Delaware General Assembly


CHAPTER 364

FORMERLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 358

AS AMENDED BY

HOUSE AMENDMENT NO. 1

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 24 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE PROFESSION OF PSYCHOLOGY.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

Section 1. Amend Chapter 35, Title 24 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows and by redesignating accordingly:

§ 3508 Qualifications of applicant; report to Attorney General; judicial review.

(a) An applicant who is applying for licensure as a psychologist under this chapter shall submit evidence, verified by oath and satisfactory to the Board, that such person has:

(1) Received a doctoral degree based on a program of studies which is psychological in content and specifically designed to train and prepare psychologists. The doctoral degree must be from an accredited college or university having a graduate program which states its purpose to be the training and preparation of psychologists. The college or university must be accredited by the United States Department of Education or by an accrediting agency which is recognized by the Council on Postsecondary Accreditation, or its successor. The doctoral degree must be based on a program of studies accredited as a professional psychology program by the American Psychological Association (APA), the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS), or an equivalent program approved by the Board. Persons holding degrees from programs outside the United States or its territories must provide evidence of training and degree equivalent to accredited programs. These applicants are responsible for providing the Board with an educational credential evaluation from an agency or institution recognized by the Board for this purpose; and

(2) Successfully completed a predoctoral internship which complies with the Board’s rules and regulations; and

§ 3509 Qualifications of applicants for registration as a psychological assistant; number of psychological assistants; requirements of supervision.

(a) Any psychologist licensed in this State, who has practiced as a licensed psychologist for 2 years in this State or in any other jurisdiction, and who applies to the Board for the registration of a psychological assistant shall:

(2) Submit evidence, verified by oath and satisfactory to the Board, that such person:

a. Has completed all requirements for a doctoral degree in psychology from an American Psychological Association (APA) accredited program, or a Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS) accredited program, or an equivalent program approved by the Board. Psychological assistants registered before July 17, 2010, and who maintain their registration are exempt from this requirement. Persons holding degrees from programs outside the United States or its territories must provide evidence of training and degree equivalent to accredited programs; and these applicants are responsible for providing the Board with an educational credential evaluation from an agency or institution recognized by the Board for this purpose; and

§ 3511 Reciprocity.

(a) Where an applicant is already licensed or certified as a doctoral-level psychologist in another jurisdiction and has practiced continually for 2 years in that jurisdiction, the Board shall require:

(4) Evidence that the candidate has received a doctoral degree from an American Psychological Association (APA) accredited program, or a Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS) accredited program, or a doctoral degree based on a program of studies which is psychological in content and specifically designed to train and prepare psychologists and which complies with the Board's rules and regulations. Graduates of foreign programs will be required to have their credentials evaluated by a credential evaluation service approved by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services to determine equivalency to the accreditation requirements of § 3508 of this title.

§ 3514 Grounds for refusal, revocation or suspension of licenses and registrations.

(a) A practitioner licensed or registered under this chapter shall be subject to disciplinary actions set forth in § 3516 of this title, if, after a hearing, the Board finds that the psychologist or psychological assistant:

(5) Has not conducted the practitioner's professional activities in conformity with the American Psychological Association's Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct of the American Psychological Association (APA) (hereinafter referred to as the Ethics Code); and in conformity with the rules and regulations adopted by the Board to implement the Ethics Code;

Approved July 28, 2014