CO Psych Juris cheat sheet

The practice of psychology is defined in C.R.S. § 12-245-301 et seq.; it includes diagnosis, treatment, and correction of psychological disorders, and the use of psychological methods for understanding behavior.

Exemptions from licensure include: psychologists employed by federal agencies, students in supervised training, and unlicensed persons providing services under supervision in certain settings (C.R.S. § 12-245-305).

Title protection: only licensed psychologists may use the title 'psychologist' or any derivative; unlicensed persons may not imply they are licensed.

Scope of practice includes assessment, therapy, consultation, research, and teaching; prescribing psychotropic medication requires additional certification and is limited to those with specialized training.

Mandatory reporting: psychologists must report suspected child abuse or neglect (C.R.S. § 19-3-304) and at-risk adult abuse (C.R.S. § 18-6.5-108).

Duty to warn/protect: Colorado follows the Tarasoff principle; psychologists may disclose confidential information to prevent serious harm (C.R.S. § 13-21-117).

Confidentiality of mental health records is governed by C.R.S. § 13-21-117 and HIPAA; disclosure requires written consent except in emergencies or as required by law.

Telepsychology is permitted if the psychologist complies with Colorado law and the law of the client's location; interstate telepsychology may require PSYPACT authority.

The Colorado State Board of Psychologist Examiners is authorized under C.R.S. § 12-245-301 et seq. and administers the Psychology Practice Act.

Board rules are codified in 3 CCR 713-1; they cover licensure requirements, supervision, continuing education, and disciplinary procedures.

Board policies are issued to clarify rules and are available on the Division of Professions and Occupations website; they are binding on licensees.

Supervision requirements for licensure: applicants must complete at least 1,500 hours of supervised postdoctoral practice, including 750 hours of direct client contact, over a minimum of 12 months.

Supervision must be provided by a licensed psychologist who has been licensed for at least two years and has no disciplinary actions; a supervision plan must be filed with the Board.

Informed consent: psychologists must obtain informed consent for services, including fees, confidentiality, and limits, and document it in the record.

Record keeping: psychologists must maintain records for at least seven years after termination of services, or until the client reaches age 18 plus seven years, whichever is longer.

Advertising must be accurate and not misleading; psychologists may not use testimonials that imply guaranteed results or make false claims about competence.

Licensure by examination requires: doctoral degree in psychology from an APA-accredited program, completion of supervised experience, and passing the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) with a score set by the Board.

The EPPP passing score in Colorado is 500 (scaled score); scores are valid for five years from the date of examination.

Licensure by endorsement requires: active licensure in another state for at least five years, no disciplinary actions, and verification of equivalent education and experience.

Application fees: initial licensure fee is $400; renewal fee is $300 for a two-year license period.

Renewal: licenses expire on August 31 of odd-numbered years; renewal must be completed online with continuing education and fee.

Late renewal: a late fee of $100 applies if renewed within 30 days after expiration; after 30 days, the license is considered lapsed and practice is prohibited.

Reactivation: a lapsed license may be reactivated by submitting an application, paying a reactivation fee of $250, and providing proof of completion of 30 hours of continuing education within the past two years.

Inactive status: licensees may request inactive status; while inactive, they may not practice and must pay a reduced fee of $150 per renewal cycle.

Licensees must complete 40 hours of continuing education (CE) every two years, including at least 6 hours in ethics and 4 hours in cultural diversity.

CE hours must be obtained from providers approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) or the Colorado Board; self-study is limited to 10 hours per cycle.

At least 20 hours must be in person or live interactive formats; the remaining hours may be home study.

CE content must be relevant to the practice of psychology and may include clinical, research, teaching, or supervisory topics.

Documentation: licensees must retain CE certificates for at least four years and provide them upon request by the Board.

First renewal after initial licensure: new licensees are exempt from CE for the first renewal cycle if licensed less than 12 months before the renewal date.

Reactivation requires 30 hours of CE within the two years preceding the reactivation application, including 4 hours in ethics.

Noncompliance may result in disciplinary action, including fines or license suspension; CE audits are conducted randomly.

Grounds for discipline include: unprofessional conduct, incompetence, negligence, fraud, violation of confidentiality, and practicing beyond scope (C.R.S. § 12-245-320).

The Board may impose sanctions: reprimand, probation, suspension, revocation, or denial of licensure; it may also impose fines up to $5,000 per violation.

Complaints must be filed in writing with the Division of Professions and Occupations; the Board investigates and may dismiss or proceed to formal hearing.

Due process: licensees are entitled to notice and an opportunity for a hearing under the Colorado Administrative Procedure Act (C.R.S. § 24-4-101 et seq.).

Mandatory reporting: psychologists must report to the Board any unprofessional conduct or incompetence of another licensee that poses a risk to clients.

Confidentiality of complaint records: investigations are confidential until formal action is taken; the Board may disclose information as necessary for the investigation.

Disciplinary actions are reported to the National Practitioner Data Bank and may affect licensure in other states.

Reinstatement after revocation: a licensee may petition for reinstatement after five years; must demonstrate rehabilitation and pass a competency examination.