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Governor Davis Signs Assembly Bill 400

Assembly Bill 400

On September 26, 2000, Governor Davis signed Assembly Bill 400 which was authored by Assemblyman Ted Lempert. This bill was sponsored by the California Psychological Association and it was supported by the Board of Psychology. This bill becomes effective January 1, 2001 and it will:

1. Require applicants for licensure to possess a doctorate degree in psychology, educational psychology, or in education with the field of specialization in counseling psychology or educational psychology. No longer will the board review degrees not in these areas to determine "equivalency" or "comparability."

2. Require applicants for licensure to possess the appropriate degree which has been obtained from a regionally accredited university. No longer will the board be required to accept psychology degrees from unaccredited universities except for those psychology degrees that were obtained from a school that was "approved" by the California Bureau of Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education on or before July 1, 1999. Additionally this bill will require that such "approved" schools have not, since July 1, 1999 had a new location and that such schools are not a franchise institution as defined in section 94729.3 of the Education Code.

3. Requires all "approved" schools meeting the above criteria to provide to each prospective student a "Unaccredited Graduate Psychology School Disclosure Form" that discloses the following:

  • The number of graduates of the school who have taken the written and oral psychology licensing examinations in the preceding four years;
  • The number of graduates of the school who have passed the written and oral psychology licensing examinations in the preceding four years;
  • The number of graduates who have become licensed California psychologists in the preceding four years;
  • A disclosure statement in 14-point boldface type that reads as follows:

"Prospective students should be aware that as a graduate of an unaccredited school of psychology you may face restrictions that could include difficulty in obtaining a teaching job or appointment at an accredited college or university. It may also be difficult to work as a psychologist for some federal government or other public agencies, or to be appointed to the medical staff of a hospital. Some major managed care organizations, insurance companies, or preferred provider organizations may not reimburse individuals whose degrees are from unaccredited schools. Graduates of unaccredited schools may also face limitations in their abilities to be listed in the National Register of Health Service Providers or to hold memberships in other major organizations of psychologists."

The actual language of the bill can be reviewed online at www.leginfo.ca.gov.