Connecticut § 20-191c - Continuing education.

§ 20-191c. Continuing education.

Sec. 20-191c. Continuing education. (a) Except as provided in subsection (e) of this section, for registration periods beginning on and after October 1, 2014, each psychologist licensed in accordance with this chapter shall complete a minimum of ten hours of continuing education during each registration period. For purposes of this section, “registration period” means the twelve-month period for which a license has been renewed in accordance with the provisions of section 19a-88 and is current and valid.

(b) Qualifying continuing education activities shall be related to the practice of psychology and shall include courses, seminars, workshops, conferences and postdoctoral institutes offered or approved by: (1) The American Psychological Association; (2) a regionally accredited institution of higher education graduate program; (3) a nationally recognized provider of continuing education seminars; (4) the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services; or (5) a behavioral science organization that is professionally or scientifically recognized. Not more than five continuing education units during each registration period shall be completed via asynchronous online education, distance learning or home study. Not less than five continuing education units shall be earned through synchronous online education. On and after January 1, 2016, qualifying continuing education activities shall include not less than two contact hours of training or education during the first renewal period in which continuing education is required and not less than once every six years thereafter on the topic of mental health conditions common to veterans and family members of veterans, including (A) determining whether a patient is a veteran or family member of a veteran, (B) screening for conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, risk of suicide, depression and grief, and (C) suicide prevention training. Qualifying continuing education activities may include a licensee's research-based presentation at a professional conference, provided not more than five continuing education units during each registration period shall be completed by such activities. A licensee who has earned a diploma from the American Board of Professional Psychology during the registration period may substitute the diploma for continuing education requirements for such registration period. For purposes of this section, “continuing education unit” means fifty to sixty minutes of participation in accredited continuing professional education. For the purposes of this subsection, “synchronous online education” means live online classes that are conducted in real time and “asynchronous online education” means a program where the instructor, learner and other participants are not engaged in the learning process at the same time, there is no real-time interaction between participants and instructors and the educational content is created and made available for later consumption.

(c) Each licensee shall obtain a certificate of completion from a provider of continuing education for all continuing education activities that are successfully completed and shall retain such certificate for not less than three years after the license renewal date for which the continuing education activity was completed. Upon the request of the Commissioner of Public Health a licensee shall submit such certificate to the Department of Public Health. A licensee who fails to comply with the continuing education requirements prescribed in this section may be subject to disciplinary action pursuant to section 20-192.

(d) A licensee applying for license renewal for the first time shall be exempt from the continuing education requirements under subsection (a) of this section. In individual cases involving medical disability or illness, the Commissioner of Public Health may grant a waiver of the continuing education requirements or an extension of time within which to fulfill the continuing education requirements of this section to any licensee, provided the licensee submits to the department an application for waiver or extension of time on a form prescribed by the commissioner, along with a certification by a licensed physician, a licensed physician assistant or a licensed advanced practice registered nurse of the disability or illness and such other documentation as may be required by the commissioner. The commissioner may grant a waiver or extension for a period not to exceed one registration period, except the commissioner may grant additional waivers or extensions if the medical disability or illness upon which a waiver or extension is granted continues beyond the period of the waiver or extension and the licensee applies for an additional waiver or extension. The commissioner may grant a waiver of the continuing education requirements to a licensee who is not engaged in active professional practice, in any form, during a registration period, provided the licensee submits a notarized application on a form prescribed by the commissioner prior to the end of the registration period. A licensee who is granted a waiver under the provisions of this subsection may not engage in professional practice until the licensee has met the continuing education requirements of this section.

(e) Any licensee granted a waiver of the continuing education requirements pursuant to the provisions of subsection (d) of this section shall be required to complete five hours of continuing education not later than six months after the date on which such licensee returns to active practice. In addition, such licensee shall comply with the certificate of completion requirements prescribed in subsection (c) of this section.

(f) Any licensee whose license has become void pursuant to section 19a-88 for one year or more and who applies to the department for reinstatement of such license pursuant to section 19a-14 shall submit with such application evidence documenting that such applicant has successfully completed ten hours of continuing education within the one-year period immediately preceding the date of application for reinstatement.

(g) The commissioner may accept continuing education activities completed by a licensee in another state or country to meet the requirements of this section.

(P.A. 14-231, S. 56; P.A. 15-242, S. 62; P.A. 16-39, S. 37; P.A. 21-196, S. 43; P.A. 22-58, S. 35.)

History: P.A. 15-242 amended Subsec. (b) by adding provisions re training or education on topic of mental health conditions common to veterans and family members of veterans; P.A. 16-39 amended Subsec. (d) by adding reference to licensed advanced practice registered nurse; P.A. 21-196 amended Subsec. (d) by adding reference to licensed physician assistant; P.A. 22-58 amended Subsec. (b) by replacing “the Internet” with “asynchronous online education”, adding provision re not less than 5 continuing education units be earned through synchronous online education, and defining “synchronous online education” and “asynchronous online education”, effective July 1, 2022.