DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

(Examining Board of Psychology)

[Filed June 28, 2024, 11:02 a.m., effective July 1, 2024]

Effective Date of Rule: July 1, 2024.

Purpose: To reduce barriers to licensure and streamline the credentialing process for psychologists.

Adopting emergency rules to amend WAC 246-924-010, 246-924-046, 246-924-053, 246-924-095, and 246-924-100; establish WAC 246-924-048 and 246-924-0481; and repeal WAC 246-924-047 in chapter 246-924 WAC, Psychologists. The examining board of psychology (board) is adopting emergency rules to implement parts of 2SHB 1724 (chapter 425, Laws of 2023).

The legislature passed 2SHB 1724 in 2023 to reduce barriers to entering and remaining in the workforce and to streamline the credentialing process. To implement 2SHB 1724, the board is adopting emergency rules that:

These emergency rules will be continued while permanent rules are in progress under WSR 24-11-005, filed on May 2, 2024.

Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: New WAC 246-924-048 and 246-924-0481; repealing WAC 246-924-047; and amending WAC 246-924-010, 246-924-046, 246-924-053, 246-924-095, and 246-924-100.


•	Update required curriculum content areas to more closely align with current American Psychological Association (APA) standards and correct the minimum credit hour requirements;
•	Allow all graduate level courses completed prior to conferral of a doctoral degree to be accepted as fulfilling the required curriculum content areas;
•	Add the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS) as an approved educational accrediting body;
•	Clarify the two residency pathways and what qualifies as residency hours;
•	Reduce the number of educational meeting hours required in lieu of a full-time academic residency;
•	Reduce the minimum requirement for preinternship direct contact hours;
•	Reduce the waiting period for an applicant to retake the national examination and require applicants taking their third or subsequent reexamination to submit an action plan to the board; and
•	Update the rule to include all current licensing pathways for providers credentialed in another jurisdiction.

Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 18.83.050 and 18.130.800.

Other Authority: 2SHB 1724 (chapter 425, Laws of 2023).

Under RCW 34.05.350 the agency for good cause finds that immediate adoption, amendment, or repeal of a rule is necessary for the preservation of the public health, safety, or general welfare, and that observing the time requirements of notice and opportunity to comment upon adoption of a permanent rule would be contrary to the public interest.

Reasons for this Finding: Rule making is necessary to implement recent legislation. During the 2023 legislative session, 2SHB 1724 specifically directed the board to complete emergency rule making by July 1, 2024, to remove barriers to entering and remaining in the health care workforce and to streamline and shorten the credentialing process. These emergency rules are the board's response to this legislative direction. Emergency rule making is necessary to amend existing licensure requirements and comply with new legislation.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 2, Amended 5, Repealed 1.

Number of Sections Adopted at the Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 2, Amended 5, Repealed 1.

Date Adopted: June 28, 2024.

Cedar O'Donnell, Ph.D., Chair

Examining Board of Psychology

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 20-12-076, filed 6/1/20, effective 7/2/20)

WAC 246-924-010Definitions.

The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly states otherwise.

(1) "Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome" or "AIDS" means the clinical syndrome of HIV-related illness as defined by the board of health by rule.

(2) "APA" means American Psychological Association.

(3) "APPIC" means Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers.

(4) "CPA" means Canadian Psychological Association.

(5) "Endorsement" means licensing of applicants who are licensed as psychologists outside of Washington state and meet applicable requirements.

(6) "Face to face" means in-person contact in the same physical space not assisted by technology.

(((6)))(7) "Office on AIDS" means that section within the department of social and health services or any successor department with jurisdiction over public health matters as defined in chapter 70.24 RCW.

(((7)))(8) "Out-of-state" means any state or territory of the United States.

(((8)))(9) "PCSAS" means Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System.

(10) "Probationary license" means a temporary license issued to out-of-state applicants qualifying for licensure reciprocity in Washington state based on substantial equivalence in scope of practice under the restrictions and conditions of RCW 18.225.140 and this chapter.

