(a) An applicant for licensure shall not be subject to denial of licensure under Division 1.5 (commencing with Section 475).

(b) (1) On and after January 1, 2020, an applicant for licensure shall possess an earned doctoral degree in any of the following:

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(A) Psychology with the field of specialization in clinical, counseling, school, consulting, forensic, industrial, or organizational psychology.

(B) Education with the field of specialization in counseling psychology, educational psychology, or school psychology.

(C) A field of specialization designed to prepare graduates for the professional practice of psychology.

(2) (A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the degree or training obtained pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be obtained from a college or institution of higher education that is accredited by a regional accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education.

(B) Subparagraph (A) does not apply to any student who was enrolled in a doctoral program in psychology with the field of specialization in clinical, counseling, school, consulting, forensic, industrial, or organizational psychology or in education with the field of specialization in counseling psychology, educational psychology, or school psychology at a nationally accredited or approved institution as of December 31, 2016.

(3) The board shall make the final determination as to whether a degree meets the requirements of this subdivision.

(4) Until January 1, 2020, the board may accept an applicant who possesses a doctoral degree in psychology, educational psychology, or in education with the field of specialization in counseling psychology or educational psychology from an institution that is not accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education, but is approved to operate in this state by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education on or before July 1, 1999, and has not, since July 1, 1999, had a new location, as described in § 94823.5 of the Education Code.

(5) An applicant for licensure trained in an educational institution outside 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) An applicant for licensure shall have engaged for at least two years in supervised professional experience under the direction of a licensed psychologist, the specific requirements of which shall be defined by the board in its regulations, or under suitable alternative supervision as determined by the board in regulations duly adopted under this chapter, at least one year of which shall have occurred after the applicant was awarded the qualifying doctoral degree. 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 supervisor shall submit verification of the experience to the trainee as prescribed by the board. If the supervising licensed psychologist fails to provide verification to the trainee in a timely manner, the board may establish alternative procedures for obtaining the necessary documentation. Absent good cause, the failure of a supervising licensed psychologist to provide the verification to the board upon request shall constitute unprofessional conduct.

(2) The board shall establish qualifications by regulation for supervising psychologists.

(d) An applicant for licensure shall take and pass the examination required by Section 2941 unless otherwise exempted by the board under this chapter. An applicant for licensure who has completed all academic coursework required for a doctoral degree as required by subdivision (b), as documented by a written certification from the registrar of the applicant’s educational institution or program, shall be eligible to take any and all examinations required for licensure. If a national licensing examination entity approved by the board imposes additional eligibility requirements beyond the completion of academic coursework, the board shall implement a process to verify that an applicant has satisfied those additional eligibility requirements. For purposes of this subdivision, “academic coursework” does not include participation in an internship or writing a dissertation or thesis.

(e) An applicant for licensure shall complete coursework or provide evidence of training in the detection and treatment of alcohol and other chemical substance dependency.

(f) An applicant for licensure shall complete coursework or provide evidence of training in spousal or partner abuse assessment, detection, and intervention.

(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 425, Sec. 1. (AB 282) Effective January 1, 2024.)