New Mexico Register / Volume XXXIII, Issue 1 / January 11, 2022

 

 

This is an amendment to 16.22.9 NMAC, Section 8, and Section 9 effective 02/10/2022.

 

16.22.9.8               REQUIRED HOURS:

                A.            Purpose.  The purpose of continuing professional education (CPE) requirements for psychologists is to ensure that licensees update and advance their skills such that the public shall benefit from the most current and effective standards of professional practice.  To further the goal of public benefit, all psychologists are required to fulfill a portion of their CPE in the areas of ethics and cultural diversity as related to the profession of psychology.

                B.            Required hours.  The board requires 40 hours of CPE for licensed psychologists and psychologist associates during every two years.  For conditional prescribing and unrestricted prescribing psychologists the board requires 60 hours of CPE every two years.

                C.            Program types.  CPE credits are divided into two categories depending on the design and approval process for the experience and on the monitoring of the psychologist. Psychologists must obtain at least 15 of their 40 hours every two years in category I, which is the most stringent in terms of presentation standards and monitoring. Any additional hours to complete the 40 hour requirement may be from category I or category II.

                                (1)           Cultural Diversity: a minimum of two hours every two years from either category must be in the area of cultural diversity [and/or] or health disparities as described in 16.22.9.9 NMAC. [At least two hours of cultural diversity CPE must be in the area of ethnic diversity.]

                                (2)           Equity and inclusion: a minimum of four hours every two years from either category I or II must be on the topic of race, ethnicity, systemic racism, structural inequality, poverty or the intersection of variables that impact marginalized communities as described in 16.22.9.9 NMAC.

                                (3)           Ethics: a minimum of four hours every two years from either category must be in the area of ethics as described in 16.22.9.9 NMAC.

                                (4)           Psychopharmacology or psychopharmacotherapy: for conditional prescribing or unrestricted prescribing psychologists, 40 hours every two years out of the 60 hour CPE requirement must be in the area of psychopharmacology or psychopharmacotherapy.

                D.            Criteria.  The board accepts the criteria of the national professional organizations listed in 16.22.9.9 NMAC in accrediting continuing education hours. The following criteria adapted from Standards and Criteria for Approval of Sponsors of Continuing Education for Psychologists (American Psychological Association, 2009) shall apply [to the board and] to New Mexico accrediting organizations when approving continuing education requests.

                                (1)           Sponsors must be prepared to demonstrate that information and programs presented are based on methodical, theoretical, research, or practice knowledge base. This requirement must be met by at least one of the following:

                                                (a)           Program content has obtained credibility, as demonstrated by the involvement of the broader psychological practice, education, and science communities in studying or applying the findings, procedures, practices, or theoretical concepts.

                                                (b)           Program content has been supported using established research procedures and scientific scrutiny.

                                                (c)           Program content has peer reviewed, published support beyond those publications and other types of communications devoted primarily to the promotion of the approach.

                                                (d)           Program content is related to ethical, legal, statutory or regulatory policies, guidelines, and standards that impact psychology.

                                (2)           Sponsors must select instructors with expertise in the program content and who are competent to teach this program content at a level that builds upon a completed doctoral program in psychology.

                                (3)           Sponsors are required to ensure that instructors, during each CE presentation, include statements that describe the accuracy and utility of the materials presented, the basis of such statements, the limitations of the content being taught and the severe and the most common risks.

                                (4)           Sponsors must offer program content that builds upon the foundation of a completed doctoral program in psychology.

                                (5)           Sponsors must be prepared to demonstrate that content is relevant to psychological practice, education, or science.

                                (6)           Sponsors must clearly describe any commercial support for the CE program, presentation. Or instructor to program participants at the time the CE program begins. Any other relationship that could be reasonably construed as a conflict of interest also must be disclosed.

[16.22.9.8 NMAC - Rp, 16.22.9.9 NMAC, 9/16/2010; A, 04/30/2015; A, 02/10/2022]

 

16.22.9.9               CPE PROGRAM CATEGORIES:

                A.            Category I shall consist of formally designed programs presented in a group setting with monitored attendance. The following types of programs qualify as category I:

                                (1)           Formally organized workshops, seminars, grand rounds or classes aimed at the graduate or professional level which maintain an attendance roster and are approved by or under the auspices of an accredited institution of higher education offering graduate instruction.

                                (2)           Workshops, seminars, or classes which maintain an attendance roster and are certified or recognized by one of the following organizations:

                                                (a)           the American psychological association;

                                                (b)           the American psychiatric association;

                                                (c)           the American medical association;

                                                (d)           the American association for marriage and family therapy;

                                                (e)           the American counseling association;

                                                (f)            the international congress of psychology;

                                                (g)           the national association of social workers;

                                                (h)           the New Mexico psychological association;

                                                (i)            the national association of school psychologists; or

                                                (j)            the New Mexico state board of psychologist examiners.

                                (3)           Formal graduate level college or university courses relevant to scientific or professional psychological activities, including but not limited to neuropsychology, forensic psychology, development, language skills, statistics, and cultural knowledge, as deemed satisfactory to the board. Five CPE credits will be granted for each university semester credit listed for the course. Documentation may be provided by college transcript showing credit obtained or letter from the instructor documenting hours of attendance for audited courses.

