Psychologists: licensure exemption.

The Psychology Licensing Law provides for the licensure and regulation of psychologists by the Board of Psychology and makes a violation of its provisions a misdemeanor. Existing law prohibits a person from engaging in the practice of psychology or representing himself or herself to be a psychologist without a license, except as specified. Existing law provides that a person, including, but not limited to, a person who holds a valid and current credential as a school psychologist issued by the State Department of Education, is not restricted or prevented from conducting activities of a psychological nature or the use of the official title of his or her position, provided that person is performing those activities as part of the duties for which he or she was employed, is performing those activities solely within the confines of or under the jurisdiction of the organization in which he or she is employed, and does not offer to render or render psychological services, as specified, to the public for a fee over and above the salary he or she receives for the performance of his or her official duties with the organization. This bill would revise and recast those provisions, including modifying those permissive provisions to not restrict or prevent from conducting activities of a psychological nature, or the use of the official title of his or her position, a person who holds a valid and current credential as a school psychologist issued by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing. The bill would similarly not so restrict or prevent a person employed in a position as a psychologist or psychological assistant by one of specified entities from conducting research and disseminating his or her research findings and scientific information. The bill would also not so restrict or prevent a person with specified education and training employed as prescribed by a nonprofit community agency that receives a certain percentage of financial support from governmental organizations for the purpose of training and providing services. The bill would require those persons to be registered by the agency with the board at the time of employment and identify such a person in the setting as a "registered psychologist." The bill would exempt those registered psychologists from licensure for a maximum period of 30 months from the date of registration. Existing law also provides that the licensing law does not restrict or prevent activities of a psychological nature on the part of a person who is a salaried employee of an accredited or approved academic institution, public school, or governmental agency, provided that, among other restrictions, the person does not offer services to the public for a fee or provide direct health or mental health services. This bill would instead provide that the licensing law does not restrict the practice of psychology on the part of a person who is a salaried employee of an accredited or approved academic institution, public school, or governmental agency, in accordance with specified restrictions. The bill would delete the existing restrictions on offering services to the public for a fee and on providing direct health or mental health services. The bill would additionally require such an employee to primarily be gaining the supervised professional experience required for licensure, as specified, in order to practice psychology without a license. That exemption would apply to an individual employee for a cumulative total of 5 years of employment after January 1, 2016.