201 KAR 26:175. Continuing education

      Section 1. Definitions. (1) "Continuing education" means participation in an approved program beyond the basic educational requirements that meet the requirements established in Section 2(1) of this administrative regulation.

      (2) "Continuing education hour" means a fifty-five (55) minute clock hour of instruction.

 

      Section 2. (1) Each license holder shall document the completion of at least thirty-nine (39) continuing education hours approved by the board pursuant to this administrative regulation within each three (3) year renewal period.

      (2) A person holding a license shall complete a minimum of six (6) hours of continuing education in suicide assessment, treatment, and management within the first year of licensure and every six (6) years thereafter as required by KRS 210.366.

      (a) A person holding a license shall be exempted from the requirement to complete a continuing education course in suicide assessment, treatment, and management for the licensee’s first six (6) years of licensure if the licensee completes a three (3) semester hour graduate course in suicide and crisis assessment, prevention, and intervention during the course of the licensee’s graduate education.

      (b) A person holding a license shall be exempted from the requirement to complete a continuing education course in suicide assessment, treatment, and management from the six year continuing education if, during the six (6) year requirement, the licensee:

      1. Is primarily employed in a clinical setting accredited by the Joint Commission or another nationally accrediting healthcare entity that requires the completion of a suicide risk assessment with each patient being seen within the setting;

      2. Teaches a graduate-level psychology course in suicide assessment, training, and management; or

      3. Teaches a continuing education course in suicide assessment, training, and management at least once during the six (6) year period.

      (c) The continuing education course in suicide assessment, treatment, and management shall be approved in accordance with Section 5 of this administrative regulation.

      (3) The continuing education shall:

      (a) Provide specific content planned and evaluated to improve the license holder’s professional competence;

      (b) Make possible the acquisition of new skills and knowledge required to maintain competence;

      (c) Strengthen the habits of critical inquiry and balanced judgment; and

      (d) Include a minimum of three (3) hours in either ethical practice or risk management with each three (3) year renewal period.

      (4) Continuing educational hours shall not carry over from one (1) renewal period to the next.

      (5)(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection, a licensed psychologist with the health service provider designation who provides supervision to an applicant for licensure, or a certified psychologist or a licensed psychological associate shall include as part of the thirty-nine (39) hours of continuing education required by subsection (1) of this section a minimum of three (3) continuing education hours in the area of supervision theory or techniques for each three (3) year renewal period.

      (b) The requirement established in paragraph (a) of this subsection shall begin with the renewal period immediately following the period in which the original supervisory training required by 201 KAR 26:171, Section 4(1) and (2), is received.

 

      Section 3. Hours required to satisfy the continuing education requirement shall be completed and reported at license renewal. The license holder shall:

      (1) Maintain and provide adequate records including certificates of attendance and documentation of completion of the required continuing education hours; or

      (2) Provide documentation through a board-approved registry, which shall certify the name and license number of the license holder, date and title of each program and the number of hours earned, and confirmation that the programs were given by a board-approved provider.

 

      Section 4. All continuing education activities approved by the board shall be accepted toward the continuing education requirements for renewal of a license. A license holder shall determine prior to attending a specific continuing education program that the program:

      (1) Has been approved by the board; or

      (2) Is offered or sponsored by an organization approved by the board to sponsor continuing education programs.

 

      Section 5. Approved Sponsoring Organizations and Approved Programs. (1) Participation in a continuing education program that is offered or sponsored by an organization listed in this subsection shall be accepted toward the requirement for continuing education established in Section 2(1) of this administrative regulation:

      (a) An affiliated state chapter of the American Psychological Association, American Medical Association, American Psychiatric Association, or National Association of Social Workers;

      (b) A recognized state, regional, national, or international psychological association; or

      (c) A state or provincial psychology licensure board.

      (2) The following programs shall be approved for continuing education:

      (a) A course for graduate-level academic credit or a workshop in psychology or psychiatry offered by a national, regional, or state accredited academic institution or an affiliated hospital or medical center;

      (b) The Kentucky Mental Health Institute or the Kentucky School of Alcohol and Other Drug Studies sponsored by the Kentucky Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities; and

      (c) Interactional videoconferencing, internet-based course or a home study course provided by an organization listed in subsection (1) of this section.