(((9)))(11) "Reciprocity" means licensure of out-of-state licensed psychologists based on substantial equivalence between Washington state scope of practice and the scope of practice of the other state or territory, subject to a probationary licensure period to complete outstanding Washington state licensure requirements as determined necessary to gain full licensure.

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 16-16-026, filed 7/22/16, effective 8/22/16)

WAC 246-924-046Doctoral degree program.

To meet the education requirements of RCW 18.83.070, an applicant must possess a doctoral degree from a regionally accredited institution. ((Regional accreditation is awarded to an institution by one of the regional accrediting agencies, each of which covers a specified portion of the United States and its territories, or equivalent accreditation in another country, upon approval by the board.))

(1) The doctoral degree program must encompass a minimum of three academic years of full-time graduate study or the equivalent and must include:

(a) At least ((forty))51 semester credits, or ((sixty))85 quarter credits, of graduate courses in curriculum areas described in subsection (((3)))(2) of this section.

(i) Courses must be clearly identified by title and course content as being part of an integrated psychology program.

(ii) Master's and doctoral level graduate courses taken ((before))prior to the conferral of the doctoral degree ((program)) may be accepted if ((the doctoral degree program accepted the course(s)))they:

(A) Were completed at a regionally accredited graduate program in psychology;

(B) Are reflected on a transcript; and

(iii) Up to two graduate courses taken after the doctoral degree program may be accepted if they:

(A) Were completed at a regionally accredited graduate program in psychology;

(B) Are reflected on a transcript; and

(iv) If more than two courses are needed to meet the requirements in subsection (2) of this section, they must be part of a respecialization program.

(b) One ((year in residency as described in subsection (4) of this section))of the following:

(i) Academic residency that meets the requirements under WAC 246-924-048; or

(ii) Educational meetings that meet the requirements under WAC 246-924-0481;

(d) An organized, sequential and coordinated practicum and internship experience as described in WAC 246-924-049 and 246-924-056.

(2) The applicant must complete the curriculum ((requirements: The doctoral degree program must encompass a minimum of three academic years of full-time graduate study or the equivalent.))content areas described in Table 1 - Curriculum Content Areas:

Table 1 - Curriculum Content Areas

Unless otherwise indicated, applicant must complete three or more semester credits, or five or more quarter credits, of core study in each of the content areas.
Category 1 - History of Systems of Psychology
a. History and Systems of Psychology (this is the only content area that may be completed at the undergraduate-level)	Includes the origins and development of major ideas in the discipline of psychology.
Category 2 - Basic Content Areas in Scientific Psychology
b. Affective Aspects of Behavior	Includes topics such as affect, mood, and emotion. Psychopathology and mood disorders do not by themselves fulfill this category.
c. Biological Aspects of Behavior	Includes multiple biological underpinnings of behavior, such as neural, physiological, anatomical, and genetic aspects of behavior. Although neuropsychological assessment and psychopharmacology can be included in this category, they do not, by themselves, fulfill this category.
d. Cognitive Aspects of Behavior	Includes topics such as learning, memory, thought processes, and decision-making. Cognitive testing and cognitive therapy do not, by themselves, fulfill this category.
e. Developmental Aspects of Behavior	Includes transitions, growth, and development across an individual's life. A coverage limited to one developmental period (e.g., infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, or late life) is not sufficient.
f. Social Aspects of Behavior	Includes topics such as group processes, attributions, discrimination, and attitudes. Individual and cultural diversity and group or family therapy do not, by themselves, fulfill this category.
Category 3 - Advanced Integrative Knowledge in Scientific Psychology
g. Advanced Integrative Knowledge of Basic Discipline-Specific Content Areas (minimum of two courses)	Includes graduate-level scientific knowledge that entails integration of multiple basic discipline-specific content areas identified in Category 2 (i.e., integration of at least two of: Affective, biological, cognitive, social, or developmental aspects of behavior).
Category 4 - Research Methods, Statistical Analysis, and Psychometrics
h. Research Methods	Includes topics such as strengths, limitations, interpretation, and technical aspects of rigorous case study; correlational, experimental, and other quantitative research designs; measurement techniques; sampling; replication; theory testing; qualitative methods; mixed methods; meta-analysis; and quasi-experimentation.
i. Statistical Analysis	Includes topics such as quantitative, mathematical modeling and analysis of psychological data, statistical description and inference, univariate and multivariate analysis, null hypothesis testing and its alternatives, power, and estimation.
j. Psychometrics	Includes topics such as theory and techniques of psychological measurement, scale and inventory construction, reliability, validity, evaluation of measurement quality, classical and contemporary measurement theory, and standardization.
Category 5 - Profession-Wide Competencies
k. Psychological Assessment (minimum of two courses)	Evidence-based assessment consistent with the scope of health service psychology. This includes applying empirically supported assessment methods, interpreting assessment results following current research and professional standards and guidelines, case conceptualization, classification, and recommendations.
l. Psychological Interventions (minimum of two courses)	Evidence-based interventions consistent with the scope of health service psychology. "Intervention" is defined broadly to include, but not be limited to, psychotherapy. Interventions may be derived from a variety of theoretical orientations or approaches. The level of intervention may include those directed at an individual, a family, a group, an organization, a community, a population, or other systems.
m. Ethical and Legal Standards	Current ethical and legal standards of the field; relevant laws, regulations, rules, and policies governing health service psychology at the organizational, local, state, regional, and federal levels; and relevant professional standards and guidelines.
n. Special Population Issues (accessibility; disability; diversity; health equity, socio-economic, cultural, and linguistic differences)	Includes courses that involve: Awareness of history/culture/attitudes/biases; current theory and science as it relates to addressing diversity in psychological practice; applying a framework for effective psychological practice with diversity not previously encountered or which might create conflict with one's own worldview.

