Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 2913
General Provisions
Redline — January 1, 2017 → current.View current text →
Current — January 1, 2025
As of January 1, 2017
A person other than a licensed psychologist may perform psychological functions in preparation for licensure as a psychologist only if all of the following conditions are met:
A person other than a licensed psychologist may perform psychological functions in preparation for licensure as a psychologist only if all of the following conditions are met:
(a) The person shall register himself or herself with the board as a “psychological assistant.” This registration shall be renewed annually in accordance with regulations adopted by the board.
(a) The person is registered with the board as a “registered psychological associate.” This registration shall be renewed annually in accordance with regulations adopted by the board.
(b) The person (1) has completed a master’s degree in psychology or education with the field of specialization in psychology or counseling psychology, or (2) has been admitted to candidacy for a doctoral degree in psychology or education with the field of specialization in psychology or counseling psychology, after having satisfactorily completed three or more years of postgraduate education in psychology and having passed preliminary doctoral examinations, or (3) has completed a doctoral degree that qualifies for licensure under Section 2914.
(b) (1) The person has completed any of the following:
(A) Completed a master’s degree in psychology.
(B) Completed a master’s degree in education with the field of specialization in educational psychology, counseling psychology, or school psychology.
(C) Completed three or more years of postgraduate education and has been admitted to candidacy for a doctoral degree in any of the following:
(i) Psychology with the field of specialization in clinical, counseling, school, consulting, forensic, industrial, or organizational psychology.
(ii) Education, with the field of specialization in educational psychology, counseling psychology, or school psychology.
(iii) A field of specialization designed to prepare graduates for the professional practice of psychology.
(D) Completed a doctoral degree that qualifies for licensure under Section 2914.
(2) The board shall make the final determination as to whether a degree meets the requirements of this subdivision.
(3) An applicant for registration trained in an educational institution outside of the United States or Canada shall demonstrate to the satisfaction of the board that the applicant possesses a doctoral degree in psychology or education, as specified in paragraphs (1) and (2), that is equivalent to a degree earned from a regionally accredited academic institution in the United States or Canada by providing the board with an evaluation of the degree by a foreign credential evaluation service that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES), or by the National Register of Health Services Psychologists (NRHSP), and any other documentation the board deems necessary. The member of the NACES or the NRHSP shall submit the evaluation to the board directly and shall include in the evaluation all of the following:
(A) A transcript in English, or translated into English by the credential evaluation service, of the degree used to qualify for licensure.
(B) An indication that the degree used to qualify for licensure is verified using primary sources.
(C) A determination that the degree is equivalent to a degree that qualifies for licensure pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2).
(c) (1) The psychological assistant is at all times under the immediate supervision, as defined in regulations adopted by the board, of a licensed psychologist, or a licensed physician and surgeon who is certified in psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology or the American College of Osteopathic Board of Neurology and Psychiatry, who shall be responsible for insuring that the extent, kind, and quality of the psychological services that the psychological assistant performs are consistent with his or her training and experience and be responsible for the psychological assistant’s compliance with this chapter and regulations.
(c) (1) The registered psychological associate is supervised by a licensed psychologist. Any supervision may 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. The registered psychological associate’s primary supervisor shall be responsible for ensuring that the extent, kind, and quality of the psychological services performed are consistent with the registered psychological associate’s and the primary supervisor’s training and experience. The primary supervisor shall be responsible for the registered psychological associate’s compliance with this chapter and regulations. A primary supervisor may delegate supervision as prescribed by the board’s regulations.
(2) A licensed psychologist or board certified psychiatrist shall not supervise more than three psychological assistants at any given time. No psychological assistant may provide psychological services to the public except as a supervisee pursuant to this section.
(2) A licensed psychologist shall not supervise more than three registered psychological associates at any given time.
(d) The psychological assistant shall comply with regulations that the board may, from time to time, duly adopt relating to the fulfillment of requirements in continuing education.
(d) A registered psychological associate shall not do either of the following:
(1) Provide psychological services to the public except as a trainee pursuant to this section.
(2) Receive payments, monetary or otherwise, directly from clients.
Official source: California Legislative Information. Reproduced from public-domain California statutes; confirm against the official source for the current text. Not legal advice.