Title BPC — California Bus. & Prof. Code

The Legislature finds and declares that practice of psychology in California affects the public health, safety, and welfare and is to be subject to regulation and control in the public interest to protect the public from the unauthorized and unqualified practice of psychology and…

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Psychology Licensing Law.”

For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply: (a) “Licensed psychologist” means an individual to whom a license has been issued pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, which license is in force and has not been suspended or revoked. (b) “Client” means a patie…

(a) No person may engage in the practice of psychology, or represent themselves to be a psychologist, without a license granted under this chapter, except as otherwise provided in this chapter. The practice of psychology is defined as rendering or offering to render to individual…

A psychologist licensed under this chapter may use biofeedback instruments which do not pierce or cut the skin to measure physical and mental functioning.

The practice of psychology shall not include prescribing drugs, performing surgery or administering electroconvulsive therapy.

A psychologist licensed under this chapter is a licentiate for purposes of paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 805, and thus is a health care provider subject to the provisions of Section 2290.5.

The practice of psychology shall be as defined as in Section 2903, any existing statute in the State of California to the contrary notwithstanding.

Corporations shall have no professional rights, privileges, or powers, and shall not be permitted to practice psychology, nor shall the liability of any licensed psychologist be limited by a corporation.

Nothing in Section 2907 shall be deemed to apply to the acts of a psychological corporation practicing pursuant to the Moscone-Knox Professional Corporation Act, as contained in Part 4 (commencing with Section 13400) of Division 3 of Title 1 of the Corporations Code and Article 9…

Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent qualified members of other recognized professional groups licensed to practice in the State of California, such as, but not limited to, physicians and surgeons, clinical social workers, educational psychologists, marriage and …

(a) This chapter shall not be construed to restrict persons who are employed in positions as psychologists or registered psychological associates of accredited or approved academic institutions, public schools, or governmental agencies from practicing psychology or using the offi…

Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as restricting the activities and services of a graduate student or psychology intern enrolled in a doctoral program leading to one of the degrees listed in subdivision (b) of Section 2914 or a trainee in a post-doctoral placement approv…

(a) Notwithstanding Section 2903, a person who holds a license in another jurisdiction of the United States or in Canada as a psychologist may provide psychological services in this state for a period not to exceed 30 consecutive days in any calendar year, if all of the following…

A person other than a licensed psychologist may perform psychological functions in preparation for licensure as a psychologist only if all of the following conditions are met: (a) The person is registered with the board as a “registered psychological associate.” This registration…

(a) An applicant for licensure as a psychologist 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 as a psychologist shall possess an earned doctoral degree in any of the …

The board shall encourage every licensed psychologist to take continuing professional development in geriatric pharmacology.

The board shall encourage licensed psychologists to take continuing professional development in psychopharmacology and biological basis of behavior.

(a) The board shall encourage institutions that offer a doctorate degree program in psychology to include in their biobehavioral curriculum, education and training in psychopharmacology and related topics including pharmacology and clinical pharmacology. (b) The board shall devel…

In determining its continuing professional development, the board shall consider including a course in menopausal mental health.

In determining its continuing professional development, the board shall consider including a course in maternal mental health.

(a) Except as provided in this section, the board shall issue a renewal license only to a licensed psychologist who has completed 36 hours of approved continuing professional development in the preceding two years. (b) A licensed psychologist who renews or applies to reinstate th…

(a) Any person applying for a license as a psychologist or registration as research psychoanalyst shall, in addition to any other requirements, show by evidence satisfactory to the board that they have completed training in human sexuality as a condition of licensure. The trainin…

(a) The Legislature finds that there is a need to ensure that professionals of the healing arts who have demonstrable contact with victims and potential victims of child, elder, and dependent adult abuse, and abusers and potential abusers of children, elders, and dependent adults…

(a) The board shall consider adoption of continuing education requirements, including training in the area of recognizing chemical dependency and early intervention, for all persons applying for renewal of a license as a psychologist or registration as a research psychoanalyst. (…

(a) Effective January 1, 2020, an applicant for licensure as a psychologist shall show, as part of the application, that they have completed a minimum of six hours of coursework or applied experience under supervision in suicide risk assessment and intervention. This requirement …

(a) Any applicant for licensure as a psychologist, as a condition of licensure, shall complete a minimum of six contact hours of coursework or applied experience in aging and long-term care, which may include, but need not be limited to, the biological, social, and psychological …

If any provision of this chapter or the application thereof to any person or circumstances is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect any of the provisions or applications of this chapter which can be given effect without such invalid provisions or application, and to this…

The confidential relations and communications between psychologist and client shall be privileged as provided by Article 7 (commencing with Section 1010) of Chapter 4 of Division 8 of the Evidence Code.

A licensed psychologist shall retain a patient’s health service records for a minimum of seven years from the patient’s discharge date. If the patient is a minor, the patient’s health service records shall be retained for a minimum of seven years from the date the patient reaches…

(a) The Board of Psychology shall enforce and administer this chapter. The board shall consist of nine members, four of whom shall be public members. (b) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2030, and as of that date is repealed.

Protection of the public shall be the highest priority for the Board of Psychology in exercising its licensing, regulatory, and disciplinary functions. Whenever the protection of the public is inconsistent with other interests sought to be promoted, the protection of the public s…

Notwithstanding any other law, the repeal of Section 2920 renders the board subject to review by the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature.

Each member of the board shall hold office for a term of four years, and shall serve until the appointment and qualification of his or her successor or until one year shall have elapsed since the expiration of the term for which he or she was appointed, whichever first occurs. No…

In appointing the members of the board, except the public members, the Governor shall use his or her judgment to select psychologists who represent, as widely as possible, the varied professional interests of psychologists in California. The Governor shall appoint two of the publ…

Each member of the board shall have all of the following qualifications: (a) He or she shall be a resident of this state. (b) Each member appointed, except the public members shall be a licensed psychologist. The public members shall not be licentiates of the board or of any boar…

The Governor has power to remove from office any member of the board for neglect of any duty required by this chapter, for incompetency, or for unprofessional conduct.

The board shall elect annually a president and vice president from among its members.

The board shall hold at least one regular meeting each year. Additional meetings may be held upon call of the chairman or at the written request of any two members of the board.

Five members of the board shall at all times constitute a quorum.

Notice of each regular meeting of the board shall be given in accordance with the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act (Article 9 (commencing with Section 11120) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code).

The board shall administer and enforce this chapter.

The board shall adopt a seal, which shall be affixed to all licenses issued by the board.

The board shall from time to time adopt rules and regulations as may be necessary to effectuate this chapter. In adopting rules and regulations the board shall comply with Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

The board shall examine and pass upon the qualifications of the applicants for a license as provided by this chapter.

Notwithstanding Section 112, the board may issue, biennially, a current geographical directory of licensed psychologists. The directory may be sent to licensees and to other interested parties at cost.

The board may post on its internet website information on all current and former licensees and registrants, including the following: (a) Any record of a disciplinary action. (b) Any of the following actions or proceedings against the licensee or registrant: (1) Temporary restrain…

Each member of the board shall receive a per diem and expenses as provided in Section 103.

The board shall adopt a program of consumer and professional education in matters relevant to the ethical practice of psychology. The board shall establish as its standards of ethical conduct relating to the practice of psychology, the “Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Cod…

To obtain a license from the board, an applicant shall submit any applications and pay any applicable fees as prescribed in Section 2987. These fees shall not be refunded by the board.