Psychologists in Maine have an upcoming license renewal deadline of April 30, 2012.

• 40 hours of continuing education are required to renew (in even-numbered years)
• 3 hours must be in ethics
• 20 hours must be in the area of practice

Courses offered by APA-approved providers are accepted by the Maine Board of Examiners of Psychologists.

Professional Development Resources is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor online continuing education for psychologists. Maine psychologists can earn all 40 hours through online courses offered at: http://www.pdresources.org/Courses/Psychology/Online/CourseID/1/

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Click to view approved online courses

Summary: This chapter requires licensees to update and advance their skills through continuing professional education so that the public may benefit from the most current and effective standards of professional practice.

General Requirements

40 Hours Over Two Years Required for License Renewal

On license renewal applications for even-numbered years, each psychologist and psychological examiner shall attest to the completion of 40 hours of face-to-face or indirect approved continuing professional education directly related to the practice of psychology during the preceding two years of licensure in conformance with the requirements of this chapter. This requirement becomes effective upon the licensee’s second renewal application for an even-numbered year.

Subject-Matter Requirements

Of the 40 hours of continuing professional education required for renewal —

• A minimum of 3 hours must be earned in the area of ethics;
• A minimum of 20 hours must be earned in the licensee’s current areas of practice or anticipated areas of future practice; and
• If the psychologist performs any of the supervisory functions described in Chapter 7, Section 1 of the board’s rules, a minimum of 3 hours must be earned in the skills and principles of supervision.

Continuing Professional Education Activities

Permissible Activities

Continuing professional education is a systematic learning experience directly related to the practice of psychology. Permissible continuing professional education activities include, but are not limited to:

• Seminar, lecture, conference and workshop;
• Televised or interactive instruction and established distance learning procedures;
• Commercially-prepared self-study; published writing and editing of published works;
• Successful completion of graduate level courses offered by a college or university that is accredited by a regional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, or in candidacy for accreditation;
• Literature review resulting in a published work, annotated bibliography or other tangible work product;
• Documented advanced training under supervision; and
• Instructional development as described in Section 2(2)(C) and (D) of this chapter.

Limitation of Permissible Activities

• Continuing professional education credit may not be claimed for elective office or service in professional associations or societies, or for membership on governmental regulatory boards.
• Continuing professional educational credit may not be claimed for non-instructional time such as lunch, breaks and registration.
• A licensee may claim no more than 10 hours of continuing professional education credit for development of seminars, workshops, conference presentations, lectures or similar activities. No credit may be claimed for development of an activity that is the same or substantially the same as one for which credit has previously been claimed. No credit may be claimed for actual teaching, presentation or lecture time.
• A licensee may claim no more than 10 hours of continuing professional education credit for development of academic courses. No credit may be claimed for development of a course that is the same or substantially the same as one for which credit has previously been claimed. No credit may be claimed for actual teaching time.
• A licensee may claim no more than 10 hours of continuing professional education credit for literature review described in Section 3(1)(E) of this chapter.

Criteria for Approval of Continuing Professional Education Activities

• The activity must be at least one hour in length;
• The activity must include specified learning objectives;
• The instructor must be a psychologist or other professional who has recognized expertise in the specific subject area of the activity;
• Where appropriate, the announcement materials for the activity must clearly state the name of the sponsor and provider, the name of the individual(s) delivering instruction, the number of contact hours for which the activity has been approved by the board, and the learning objectives of the activity;
• The activity must distribute its articulated learning goals to participants at the beginning of the activity; and
• Participants (including licensees who complete commercially-prepared self-study) must be given a certificate of participation or other documentation of completion of the activity stating the hours of continuing professional education credit earned.

Pre-Approved Continuing Professional Education Activities

• APA or any of its approved sponsors approved through the APA Sponsor Approval System

Hardship Deferment

A licensee may request from the board in writing a deferment of continuing education due to health reasons, military service or other unforeseeable circumstances of genuine hardship. A licensee who receives a deferment shall make up the deferred continuing education according to a schedule determined by the board in consultation with the licensee.

Audit

The licensee’s attestation of completion of continuing professional education is subject to audit. The licensee shall retain, for purposes of audit:

• The certificate of participation or other documentation
• The official or unofficial transcript of graduate level courses
• Evidence of board approval of activities for which specific approval is required
• Any corroborating or descriptive material that explains the nature and scope of a continuing education activity for which specific board approval is not required

Maine Board of Examiners of Psychologists: http://www.maine.gov/pfr/professionallicensing/professions/psychologists/index.htm