The Council of Specialties in Professional Psychology (CoS), the
Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB), and the
American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP)

Kevin D. Arnold, Ph.D., ABPP
President, Council of Specialties in Professional Psychology
(CoS)


Kevin D. Arnold is also a Commissioner on CRSPPP and a Board Member of the American Board of
Cognitive and Behavioral Psychology
 David Cox is also Board Certified in Rehabilitation
Psychology


Issues of Education and Training within Specialty

APA Policy

Four Stages of Education & Training
 Doctoral Education, Internship, Post-Doctoral Residency,
Post-Licensure

Four Levels of Coverage
 Exposure
 Experience
 Emphasis
 Major Area of Study

 Behavioral and Cognitive
 Clinical Child and Adolescent
 Clinical Health
 Clinical Neuropsychology
 Clinical
 Counseling
 Couple and Family
 Forensic
 Group**
 Police and Public Safety
 Professional Geropsychology
 Psychoanalysis
 Rehabilitation**

School
 Sleep*
*CRSPPP recognized only not on CoS
*ABPP affiliated, not CRSPPP recognized


Definition:
A specialty is a defined area of professional psychology practice characterized by a distinctive configuration of competent services for specified problems and populations. Practice in a specialty requires advanced knowledge and skills acquired through an organized sequence of education and training in addition to the broad and general education and core scientific and professional foundations acquired through an APA or CPA accredited doctoral program.* Specialty training may be acquired either at the doctoral or postdoctoral level as defined by the specialty.

Role of CRSPPP in APA Recognition

Role of ABPP and Board Affiliation

Role of CoS and Council Membership


CoS member specialties have or will have Education and Training Guidelines that detail the levels of coverage for each stage of education and training.
 Not the same as being a specialist

Why not!?


Eventual Adoption of Heath Service Model and
Standard Acceptance of Board Certification across
Fields of Doctoral Level Health Service Providers
 Recognition of Specialty Boards through Affiliation with
ABPP

Establish as analogous organization to the ABMS to promote further integration into health service model

Lack of Being Credentialed as a Specialist Doesn’t
Necessarily Mean Specialization At A Level Below
Credentialing Standards


Need to Coordinate Among the Organizations

APAPO
 CoA
 CoS
 CRSPPP
 ABPP

ASPPB
 APPIC
 CCTC
 CAPP
 APA Ed Directorate

APAGS
 Others


Create a Unified Voice and Position on Specialty,
Specialization and Specialists Credentialing

David Cox, PhD, ABPP
Executive Director
American Board of Professional Psychology

The Examining Board examines via:
Peer-reviewed Practice Samples

The Examining Board examines via:
Oral Examination

Once Board Certified, one must:
Attest to licensure and ethical standing annually
And submit attestation and associated fee

Once Board Certified, one must:
Document Maintenance of Competence
Every 10 years
Neimeyer, G. J., Taylor, J. M., Rozensky, R. H., & Cox, D. R. (2014). The
Diminishing Durability of Knowledge in Professional Psychology: A
Second Look at Specializations. Professional Psychology: Research &
Practice , 45, 92-98.

Maintenance of Competence
Documentation of participating in a variety of possible professional activities including, but not limited to:
Formal CE, Graduate classes, Teaching, Supervision,
Research, Professional Board involvement, Peer Supervision
Groups

Maintenance of Competence
Documentation is submitted in a form that is reviewed similar to credential review process.
A period of remediation is provided if needed.
If not completed within the 10 year period, a Specialist is no longer considered board certified in that Specialty.

Maintenance of Competence
Lest one grow too concerned –
Importantly, research has indicated that most psychologists are already engaged in the Continuing Professional Development needed to maintain competence
Neimeyer, G. J., Taylor, J. M., & Cox, D.R. (2012). On Hope & Possibility:
Does continuing professional development contribute to ongoing professional competence? Professional Psychology: Research & Practice , 43, 476-486.

Alex M. Siegel, J.D.,Ph.D.
Director of Professional Affairs
ASPPB


Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards

64 jurisdictions in the US and Canada

for licensing boards and colleges

Help promote mobility and standards for the regulatory community
Credentials Bank
PLUS
EPPP
CPQ and IPC
Model Act and Regulations


Most jurisdictions have generic licensure, psychology licensure act which licenses psychologists based on the education, training and supervision experience, passing EPPP and good moral character

Clinical, counseling, school, I/O, consulting psychologist all are licensed psychologist. Must abide by laws or ethical code to practice in your area of competency
 In Illinois, it is "Clinical Psychologist Licensing Act” which is specific to clinical psychologist, so a you are a licensed clinical psychologist in Illinois


Is there a different level of competency between a doctoral level and a masters level psychologist?