(3) ((The applicant must complete three or more semester credits, or five or more quarter credits, of core study in each of the following content areas:

(a) Biological bases of behavior. For example: Physiological psychology, comparative psychology, neural bases of behavior, sensation and perception, and biological bases of development;

(b) Cognitive-affective bases of behavior. For example: Learning, thinking, motivation, emotion, and cognitive development;

(c) Social bases of behavior. For example: Social psychology, organizational theory, community psychology, and social development;

(d) Individual differences. For example: Personality theory and psychopathology;

(e) Scientific and professional ethics;

(f) History and systems of psychology;

(g) Statistics and psychometrics;

(h) Research design and methodology;

(i) Techniques of data analysis;

(j) Human development. For example: Developmental psychology, child development, adult development and aging;

(k) Cultural and individual differences and diversity;

(l) Psychopathology and dysfunctional behaviors;

(m) Theories and methods of assessment and diagnosis-minimum of two courses;

(n) Effective psychological intervention and evaluation of the efficacy of interventions-minimum of three courses; and

(o) Psychopharmacology.

(4))) Doctoral degree programs accredited by the American Psychological Association ((or)), the Canadian Psychological Association, or the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System are recognized as having met the minimum education requirements.

(((5) Residency requirement:

(a) The doctoral degree program must involve at least one continuous year of full-time residency at the institution which grants the degree or a minimum of seven hundred fifty hours of student-faculty contact involving face-to-face individual or group educational meetings.

(b) Educational meetings:

(i) Must include both faculty-student and student-student interaction;

(ii) Be conducted by the psychology faculty of the institution at least seventy-five percent of the time;

(iii) Be fully documented by the institution and the applicant; and

(iv) Relate substantially to the program components specified.))

WAC 246-924-048Academic residency.

To meet the doctoral degree program requirements in WAC 246-924-046 (1)(b), an applicant may choose to complete academic residency. An academic residency is a residency that exists for the purpose of acculturation in the profession, involves the full participation and integration of the individual in the educational and training experience, and includes faculty-student interaction.

An applicant who chooses to complete an academic residency must complete at least a one-year continuous full-time academic residency at the institution that grants the doctoral degree. The applicant must be physically present, in-person at the educational institution providing the residency and granting the doctoral degree.

For the purposes of this section, continuous means full-time enrollment over the course of the defined academic year. Multiple long weekends or summer intensive sessions do not meet the definition of continuous.

WAC 246-924-0481Educational meetings.

