Ohio Admin. Code 4732-2-01 - Scope, responsibilities, and requirements for continuing education

(A) Scope. Every license holder subject to continuing education (CE) requirements as set forth in section 4732.141 of the Revised Code shall meet the requirements of that section.

(B) Responsibilities:

(1) In accordance with the requirements of sections 4732.14 and 4732.141 of the Revised Code, it shall be the responsibility of each license holder psychologist and independent school psychologist submitting a biennial registration of license, and each licensed school psychologist submitting a quinquennial registration to certify to the board that the continuing education experience required for license renewal has been obtained. In accordance with division (B)(2) of section 4732.141 of the Revised Code, the board shall accept as evidence of completion of continuing education requirements only documentation of fulfillment of those requirements from the "Ohio Psychological Association" or the "Ohio School Psychologists Association." Each licensee shall maintain CE records for three years in accordance with division (E) of section 4732.141 of the Revised Code.

(2) In accordance with division (C) of section 4732.141 of the Revised Code, each license holder shall be given a sufficient choice of continuing education acceptable to the board to ensure that each person has had a reasonable opportunity to participate in continuing education that is relevant to that person's practice in terms of subject matter and level.

(C) Requirements:

(1) Notwithstanding school district-based professional development activities of licensed school psychologists allowed under paragraph (D) of this rule, hours Hours to be applied toward the CE requirements shall represent actual time spent in continuing education that meets the requirements set forth in this rule.

(2) Any license holder shall be given credit, as defined in rule 4732-3-01 of the Administrative Code, for participation in any CE program or course that is not specifically disapproved by the board as provided for under paragraph (C)(5) of this rule and that is designated as acceptable by a relevant accrediting authority as specified in division (B)(1) of section 4732.141 of the Revised Code as meeting the following criteria:

(a) The program or course is presented within an organizational structure that assures accountable administrative control, accurate record of course participation/attendance, and professional responsibility for course design and implementation;

(b) The specific program or course is relevant to the practice of psychology in terms of subject matter and level, as required by division (C) of section 4732.141 of the Revised Code;

(c) In accordance with division (B) of section 4745.04 of the Revised Code, up to one-third of the biennial CE requirements may be completed by providing volunteer services to indigent and uninsured persons. To qualify under this rule, volunteer services shall:

(i) Be provided at a free clinic or other non-profit organization that offers health care services based on eligibility screenings identifying the client as an "indigent and uninsured person" as that term is defined in division (A)(7) of section 2305.234 of the Revised Code;

(ii) Be documented in writing in the form of a certificate or a written statement on letterhead from an administrative official at the organization where services were rendered, specifying at a minimum the license holder's name, license number, date(s) of qualifying volunteer services, and number of hours of services;

(iii) Not be credited for license holders in a paid position at the organization at which the services are rendered;

(iv) Be psychological or school psychological services provided in compliance with the professional conduct requirements specified in rule 4732-17-01 of Administrative Code;

(v) Be credited as one hour of CE for each sixty minutes spent providing services as a volunteer, not to exceed seven hours of the total biennial CE requirement; and

(vi) Not count toward the requirements of division (A)(1) of section 4732.141 of the Revised Code to complete four hours of CE in professional conduct, ethics, and/or the role of culture, ethnic identity, or both in the provision of psychological assessment, consultation, or psychological interventions, or a combination thereof.

(d) Completion of the program or course or verification of qualifying volunteer services provided under paragraph (C)(2)(c) of this rule is registered with the "Ohio Psychological Association" or the "Ohio School Psychologists Association," in accordance with division (B)(2) of section 4732.141 of the Revised Code and with the implementational procedures that shall be negotiated annually between the board and the "Ohio Psychological Association" and the "Ohio School Psychologists Association."

(e) Documentation of volunteer services provided under paragraph (C)(2)(c) of this rule shall be registered with the "Ohio Psychological Association" or the "Ohio School Psychologists Association" in a single submission per biennium inclusive of all certificates and/or written statements verifying qualifying activities.

(3) Those hours of credits recognized by the "Ohio School Psychologists Association" and/or the "Ohio Psychological Association" as meeting the CE requirements for any school psychologist certificate or license issued by the state board of education shall also qualify for hours for renewal of licenses issued by the state board of psychology

(4) In accordance with division (B)(2) of section 4732.141 of the Revised Code, the board may audit any activities submitted in satisfaction of the CE requirements and/or monitor any program approved by any authorized approving organization for CE credit, and may disallow such credit if the board determines that the offering is not in conformance with the standards of paragraph (C)(2) of this rule.

(a) The authorized approving organization shall be notified of any continuing education determined to be unacceptable by the board, as defined by contracts with the "Ohio School Psychologists Association" and with the "Ohio Psychological Association," and shall be required to notify all registered participants of that continuing education of its unacceptability.

(b) If the board determines after March first of a license renewal year that any continuing education approved by an authorized approving organization and already completed by any licensee is unacceptable, then each license holder who has completed that continuing education and who proposes to use the hours to qualify for biennial registration shall be allowed until the end of the calendar year to complete the equivalent hours of qualifying continuing education credit. For such persons:

(i) The license shall not expire if all other requirements, including the remaining CE requirements are met by September thirtieth of a relevant renewal year and if any deficiency caused by the disqualification of the continuing education is corrected by the end of that calendar year.

