. Under this proposal, licensees would be responsible for keeping track of their continuing education and submitting documentation of completion to the Board upon request. Board staff would randomly audit licensees' continuing education to ensure compliance. Additionally, all continuing education courses would have to be:
  • Provided by the American Psychological Association or its approved sponsors;
  • Continuing Medical Education (CME) courses specifically applicable and pertinent to the practice of psychology and that are accredited by the California Medical Association or the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education;
  • Sponsored by the Academies of the specialty boards of the American Board of Professional Psychology; or
  • Provided by the California Psychological Association or its approved sponsors.

The vote on this issue was tabled to the next Board meeting to give the Board members time to review each proposal carefully and make an informed decision.

• The Credentials Committee reported that the Psychological Assistant Task Force met on October 15, 2008 to discuss the use and purpose of the psychological assistant registration. The group was comprised of eight licensed psychologists who were previously registered as psychological assistants or who currently employ psychological assistants. The Board voted to hold a regulation hearing at the next Board meeting. The proposed changes will clarify the psychological assistant regulations as a training category as well as limit the psychological assistant registration period to 72 aggregate months.
• Regulation updates:
  • Postdoctoral Supervised Professional Experience (CAPIC) – Amendments to Title 16, California Code of Regulations section 1387(a)(2)(A) – Hearing was held on November 17, 2007, at which the Board adopted the proposed language. Board staff has been working with the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) to revise the Economic and Fiscal Impact Statement. The final rulemaking file was submitted to DCA on August 12, 2008, and the file was submitted to the Office of Administrative Law on November 14, 2008.
  • Psychological Assistant Renewals – Amendments to Title 16, California Code of Regulations sections 1391.4, 1391.10 and 1391.12 – Hearing was held on August 9, 2008, at which the Board voted to retain the current language of section 1391.4 regarding the American Psychological Association's Guidelines and Principles for Accreditation of Programs in Professional Psychology and adopt the remaining proposed changes as noticed. Board staff is in process of completing the rulemaking file.
  • Psychological Assistant Plans for SPE – Amendments to Title 16, California Code of Regulations sections 1387(b)(10) and 1387.6 – Hearing was held on August 9, 2008, at which the Board voted to adopt the proposed regulations as noticed. Board staff is in process of completing the rulemaking file.