SECTION 463.8. Licensed Psychological Associate

(a) Licensure Requirements. An applicant for licensure as a psychological associate must:

(1) hold a graduate degree in psychology from a regionally accredited institution of higher education;

(2) provide documentation of at least six (6) semester credit hours of practicum, internship or other structured experience within the applicant's graduate degree program under the supervision of a licensed psychologist or under the supervision of an individual that holds a license as a specialist in school psychology;

(3) pass all examinations required by the Council and meet each of the criteria listed in §501.2525(a)(3)-(9) of the Occupations Code; and

(4) demonstrate graduate level coursework in each of the following areas:

(A) Psychological Foundations:

(i) the biological bases of behavior;

(ii) the acquired or learned bases of behavior, including learning, thinking, memory, motivation and emotion;

(iii) the social, cultural, and systemic bases of behavior;

(iv) the individual or unique bases of behavior, including personality theory, human development, and abnormal behavior;

(B) Research and Statistics:

(i) the methodology used to investigate questions and acquire knowledge in the practice of psychology;

(ii) coursework in research design and methodology, statistics, critical thinking, and scientific inquiry;

(C) Applied Psychology:

(i) the history, theory, and application of psychological principles;

(ii) the application of psychological theories to individuals, families, and groups;

(D) Assessment:

(i) intellectual, personality, cognitive, physical, and emotional abilities, skills, interests, and aptitudes;

(ii) socio-economic, including behavioral, adaptive, and cultural assessment;

(E) Interventions:

(i) the application of therapeutic techniques;

(ii) behavior management;

(iii) consultation; and

(F) Scientific and Professional, Legal, and Ethical Issues.

(b) Degree Requirements.

(1) For purposes of this rule:

(A) a graduate degree in psychology means the name of the candidate's major or program of studies contains the term "psychology;"

(B) a specialist degree shall be treated as a graduate degree; and

(C) one semester credit hour equals one and one-half quarter credit hours.

(2) A degree utilized to meet the requirements of this rule must consist of at least sixty (60) semester credit hours, with no more than twelve (12) semester credit hours of practicum, internship, or structured experience being counted toward the total degree hour requirement.

(3) Applicants must demonstrate proof of the graduate level coursework required in subsection (a)(2) and (4) of this section by identifying which courses or training listed on their transcripts satisfy the required areas of study. Applicants may be required to provide the Council with an official course catalogue or description from their university or training program to verify whether a course meets the requirements of this rule.

(c) Supervision Requirements.

(1) A licensed psychological associate must practice under the supervision of a licensed psychologist and may not practice independently.

(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of this subsection and subject to the limitations set out in paragraph (3) of this subsection, a licensed psychological associate may practice independently if:

(A) the licensee can demonstrate at least 3,000 hours of post-graduate degree experience in the delivery of psychological services under the supervision of one or more licensed psychologists;

(B) the supervised experience was obtained in not less than 24 consecutive months, but not more than 48 consecutive months, and in not more than three placements; and

(C) the licensee submits an application for independent practice evidencing proof of the required supervised experience.

(3) A licensed psychological associate meeting the requirements of paragraph (2) of this subsection shall be approved for independent practice, but remains subject to all Council rules, including §465.9 of this title.

(4) Applicants shall not utilize any supervised experience obtained from a psychologist with a restricted license or to whom they are related within the second degree of affinity or consanguinity to satisfy the requirements of this rule.

(5) Applicants licensed as specialists in school psychology or as a provisionally licensed psychologist may utilize experience acquired under that license if the experience was supervised by a licensed psychologist.

(d) The correct title for a person licensed under this rule shall be "licensed psychological associate" or "psychological associate."

(e) A licensed psychological associate authorized to practice independently under this rule must inform all patients and clients as part of the informed consent process, whether the licensee holds a master's, specialist or doctoral degree, and provide the patient with a current copy of any informational pamphlet or brochure published by the Council describing the differences between the levels of training and education received in master's, specialist, and doctoral degree programs. In lieu of providing each patient or client with a copy of the required pamphlet or brochure, licensees may publish in a conspicuous manner, the pamphlet or brochure on their website or provide a link to the pamphlet or brochure on the Council's website.

(f) Continuation of Prior Law.

(1) Notwithstanding subsection (b)(2) of this section, a person who began a graduate program before August 31, 2019, leading to a degree in psychology, that otherwise meets the requirements of subsection (a)(1) of this section, shall be considered to have met the requirements of subsection (b)(2) of this section if the individual has completed 42 semester credit hours.

(2) Applicants with degrees consisting of less than 42 semester credit hours may utilize a maximum of 12 semester credit hours from another graduate degree program in psychology to achieve the total of 42 semester credit hours to meet the requirement of subsection (f)(1) of this section.

(g) Remedy for Incomplete Licensure Requirements.

(1) An applicant who has completed a graduate degree in psychology, from a regionally accredited institution of higher education, that consists of at least sixty (60) semester credit hours, is currently licensed as an LSSP, or meets the requirements of subsection (f) of this section, and who does not meet all of the qualifications for licensure set out in subsection (a)(2) and (4) of this section may petition for permission to remediate an area of deficiency. An applicant may not, petition for the waiver or modification of the requisite degree or passage of the requisite examinations.

(2) The Council may allow an applicant to remediate a deficiency identified in paragraph (1) of this subsection if the applicant can demonstrate:

(A) the prerequisite is not mandated by federal law, the state constitution or statute, or 22 TAC Part 41; and

(B) the remediation would not adversely affect the public welfare.

(3) The Council may approve or deny a petition under this subsection, and in the case of approval, may condition the approval on reasonable terms and conditions designed to ensure the applicant's education, training, and experience provide reasonable assurance that the applicant has the knowledge and skills necessary for entry-level practice as a licensed psychological associate.

Source Note: The provisions of this §463.8 adopted to be effective October 7, 2020, 45 TexReg 7000; amended to be effective September 21, 2023, 48 TexReg 5137