(ii) Whatever hours are completed after August thirty-first of that year and are applied to correct such deficiency shall not count toward completion of CE requirements for the subsequent biennium.

(5) The board may from time to time, on its own initiative, approve continuing education. The board shall maintain a list of such approvals, on its website www.psychology.ohio.gov and shall be provided to the "Ohio Psychological Association" and the "Ohio School Psychologists Association," so that completion of such continuing education may be entered into the licensee's record of CE hours maintained by those organizations.

(6) It shall be the responsibility of the authorized approving organization to assure that all registered attendees are notified, at the time of the continuing education or as soon thereafter as any disapproval notice may be received from the board, or be in accord with the contract with the "Ohio School Psychologists Association" or the "Ohio Psychological Association," of the approval or disapproval status of the continuing education. Notwithstanding this responsibility of the authorized approving organization, it shall be the responsibility of each license holder to complete the necessary number of approved hours of CE, whether or not the license holder is correctly notified of the unacceptability of any disapproved continuing education.

(7) Failure to meet CE requirements or failure to have verification of the necessary CE hours sent to the board by August thirty-first of any relevant renewal year may result in expiration of license on September thirtieth of that year, pursuant to rule 4732-1-06 of the Administrative Code, except in a case described in paragraph (C)(5) or (C)(10) of this rule. If reinstatement is desired, such individual shall be required to submit a formal request for reinstatement of licensure.

(8) If an applicant for licensure as a psychologist or independent school psychologist is licensed during the first year of the biennial renewal period, the license holder is required to complete thirteen hours of continuing education for that biennial renewal period, including not less than four hours of continuing education in professional conduct, ethics, and/or the role of culture, ethnic identity, or both in the provision of psychological assessment, consultation, or psychological interventions, or a combination thereof. If an applicant is licensed during the first three months of the second year of the biennial renewal period, the license holder is exempt from meeting the CE requirements for that biennial period. If an applicant is licensed during the last nine months of the second year of the biennial renewal period and is, therefore, not subject to renewal that same year, he/she is required to complete twenty-three hours of CE to renew in the next renewal year.

(9) If an applicant for licensure as a licensed school psychologist is licensed during the first three years of the quinquennial renewal period, the license holder is required to renew by the next renewal deadline and shall complete twenty-eight clock hours of CE coursework described in division (A)(1)(b) of section 4732.141 of the Revised Code, or demonstrate compliance with requirements described in paragraph (D)(1)(a) of this rule, or meet an exemption described in paragraph (D)(1)(b) or (D)(1)(c) of this rule. If a licensed school psychologist applicant is licensed during the fourth year of the quinquennial renewal period, the license holder is exempt from CE requirements but is required to renew the license by the next renewal deadline. If the license holder is licensed during the final year of the quinquennial renewal period, the license is not subject to renewal at the next renewal deadline, and initial license shall be granted for six years. Evidence of CE compliance is required for subsequent renewal periods.

(9)(10) Pursuant to division (F) of section 4732.141 of the Revised Code and on written petition by a licensee setting forth convincing and compelling reason because of an unusual circumstance, emergency, or special hardship, the board may excuse all or any part of the petitioner's CE requirements, may set conditions for excusing such requirements, and may require the licensee to make up CE requirements. Board approval of any such arrangement shall be made in writing, shall be communicated promptly to the petitioner, and shall be inserted into the petitioner's board record. The deadline for requesting the board to excuse all or any part of CE requirements is August first of the relevant renewal year.

(10)(11) Falsification of written evidence submitted to the board or failure to respond to an audit request regarding continuing education experience shall constitute fraud, misrepresentation, and deception, as defined in paragraph (A)(2) of rule 4732-17-03 of the Administrative Code, and shall be considered grounds for disciplinary action.

(D) CE compliance options for licensed school psychologists:

(1) In lieu of completing fifty clock hours of CE coursework described in division (A)(1)(b) of section 4732.141 of the Revised Code, licensed school psychologists may demonstrate compliance with the quinquennial CE requirement by:

(a) Undertaking a prescribed program of continuing professional development through their employing school district or board of education. In such cases, the school psychologist shall complete a prescribed program to the satisfaction of the employing school's local professional development committee (LPDC). In addition to accepting CE course certificates from license holders in fulfillment of the fifty hour quinquennial CE requirement, the "Ohio School Psychologists Association" shall accept, as equivalent to fifty CE clock hours, compliance reports from LPDC's indicating that the licensed school psychologist has complied with the terms of a quinquennial professional development plan;

(b) Providing evidence to the "Ohio School Psychologists Association" that the applicant holds a valid "Nationally Certified School Psychologist" (NCSP) credential; or

(c) Providing evidence that the licensed school psychologist is exempt from the CE requirements by virtue of having held a permanent school psychologist license issued by the Ohio department of education and workforce.

Notes

Ohio Admin. Code 4732-2-01

Effective: 1/1/2025
Five Year Review (FYR) Dates: 9/4/2024 and 01/01/2030
Promulgated Under: 119.03
Statutory Authority: 4745.04, 4732.06
Rule Amplifies: 4745.04, 4732.141
Prior Effective Dates: 09/30/1996, 07/15/2000, 07/01/2003, 11/29/2004, 06/08/2015, 10/23/2017, 11/25/2019