Majority of states license at the doctoral level for independent practice
 Some states grandfathered masters level psychologists

Only West Virginia and Vermont allow masters level to practice independently.

Kentucky and Oregon Psych. Associates petition board to allow for independent practice

6 states allow for masters, psychological associates, to practice under supervision of a licensed psychologist


13 states make the post doc year optional, rest require a year of post doc experience.
 At entry most psychologist are generalist
 a concern is whether entry level psychologist who are licensed a graduation are more generalist than those with a post doc year of supervised experience
 As psychologist have 5 to 10 years experience they typically become more specialized.

Some require in addition to generic licensure, A health service provider (HSP)certificate


(c) The board shall endorse as a health service provider in psychology an individual who:
(1) has a doctoral degree in clinical psychology, counseling psychology, school psychology, or another applied health service area of psychology; (2) is licensed under this section, section 5.3, or section 9 of this chapter;
(3) has at least two (2) years of experience in a health service setting that includes:

(A) one (1) year of experience that was obtained in an organized health service training program and at least one
(1) year of experience that was obtained after the individual received the individual's doctoral degree in psychology; (
Indiana)


HSP requires that the designation of "health service provider" shall be granted for a licensed psychologist who supervises a psychological health care service.
 A licensed psychologist who does not have the designation "health service provider" shall not supervise psychological health care services.

 The Pa. Board requires psychology trainees and licensees to limit their practices to areas of demonstrated competence

In Kentucky. A credential holder shall not practice or present himself or herself outside the area or areas of competency specified in the application for a credential and approved by the board based upon examination and review of qualifications, training, and experience, unless the credential holder has obtained additional education, training, experience, or supervision appropriate to the new practice area. (KY)


Specialty Areas.

In addition to the general standards for internships enumerated above, internships in the specialty areas of clinical, counseling, school, I/O and in MR/DD psychology must meet the requirements delineated in the following section.

Specialty areas are defined by the doctoral program described on the applicant's transcript. A clinical psychology specialty is defined by an earned doctoral degree with a concentration in clinical psychology. A counseling psychology specialty is defined by an earned doctoral degree with a concentration in counseling psychology. A school psychology specialty is defined by an earned doctoral degree with a concentration in school psychology. An industrial/organizational specialty is defined by an earned doctoral degree with a concentration in industrial/organizational psychology.


If complaints about incompetent practice, boards will want to know the education, training and experience background of psychologist

In Pa. burden on psychologists to prove they are competent to provide those services based on their education, training and experience

In Kentucky, board will look at what the psychologist submit and the board approved

If not on list, not authorized to provide those services
 If a new specialization, psychologist must notify the board and demonstrate how they achieved that specialization

•
Currently all licensed psychologist in most states fall under the generic licensure laws with same requirements for licensure
 Does not matter if clinical, counseling, school, I/O or consulting

has different educational, training, internship, post doc experience requirements for I/O psychologists who want to be licensed


Should we begin to have specialty licensure for HSP and also for General Applied Psychologist (I/O, consulting)

GAF who provide services outside health and behavioral health fields for the purpose of enhancing individual and/or organizational effectiveness. This includes the provision of direct services to individuals and groups, for assessment and evaluation of personal ability and characteristics for individual development, behavior change…


HSP

Provides services within health and behavioral health fields. This includes delivery of direct and indirect preventative, diagnostic, assessment and therapeutic intervention services…

 Florida
 (1) As used in this section, the term “certified psychology specialist,” “board- certified psychology specialist,” or “psychology diplomate” means a psychologist with recognized special competency acquired through an organized sequence of formal education, training, experience, and professional standing that is recognized by a certifying body approved by the board pursuant to criteria adopted under subsection (3).
 (2) A person licensed as a psychologist may not hold himself or herself out as a certified psychology specialist, board-certified psychology specialist, or psychology diplomate unless the person has received formal recognition from an approved certifying body.


(3) The board shall adopt rules to establish criteria for approval of certifying bodies that provide certification for specialties in psychology as provided in subsection (1). The criteria shall include that a certifying body:
 (a) Be national in scope, incorporate standards of the profession, and collaborate closely with organizations related to specialization in psychology.
 (b) Have clearly described purposes, bylaws, policies, and procedures.

(c) Have established standards for specialized practice of psychology.
 (d) Provide assessments that include the development and implementation of an examination designed to measure the competencies required to provide services that are characteristic of the specialty area.


(4) A person licensed as a psychologist under this chapter may indicate the services he or she offers and may indicate that his or her practice is limited to one or more types of services when this accurately reflects his or her scope of practice.


EPPP 1 foundational knowledge

EPPP2 competency based examine