Psychology: supervision.

The Psychology Licensing Law establishes the Board of Psychology to license and regulate the practice of psychology. Existing law requires an applicant for licensure as a psychologist to have engaged in supervised professional experience under the direction of a licensed psychologist, or under suitable alternative supervision, for at least 2 years, at least one year of which is required to occur after the applicant has been awarded the qualifying doctoral degree. Existing law authorizes a registered psychological associate to perform psychological functions in preparation for licensure as a psychologist under specified conditions, including that the registered psychological associate is supervised by a licensed psychologist. This bill would authorize the supervision of an applicant for licensure as a psychologist, and of a registered psychological associate, to be provided in real time, which is defined as through in-person or synchronous audiovisual means, in compliance with federal and state laws related to patient health confidentiality. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.