Each licensed psychologist shall complete a minimum of ten hours of continuing education during each registration period.  "Registration period" means the twelve-month period for which a license is being renewed.  

 

For registration periods ending after January 1, 2016, each licensee applying for renewal is required to complete not less than two contact hours of training or education (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 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 the Internet, distance learning or home study. 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.

 

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 of the general statutes.

 

A licensee applying for license renewal for the first time shall be exempt from the continuing education requirements. In individual cases involving medical disability or illness, the Department may grant a waiver of the continuing education requirements or an extension of time within which to fulfill the continuing education requirements to any licensee, provided the licensee submits to the department an application for waiver or extension of time on, along with a certification by a licensed physician of the disability. 

 

The Department may grant a waiver or extension for a period not to exceed one registration period, except the additional waivers or extensions may be granted 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 Department 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 this type of waiver may not engage in professional practice until the licensee has met the continuing education requirements.  Any licensee granted a waiver of the continuing education requirements who is not in active practice 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. Licensees shall maintain documentation of completion of the required continuing education as outlined above.

 

Any licensee whose license has lapsed due to nonrenewal for one year or more and who applies to the department for reinstatement shall submit documentation of completion of ten hours of continuing education within the one-year period immediately preceding the date of application for reinstatement.

 

Continuing education activities completed by a licensee in another state or country to meet the requirements of this section are acceptable.