I. Psychology Practicum Students

Psychology practicum students have recently found training and employment in a large variety of university and community placements, include a number of psychology private practices. In order to protect the public, a number of restrictions are placed on both practicum students and their employers:

1. Practicum experience must include supervision by a licensed psycholoigst with Mental Health Provider status
   
   
2. The actual deliverer of psychological services must be clearly identified to the client and all billing for those services. Practicum students sent to hospital settings to provide testing or therapy services shall identify themselves to clients as supervised student therapists. Billing for psychotherapy sessions conducted by practicum student therapists should state the following:
   • Treatment provided by _______________________________, Psychology Practicum Student _______________________________, Ph. D. Supervising Psychologist
     Similarly, psychological testing reports should be signed and billed:
   • Test administration by ______________________________, Psychology Practicum Student ______________________________, Ph. D. Supervising Psychologist

II. Students Not Enrolled in Psychology Practicum

Students who perform well in practicium placements are frequently offered employment under "non-psychologist job titles" such as counselor or therapist. The Board has consistently been questioned concerning the legality of such employment. The crux of the issue is that psychology students are not credentialed by the Board may not function as psychologists unless enrolled in a psychology course practicum [or internship] with approved supervision by a licensed psychologist. Should psychology students accept employment in fields related to psychology it should be clear to all parties (student, employer, employer's employer (e.g., hospitals, treatment facilities) clients, third party pay sources) who is delivering the services, and the nature of the services provided. A number of procedural safeguards may be used:

1. Psychological testring may not be done by a student who is not credentialed by the Board or who is not currently enrolled in a psychology practicum
2. If the conditions of employment specify a master's degree (or higher) in a mental health related field and if student's training is in psychology and if the activities of the employment are within the practice of psychology, then the person's activities are within the regulatory authority of the State Board of Psychology and the student must be credentialled by the Board.
3. Non-credentialed students who are employed under "non-psychologist job titles" may not administer psychological tests nor may they participate in the provision of services that are provided or billed as psycholgoical services.
4. No licensed or certified psychologist may bill or allow his/her employing organization to bill as psychological services, work done by students or others working under "non-psychologist job titles". Credentialed psychologists are responsible for clearly identifying to the client and on all billings for services rendered who provides the services and what services are delivered.
5. No work done by those with "non-psychologist job titles" (e.g., interviewing, handing out objective test materials) may be billed as psycholgical testing.

 

Note: The impact of this Board guideline is that students who intend to sit for the Psychological Associate certification must follow these guidelines. Students who intend to sit for the Professional Counselor certification must be supervised by an "approved supervisor" as defined in KRS 335.500(4).

Prepared by Wm. E. Stilwell on 02/07/2001 at 14:12