To meet the doctoral degree program requirement in WAC 246-924-046 (1)(b) an applicant may choose to complete educational meetings. Educational meetings are graduate-level classes, courses, seminars, or symposia that are substantially related to acquiring academic knowledge and clinical skills related to psychology.

(1) An applicant who chooses to complete educational meetings must complete a minimum of 500 hours of educational meetings involving student-faculty contact and face-to-face individual or group interaction.

(2) In order to qualify, an educational meeting must:

(a) Include both faculty-student and student-student interaction;

(b) Be conducted by the psychology faculty of the institution at least 75 percent of the time. Faculty are direct employees of the institution, contractors, guest speakers, or lecturers authorized by a faculty member;

(d) Relate substantially to the program components specified;

(e) Be substantially related to acquiring the academic knowledge and clinical skills essential to successfully practicing clinical psychology after graduation; and

(f) Be documented on an academic transcript including graduate-level classes, courses, seminars, or symposia.

(3) The doctoral program must provide directly to the board on the program's letterhead the following information about every component of each educational meeting:

(a) Date(s) (month, day, year);

(b) Start and end time;

(d) Name of educational meeting, including class name and number on transcript;

(e) For multiday educational meetings, a daily agenda for each day of the event with the above detail.

(4) Meetings that are conducted remotely, are noneducational, or do not substantially relate to a doctoral psychology curriculum do not qualify as educational meetings. This includes conferences, networking activities, receptions, nonpsychology trainings, professional association events, and any other activities that do not meet the requirements of subsection (2) of this section.

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 07-24-093, filed 12/5/07, effective 9/1/09)

WAC 246-924-053Preinternship.

A preinternship experience occurs between the practicum required by WAC 246-924-049 and internship required by WAC 246-924-056. A preinternship can include up to 1500 hours of supervised experience, but is not required. If preinternship experience is used to satisfy the experience requirement of WAC 246-924-043 (1)(c), it must meet the following requirements:

(1) Before beginning the program, the student, the doctoral program, and the preinternship program must agree on and document the goals, the student's expectations, and the methods of the preinternship experience. The goals must meet the requirements of this section.

(2) Every 20 hours of preinternship experience must include the following:

(a) At least ((2))two hours of regularly scheduled, formal, face-to-face individual supervision that addresses the direct psychological services provided by the student; and

(b) At least ((2))two hours of other learning activities such as case conferences, seminars on applied issues, conducting cotherapy with a staff person including discussion of the case, and group supervision.

(3) At least ((sixty))25 percent of the preinternship experience must be direct client contact providing assessment and intervention services.

(4) The preinternship experience must be supervised by the person(s) responsible for the assigned casework.

(a) At least ((seventy-five))75 percent of the supervision must be by a licensed psychologist with two years post-license experience.

(b) Up to ((twenty-five))25 percent of the supervision may be completed by the following:

(i) A psychiatrist(s) with three years experience beyond residency;

(ii) A licensed mental health counselor(s) with five years post-license experience;

(iii) A licensed marriage and family therapist(s) with at least five years post-license experience;

(iv) A licensed advanced social worker(s) or licensed independent clinical social worker(s) with five years post-license experience; or

(v) A doctoral level psychologist(s) with three years post-doctoral experience who is exempt from licensure under RCW 18.83.200 (1), (2), (3) or (4), if the supervision occurs in the exempt setting.

(i) Discussion of services provided by the student;

(ii) Selection of service plan for and review of each case or work unit of the student;

(iii) Discussion of and instruction in theoretical concepts underlying the work;

(iv) Discussion of the management of professional practice and other administrative or business issues;

(v) Evaluation of the supervisory process by the student and the supervisor;

(vi) Discussion of coordination of services among the professionals involved in the particular cases or work units;

(vii) Discussion of relevant state laws and rules;

(viii) Discussion of ethical principles including principles applicable to the work;

(ix) Review of standards for providers of psychological services; and

(x) Discussion of reading materials relevant to cases, ethical issues and the supervisory process.

