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Employment & Supervision of Psychological Assistants - Answers
- 1. Whose responsibility is it to notify patients, prior
to the rendering of psychological services by a psychological assistant,
that the assistant is unlicensed and is under the direction and
supervision of a licensed psychologist?
Answer: Pursuant to California Code
of Regulations section 1391.6(b), the primary supervisor shall
inform each client or patient, prior to the rendering of services
by the psychological assistant, that the assistant is unlicensed
and is under the direction and supervision of the supervisor.
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- 2. Is a psychological assistant accruing hours of supervised
professional experience required to keep a written log to document
the hours of supervised experience?
Answer: Yes. Regulation section
1387.5 requires that all supervisees maintain a written, weekly
log of all hours of supervised professional experience gained
toward licensure.
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- 3. May a psychological assistant rent office space from
his/her supervisor?
Answer: No. 1391.8(c) does not allow
a psychological assistant to rent, lease, sublease, or lease-purchase
office space from the supervisor/employer.
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- 4. The following is a three-part question:
- a. Psychological assistant registrations expire January
31 each year. When do the registrations become delinquent?
Answer: February 1st,
if not renewed by January 31st; however, 1391.12(b) allows
the psychological assistant to renew without a delinquency
fee within 30 days after the January 31st expiration
date.
- b. When do the registrations become void and canceled
if not renewed?
Answer: Regulation section 1391.12(e) states
that a registration that is not renewed within 60 days after
the January 31st renewal date shall become void
and a new application for registration shall be submitted by
the employer.
- c. Is a psychological assistant allowed to practice
while his/her registration is delinquent?
Answer: No. This would be the illegal practice
of psychology. The psychological assistant no longer holds
a current and valid registration once the registration is delinquent.
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- 5. How long is a supervisor given to notify the board in
writing that a psychological assistant registration has been terminated?
Answer: Regulation section 1391.11
states that a supervisor/employer must notify the board in writing
within 30 days after termination of employment.
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- 6. What is the fee for the psychological assistant application
fee who is required to pay the fee?
Answer: Regulation sections 1392.1(a)
requires the supervisor/employer of a psychological assistant
to pay the $40.00 application fee for registration.
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- 7. What percentage of time must the supervisor be "on-site"
when the psychological assistant is rendering professional services?
Answer: As of January 1, 2005, supervisors
of psychological assistants no longer need to be on-site when
the psychological assistant is rendering services. Regulation
section 1391.5(a) requires that the supervisor be employed in
the same work setting and be available to the assistant 100%
of the time the assistant is rendering professional services.
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- 8. What is the minimum amount of direct, individual, face-to-face
supervision that must be provided by the supervisor to psychological
assistants in order for the hours of supervised professional experience
to count toward licensure?
Answer: Regulation sections 1387(b)(4)
and 1391.5(b) require the supervisor to provide to the trainee
a minimum of one (1) hour per week of direct, individual, face-to-face
supervision. However, if the psychological assistant is accruing
hours to meet the licensing requirements, 10% supervision is
required pursuant to section 1387 of the California Code of Regulations.
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- 9. The following is a two-part question:
- a. Is it legal for a psychological assistant to begin
rendering psychological services prior to notification by the
board that a registration has been approved?
Answer: No. The unlicensed/unregistered
practice of psychology is illegal.
- b. Is a probationary period allowable prior to registration?
Answer: No. Registration is required prior
to commencement of professional services.
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- 10. Is it acceptable to supervise a psychological assistant
who is a current or former patient?
Answer: No. Regulation section
1387.1(k) prohibits a qualified supervisor from supervising a
supervisee who is, or has been, a psychotherapy client of the
supervisor.
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- 11. What is the maximum number of hours of supervised professional
experience that a psychological assistant can earn in a month that
will count toward the licensure requirements?
Answer: Regulation section 1387(b)(5)
limits the number of hours to 176 hours per month (44 hours per
week).
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- 12. Can a psychological assistant earn hours of supervised
professional experience under the supervision of a family member
or business associate?
Answer: No. For a supervisor to
have a familial or interpersonal relationship with the psychological
assistant would be a violation of regulation section 1387.1(j).
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- 13. Can a supervisor charge psychological assistants a
fee for supervision?
Answer: No. To do so would be a
violation of regulation sections 1391.8(a) and 1387(b)(8) which
state that qualified supervisors may not charge a fee or otherwise
require monetary payment in consideration for the supervision
of a psychological assistant.
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- 14. The following is a two-part question:
- a. What is the maximum number of psychological assistants
that can be registered to a psychologist at one time?
Answer: B & P Code section
2913(d) states that no qualified psychologist can supervise
more than three (3) psychological assistants at any given
time.
- b. How many to a board-certified psychiatrist?
Answer: B & P Code section 2913(d) states
that no board-certified psychiatrist can supervise more than
one (1) psychological assistant at any given time.
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- 15. What kind of information must be reported to the board
on an annual basis by the supervisor of a psychological assistant?
Answer: 1391.10 requires that every
supervisor of a psychological assistant submit to the board a
report for the preceding calendar year showing: 1) the nature
of the limited psychological functions performed by the psychological
assistant, 2) evidence of employment, 3) the location, type,
extent and amount of supervision, and 4) a certification that
the limited psychological functions are within the scope of the
psychological assistant's education and training. This information
is reported on the registration renewal form.
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- 16. It is preferable that psychological assistants not
advertise their services since they are unlicensed practitioners
who are allowed to perform limited functions under direct supervision.
If, however, letterhead or other advertisement is developed for
a psychological assistant, what kind of information (in your opinion)
should be contained in the advertisement?
Answer: That the person is supervised,
his or her registration number, the name and license number of
the supervisor.
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