Continuing Education Requirements & Sponsorship Information

FOR THE 2020 RENEWAL

Waiver of Distance Learning CE - Pursuant to Executive Order 20-21, the limitation on how many hours of Continuing Education may be completed via distance learning has been suspended.   The requirements of IC 25-33-2-2 have been waived to allow for a psychologist to utilize distance learning to complete their Continuing Education requirements for licensure renewal.

Only Psychologists who are endorsed as health service providers in psychology (HSPP) must complete forty (40) hours of continuing education during every two (2) year license period. There is no exception for retired psychologists or psychologists who practice outside of Indiana.  If you are not endorsed as a health service provider in psychology (HSPP) you do not need to complete continuing education.

For the license period of September 1, 2018 to August 31, 2020, health service providers in psychology need to obtain forty (40) hours of continuing education credit of which 6 must be in ethics with no less than 3 category I ethics. A minimum of twenty (20) credit hours must be earned in category I courses. No more than twenty (20) credit hours will be granted for category II activities.

Effective for the license period beginning September 1, 2004, and every license period thereafter, a psychologist must earn at least six (6) hours of continuing education in ethics, a minimum of three (3) hours of which must be Category I courses.

Hours will be counted only if they are earned between September 1, 2018 and August 31, 2020.

The number of credit hours required for renewal may depend on the date the HSPP endorsement.

• If the original date of HSPP endorsement falls before September 1, 2018, the licensee must complete forty (40) hours of continuing education in order to renew the psychology license in 2020.
• If the original date of  HSPP licensure falls between September 1, 2018 and August 31, 2019, per 868 IAC 1.1-15-10 the licensee is required to complete twenty (20) hours of continuing education in order to renew the psychology license in 2018. By board direction, a minimum of ten (10) credit hours must be earned in category I courses and no more than ten (10) credit hours will be granted for category II activities.
• If a new license holder obtains the HSPP during the second year of the biennial renewal (after September 1, 2019), per 868 IAC 1.1-15-10 he or she will be exempt from meeting the continuing education requirement for the first license renewal.

Category I continuing education courses include the following:

1. Formally organized courses.
2. Workshops.
3. Seminars.
4. Symposia.
5. Post doctoral institutes.
6. Home study programs, including approved computer, audio, and video instructional programs, designed by board approved organizations and subject to board verification and approval procedures, not to exceed ten (10) credit hours per license period.

Category II continuing education activities include the following:

1. Journal clubs, colloquia, invited speaker sessions, in-house seminars, and case conferences that are specifically designed for training or teaching.
2. Programs offered at professional or scientific meetings that are relevant to psychology.
3. Individualized learning, including approved audio and video instructional programs and formal professional supervision. Individualized learning does not include administrative supervision.

No credit will be given for courses in the management of the business aspects of the practice of psychology (practice management).  No credit will be given for teaching a course or presenting a workshop.  You may claim Category II credit for preparation time for teaching a class or a workshop for other professionals.  No more than ten (10) hours of Category I credit will be accepted for home study courses.  In order to be accepted for Category I credit, a home study course must provide you with a certificate of completion.  Any eligible home study over ten (10) hours in duration may be claimed for Category II credit. .

All continuing education courses and activities, regardless of whether you are claiming them for Category I or II credit, must meet the eligibility requirements for board approval.

The board automatically approves some organizations and courses they sponsor will be accepted as long as the course relates to the practice of psychology.

These include:
American Association for Behavior Therapy; American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists; American Association on Mental Deficiency; American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists; American Board of Professional Psychology; American Counseling Association; American Medical Association; American Orthopsychiatric Association; American Psychiatric Association; American Psychological Association; American Group Psychotherapy Association; Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy; Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards; Feminist Therapy Institute; National Association of Social Workers; Rational-Emotive Institute; Society for Sex Therapy and Research; Society of Behavioral Medicine; Council on Post-Secondary Education; Federal, state, and local government agencies; Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations; United States Department of Education; A national psychological association; and A national, regional, state, district, or local organization that operates as an affiliated entity under the approval of any organization listed previously. Also approved are colleges or other teaching institutions accredited by the United States Department of Education or the Council on Post-Secondary Education.

An organization or individual that is not listed above may apply to the board as a sponsor of continuing education by submitting an application.

If a psychologist attends a course that does not have prior approval, the psychologist may apply for credit for attending the course. If you want to earn credit for professional supervision (obtained after your HSPP endorsement was granted), you must apply to the board for approval of the professional supervision.  Application for Approval of Continuing Education Course

It is the responsibility of the sponsor of a category I course to provide you with verification of your attendance of a course. You must retain verification of attendance or completion of both category I and II continuing education activities for a period of five (5) years. An official transcript will be accepted as proof of completion of a college course. Do not send verification of attendance to the board unless you are requested to do so by the board.

You must keep your own record of your Category II courses and activities. You do not need to obtain a certificate of completion for Category II courses.

Credit hours shall be awarded as follows:

1. A course presented by a college under a regular curriculum is awarded one (1) credit hour for each lecture hour attended.
2. Colloquia, invited speaker sessions, in-house seminars, and case conferences that are specifically designed for training or teaching are awarded one (1) credit hour for each hour attended.
3. Attendance at a meeting of a journal club is awarded one (1) credit hour for each hour attended.
4. Individualized learning that is provided by an approved organization is awarded the same number of credit hours given to courses provided by a college. If the approved organization does not assess credit to a course under this subdivision, the course is awarded one (1) credit hour for each hour of study material.
5. Individualized learning in the form of formal professional supervision must be approved by the board and is awarded one (1) credit hour for each hour of face to face individual supervision.
6. The following are awarded one (1) credit hour for each hour attended:
   1. programs offered at professional or scientific meetings that are relevant to psychology;
   2. formally organized courses;
   3. seminars;
   4. symposia; and
   5. post doctoral institutes.

If you do not have the required number of continuing education hours by August 31, 2020, the board will not renew your license until the required number of hours of continuing education are obtained. It is illegal to practice without a valid license.