21 NCAC 54 .2104             CONTINUING EDUCATION

(a)  All licensees shall complete continuing education in accordance with this Rule prior to the renewal of a license. The license of any license who fails to complete the required continuing education shall not be renewed and shall be suspended automatically in accordance with G.S. 90-270.148(f).

(b)  Definitions.

(1)           Continuing education hour – one hour of instructional or contact time.

(2)           Biennial renewal period – the period of time from the first day of October in each even numbered year, continuing until the last day in November in the next even numbered year.

(3)           Category A program sponsor –

(A)          North Carolina Psychology Board;

(B)          American Psychological Association (APA);

(C)          American Psychological Association approved sponsors;

(D)          National Association of School Psychologists (NASP);

(E)           National Association of School Psychologists approved sponsors;

(F)           North Carolina Area Health Education Centers (NCAHEC); or

(G)          North Carolina Psychological Association (NCPA).

(4)           Category B program sponsor – any program sponsor not listed in Subparagraph (3) of this Paragraph.

(c)  During each biennial renewal period, a licensee must complete a minimum of 24 continuing education hours, a minimum of 15 of which must be completed under a Category A program sponsor as defined in Subparagraph )(b)(3) of this Rule. The remaining required hours of continuing education may be completed in either Category A or Category B. Included in the 15 hours under a Category A program sponsor, a minimum of 3 continuing education hours in the area of ethics in the professional practice of psychology must be completed. To be credited as fulfillment of this requirement, the word "ethics" or a derivative of the word "ethics" must be in the title of the program, and the program must include such content.

(d)  Except as specified in Paragraphs (f) and (g) of this Rule, the 24 continuing education hours, whether Category A or B, must meet all of the following requirements:

(1)           The continuing education hours must be obtained through:

(A)          in-person attendance at programs;

(B)          presentations at programs; or

(C)          completion of on-line or correspondence courses.

(2)           The program sponsor shall award a certificate of completion which documents the following information:

(A)          name of sponsor and any cosponsor of program;

(B)          number of contact hours credited for psychologists;

(C)          title of program;

(D)          date of program; and

(E)           in the case of an APA or NASP approved sponsor, a statement that the entity is APA or NASP approved to provide the program as continuing education to psychologists.

(3)           All continuing education hours, whether Category A or B, must be in the maintenance and enrichment of professional skills and competencies within the licensee's scope of practice in psychology, including, but not limited to:

(A)          training in empirically supported assessment or treatment;

(B)          the application of research to the practice of psychology;

(C)          legal issues in psychology;

(D)          ethics in the professional practice of psychology;

(E)           training in how to properly supervise in accordance with Board rules regarding supervision requirements, as described in Rule .2001(c) of this Chapter; and

(F)           training in best practice standards and guidelines.

(e)  To renew a licensee, a licensee shall submit the following to document that he or she has met the continuing education requirements specified in this Rule:

(1)           a signed attestation form; which includes the following:

(A)          Category A documentation including:

(i)            date of program;

(ii)           number of contact hours;

(iii)          name of sponsor of program;

(iv)          title of program;

(v)           location of program.

(B)          Category B. documentation including:

(i)            date of program or activity;

(ii)           number of instructional or contact hours;

(iii)          description of activity;

(iv)          name of presenter, facilitator, or leader;

(v)           name of sponsor;

(vi)          location;

(vii)         full citation of article;

(viii)        summary of content; and

(C)          an attestation by the licensee that the statements on the form are true and correct.

(2)           except as specified in Paragraphs (f) and (g) of this Rule, copies of certificates of completion that include the information specified in Subparagraph (d)(2) of this Rule.

(f)  A maximum of three continuing education hours may be credited in each biennial renewal period for any licensee who has received Board-required supervision, except when specified otherwise under a Consent Order or Final Decision executed by the Board. These three hours must be documented by the supervisor and will be credited toward the maximum nine hours allowed under Category B program sponsors.

(g)  A maximum of nine continuing education hours may be credited in each biennial renewal period for graduate course work completed on a pass/fail or graded basis in a doctoral psychology program that is approved by the American Psychological Association. These hours must be documented on an official transcript sent to the Board by the institution of higher education at which the applicant completed the courses and will be credited toward the maximum nine hours allowed under Category B program sponsors.

(h)  A maximum of one continuing education hour may be credited in each biennial renewal period for completion in each renewal cycle of the Board developed ethics renewal examination described in Rule .1901(a)(3) of this Chapter.

(i)  Continuing education hours credited for license renewal in one biennium renewal period shall not be credited for license renewal in another biennium renewal period.

(j)  An individual licensed on or before October 1, 2020, shall attest on the license renewal application for the 2020-2022 biennial renewal period, and on each subsequent biennial renewal application, to having met the mandatory continuing education requirements specified in this Rule. An individual licensed after October 1, 2020, shall attest on the second license renewal application following licensure, and on each subsequent biennial renewal application, to having met the mandatory continuing education requirements specified in this Rule.

(k)  An applicant for reinstatement of licensure must document that he or she has completed a minimum of 24 continuing education hours as specified in this Rule within the two years preceding the date of application for reinstatement of licensure and must attest on each subsequent biennial renewal application to having met the mandatory continuing education requirements specified in this Rule.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 90-270.143; 90-270.147(a)(2);

Eff. August 1, 2002;

Amended Eff. July 1, 2003;

Readopted Eff. April 1, 2020;

Amended Eff. August 1, 2021.