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 20-12-076, filed 6/1/20, effective 7/2/20)

WAC 246-924-095Failure of ((written examinations))the examination for professional practice in psychology.

An applicant who fails the examination for professional practice in psychology (EPPP) required under WAC 246-924-070 may sit for reexamination as follows:

(1) First reexamination: At any following examination administration date;

(2) Second or subsequent reexamination: A minimum waiting period of ((two))one month((s)) after the failure of the previous examination.

(3) Third or subsequent reexamination: Applicant must submit an action plan for board review in order to take the exam again. The action plan must include how the applicant plans to prepare for future retakes. The applicant must receive board approval of the action plan before taking the exam again.

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 16-16-026, filed 7/22/16, effective 8/22/16)

WAC 246-924-100((Qualifications for granting of license by))Endorsement—Applying for licensure for non-Washington licensed and nationally-certified applicants.

(((1) Applicants applying for licensure by endorsement shall:

(a) Submit official transcripts documenting the completion of a doctoral degree with a primary emphasis on psychology from a regionally accredited institution, or equivalent accreditation from another country.

(b) Document that he or she has been credentialed as a psychologist in another state or country for at least two years, or is a current member of a professional organization identified in subsection (3) of this section.

(c) Document that he or she has an active credential as a psychologist in another state or country deemed by the board as essentially equivalent, or is a current member of a professional organization identified in subsection (3) of this section.

(d) All application documents submitted in a foreign language shall be accompanied by an accurate translation of those documents into English. Translated documents shall bear a notarized affidavit certifying that the translator is competent in both the language of the document and the English language and that the translation is a true and complete translation of the foreign language original. Costs of all documents shall be at the expense of the applicant.

(e) Successfully pass the jurisprudence examination required by WAC 246-924-070.

(2)))An individual may apply for licensure by endorsement if the individual:

(1)(a) Is licensed in another state whose licensing requirements are deemed by the board to be substantially equivalent to Washington's;

(b) Has been licensed for at least two years immediately preceding their application without interruption in licensure lasting more than 90 days; and

(2)(a) Is licensed in another state or country whose licensing requirements are deemed by the board to be essentially equivalent to Washington's;

(b) Has been licensed for a period of at least two years; and

(3) The board shall recognize psychologists as having met the requirements of this chapter who, at the time of application, provide documentation of current membership in any of the following professional organizations:

(a) Health service psychologist credentialed by the National Register of Health Service Psychologists;

(b) Diplomate from the American Board of Examiners in Professional Psychology;

(c) Certificate of Professional Qualification in Psychology from the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards; or

(d) Diplomate of the American Board of Professional Neuropsychology.

(4) Applicants seeking licensure by endorsement under subsections (2) and (3) of this section must successfully pass the jurisprudence exam.

(5) If the board determines that the applicant's other state or country's credentialing requirements are not essentially equivalent under subsection (2) of this section, the applicant must:

(a) Provide documentation of meeting Washington state's credentialing requirements in the area(s) the board has determined a state or country of endorsement's requirements are not essentially equivalent.

(b) Ensure documents submitted in a foreign language ((meet the requirements of subsection (1)(d) of this section))are accompanied by an accurate translation of those documents into English. Translated documents shall bear a notarized affidavit certifying that the translator is competent in both the language of the document and the English language and that the translation is a true and complete translation of the foreign language original. Costs of all documents shall be at the expense of the applicant.

(c) If the board determines that the applicant's state or country of endorsement's credentialing requirements are not essentially equivalent, the applicant will be provided due process under RCW 18.130.055.

(((3) The board shall recognize psychologists as having met the requirements of this chapter who, at the time of application, provide documentation of current membership in any of the following professional organizations:

(a) Health service psychologist credentialed by the National Register of Health Service Psychologists;

(b) Diplomate from the American Board of Examiners in Professional Psychology;

(c) Certificate of Professional Qualification in Psychology from the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards; or

(d) Diplomate of the American Board of Professional Neuropsychology.

(e) The board may recognize additional professional organizations deemed to meet the essential standards of this chapter.))

The following section of the Washington Administrative Code is repealed:

Courses completed outside the doctoral degree granting program.