      (3)(a) The board shall approve an organization that is not listed in subsection (1) of this section as a sponsor of continuing education for a twelve (12) month period if the organization:

      1. Files a written request for approval;

      2. Pays an initial application fee of $250; and

      3. Proposes to sponsor continuing education programs that meet the requirements established in Sections 2(1) and 6 of this administrative regulation.

      (b) An approved sponsor shall submit an annual report of the continuing education programs offered during that year.

      (c) A sponsor that is approved pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subsection may request renewal of its approval for subsequent years by filing a $150 renewal fee annually.

      (4)(a) The board shall approve a specific continuing education program that is not listed in subsection (2) of this section if the sponsor of the program:

      1. Files a written request for approval;

      2. Pays an application fee of fifty (50) dollars; and

      3. Provides information about a continuing education program that it proposes to sponsor which meets the requirements established in Sections 2(1) and 6 of this administrative regulation.

      (b) The approval of a program pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subsection shall permit the sponsor to offer the program one (1) time. The sponsor shall submit a request for renewal and a ten (10) dollar renewal fee for each subsequent request to offer the same approved program.

 

      Section 6. A continuing education program that satisfies the requirements for license renewal shall:

      (1) Be:

      (a) Offered or sponsored by an organization that has been approved by the board; or

      (b) A specific program approved by the board;

      (2)(a) Have a clearly-stated purpose and defined content area; and

      (b) Be consistent with the overall goals of continuing education as defined in Section 1 of this administrative regulation;

      (3) Have a presenter who is a professional qualified in the defined content area;

      (4) Clearly state the program’s time. Actual contact time shall be a minimum of one (1) continuing education hour;

      (5) Include attendance recorded by the program’s sponsor;

      (6) Document completion that shall be provided to the participant; and

      (7) Include each participant's evaluation of the program.

 

      Section 7. Equivalencies. (1) A graduate-level psychology course taken at an accredited academic institution shall earn continuing education hours pursuant to paragraphs (a) and (b) of this subsection.

      (a) Each one (1) hour quarter course shall be the equivalent of fifteen (15) continuing education hours for the purposes of meeting the requirements of this administrative regulation.

      (b) Each one (1) hour quarter course shall be the equivalent of nine (9) continuing education hours for the purposes of meeting the requirements of this administrative regulation.

      (2) A person who teaches a three (3) hour semester or quarter graduate-level course in psychology at an accredited academic institution shall:

      (a) Earn six (6) continuing education hours for teaching the course; and

      (b) Not receive:

      1. Credit more than once for teaching a particular course during a renewal period; and

      2. More than nine (9) total continuing education hours for these teaching activities.

      (3) A person who teaches an approved continuing education workshop or program shall:

      (a) Earn continuing education hours on a one (1) to one (1) basis; and

      (b) Not receive:

      1. Credit more than once for teaching a particular workshop or program during a renewal period; and

      2. More than nine (9) total continuing education hours for these teaching activities.

      (4) A person who completes home study or internet-based courses shall not receive:

      (a) Credit for repeating a specific study course during a renewal period; and

      (b) More than twelve (12) total continuing education hours through home study or internet-based courses in a renewal period.

      (5) A person who participates in videoconferencing in an interactive setting shall:

      (a) Earn one (1) continuing education hour for each clock hour of participation; and

      (b) Not receive more than twenty-four (24) continuing education hours through interactive videoconferencing participation. (20 Ky.R. 676; Am. 940; eff. 10-21-93; 24 Ky.R. 1127; 1664; eff. 2-17-98; 28 Ky.R. 1472; 1812; eff. 2-7-2002; 31 Ky.R. 1007; 1511; eff. 3-8-05; 37 Ky.R. 1523; eff. 3-4-2011; 42 Ky.R. 505; 1549; 1717; eff. 12-16-2015.)

Notation

      RELATES TO: KRS 210.366, 319.032(1)(f), 319.050, 319.053, 319.064, 319.071

      STATUTORY AUTHORITY: KRS 319.032(1)(f)

      NECESSITY, FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY: KRS 319.032(1)(f) requires the board to promulgate an administrative regulation establishing a requirement for continuing education as a condition for renewal of a license. This administrative regulation establishes the continuing education requirements for renewal of a license.