Article archive / April 1, 2016
Originally published: . Volume 7, No. 4. Source pages: 10.
Comments Due by April 9 Psych Board Proposes More Changes to Continuing Education Rule
The state psychology board is proposing more changes to its Rules for Continuing Education, also called Continuing Professional Development (CPD). The proposed changes modify the major changes that were made in October 2013, and which take affect in some way for most psychologists this year.
The newest proposed changes were put forth in the March issue of the Louisiana Register. Comments from the public must be received by the board by noon on April 9.
The 2013 changes added several new types of training allowed for professional development, and increased the number of required hours from 30 to 40.
Among the more significant changes proposed in March, are the following:
1) an increase the length of time that licensees must maintain continuing professional development records, from two years to six years.
2) a reduction in credits claimed for presenting a training workshop. Previously presenters could claim up to four times what attendees of the workshop earn. The new change reduces it to two times the length.
3) for “Practice Outcome Monitoring,” one client equals one credit. This changes the 2013 procedure that one questionnaire equals one credit. 4) all self-directed learning, which includes what was previously called “Home Study” is to be limited to no more than 10 hours.
5) a new document for verification, called the “CDP Verification Form,” is required for logging activities and docu- menting hours, and used for peer consultation, practice outcome measures, professional activities, and self-directed learning, and possibly others. Other changes include the addition to “Peer Consultation” as involving a “structured and organized format.”
A specific note that professional activities do not include lobbying activities is included.
For publications, credits are clarified to be: one article is equal to 10 credit hours; and a book or a book chapter, related to the field of psychology, is equal to 10 credit hours. The new Rule will delete the confusing wording in §808, having to do with calculation of credits.
In a memo dated February 29 and posted on the psychology board’s website, Executive Director Ms. Jaime Monic wrote that modifications to the Rule are expected to be effective by June. This appears to also mean that changes may be in place for the July 1 renewals.
Current LSBEP Chair, Dr. Marc Zimmermann and Vice Chair, Dr. Darla Burnett, at a previous planning meeting. The board is making more corrections and changes to the Rules for continuing education. Public omments are due by April 9.
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.