                                (4)           Participation in the board will be granted hour-for-hour CPE credit up to 20 hours. These hours satisfy the ethics CPE requirement.

                                (5)           Achieving advanced certification, diplomate status or specialization in a field of psychology or psychopharmacology may be granted up to 15 CPE credits if approved by one of the organizations designated in Paragraph (2) of Subsection A of 16.22.9.9 NMAC using their own criteria or the criteria of Paragraph (2) of Subsection D of 16.22.9.8 NMAC.

                                (6)           Online education qualifies as category I if:

                                                (a)           it meets the above criteria;

                                                (b)           attendance is verified by the instructor’s organization, e.g., electronically monitoring when the learner is online;.

                                                [(c)          a limit of 11 CPE credits come from online coursework, that is that at least four CPE credits be face-to-face interactions.]

                B.            Category II shall consist of high quality and relevant experiences outside the format of formal presentations and classes. The following types of programs qualify as category II:

                                (1)           Non-supervised independent study or home study programs, including online programs, conducted by accrediting agencies listed in Paragraph (2) of Subsection A of 16.22.9.9 [NMSA] NMAC will be granted hour-for-hour CPE credit.

                                (2)           Symposia or presentations at annual conventions of national or regional professional organizations in psychology (for example, American psychological association, and Rocky Mountain psychological association) or a closely related discipline may be claimed for CPE credit.  Four hours may be claimed for the first time each scientific or professional presentation was made; two hours may be claimed for a poster session.

                                (3)           Publications related to the practice of psychology:  CPE hours may be claimed for each publication of an article in a professional journal or book chapter authored by the licensee according to author listing:

                                                (a)           eight hours for the first author;

                                                (b)           six hours for the second author;

                                                (c)           four hours for the third author; and

                                                (d)           two hours for any subsequent author.

                                (4)           Books related to the practice of psychology:  Authoring or editing a book may be claimed for fifteen hours.

                                (5)           A presenter providing continuing education or teacher of a graduate course that qualifies as a category I program may claim hour per hour credit up to eight CPE credit hours for the first time the presentation is made or the course is taught. New material in an existing course or program may be claimed hour per hour up to eight hours the first time it is presented.

                                (6)           Participation in the New Mexico psychological association executive board, or formal offices or committees established by the board, the New Mexico psychological association, the American psychological association, or other professional organizations, if the tasks are clearly related to issues of ethics, professional standards, or practice-related skills shall be granted CPE credit of one hour for every two hours of participation up to 20 hours.

                C.            Cultural diversity shall consist of the following types of programs:  A course containing attention to cultural diversity [and/or] or health disparities, as specifically noted in the title, description of objectives, or curriculum of the presentation, symposium, workshop, seminar, or course.  A course in cultural diversity focuses on increasing scientific understanding and training in regard to those aspects that pertain to but are not limited to culture, class, race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, aging and disability.  The aim of such courses is the promotion of culturally responsive/competent models for the delivery of psychological services.  The topic of the presentation, symposium, workshop, seminar, or course need not be on cultural diversity; however one of the objectives or the description of topics covered must clearly indicate attention to health disparities, race, ethnicity, systemic racism, structural inequality, poverty [and/or] or cultural diversity, as deemed satisfactory to the board.  [Four] Two hours of cultural diversity CPE from either category I or II are required for each two year reporting period.

                D.            Equity and Inclusion shall consist of the following types of programs: A course containing attention to the topic of race, ethnicity, systemic racism, structural inequality, poverty, or the intersection with other variables that impact marganized communities. A course on these topics must be more than a history course, and should focus on increasing scientific understanding and training that improves clinical understanding of those aspects that pertain to but are not limited to systemic racism, structural inequality, poverty or the intersection with variables that impact marginalized communities.  The aim of such courses is the promotion of culturally responsive/competent models for the delivery of psychological services. In recognition of the unique racial/ethnic demographic composition of the population of New [Mexicoo] Mexico, four hours of equity and inclusion CPE from either category I or II are required each two year reporting period.

                E.            Ethics shall consist of the following types of programs:  A course containing attention to the ethics of practice related to psychology.  The topic of the presentation, symposium, workshop, seminar, or course need be on ethics and the objectives or the description of topics covered must clearly indicate attention to ethics, as deemed satisfactory to the board.  Four hours of ethics CPE from either category I or II are required for each two year period.

                F.            Health disparities are preventable differences in the burden of disease, injury, violence, or opportunities to achieve optimal health that are experienced by socially disadvantaged populations. Populations can be defined by factors such as race or ethnicity, gender, education or income, disability, geographic location (e.g., rural or urban), or sexual orientation. Health disparities are inequitable and are directly related to the historical and current unequal distribution of social, political, economic, and environmental resources.

[16.22.9.9 NMAC - Rp, 16.22.9.8 NMAC, 9/16/2010; A, 4/30/2015; A, 02/10/2022]