Continuing Education > MCEP Program Changes

MCEP PROGRAM CHANGES

As of January 2002, mandated continuing education for psychologists in California became much like it is for psychologists in other states. Rather than using the Accrediting Agency as the primary clearing house, the Board of Psychology (BOP) now directly recognizes two national standards for professional continuing education: The American Psychological Association (APA) and Continuing Medical Education/Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (CME/ACCME). This allows easier access to a larger pool of continuing professional education.

This means that in addition to Accrediting Agency approved courses (the ones with the MCEP course approval number), psychologists are free to take courses from APA Approved CE Sponsors and the full array of continuing medical education that is available.

APA Approved Sponsors include most national professional psychology societies and associations (including state psychological associations and APA Divisions) and a wide variety of commercial enterprises. THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION (LACPA) BECAME AN APA APPROVED PROVIDER OF CONTINUING EDUCATION IN MARCH 2002. ACCME courses are traditionally referred to as CME and include most hospital grand rounds as well as university and psychoanalytic programs, county mental health departments, in addition to national and international conferences. CME courses must pertain to the practice of psychology.

Psychologists will have the requirement to report these hours to the MCEP Accrediting Agency so that they can be incorporated into a master educational record and reported to the Board of Psychology. There is a filing fee associated with this report.

Another change allows the Accrediting Agency approved MCEP Providers to have more flexibility in attendance monitoring and the granting of credit. This puts the practice of MCEP providers in alignment with the practice and requirements of APA Providers.

MCEP CREDIT REPORT FORM

In addition to approving courses, the Accrediting Agency tracks attendance for all licensees (essentially creating individualized transcripts) and reports compliance with the license renewal requirement to the BOP. The Board considers this a 100% audit of all licensees. As APA and CME Providers do not work through the Accrediting Agency, it will not know about any APA or CME approved courses you may have attended. Therefore, all psychologists will need to report courses that are allowed by the BOP, but that do not have an MCEP course approval number.

The MCEP Credit Reporting Form is available on the BOP's Web site. LACPA members may request the form from LACPA. The reporting form is very simple. It requires some base identifying information, copies of attendance certificates, and a report filing fee. Instructions are at the bottom of the form. Psychologists may report multiple courses; the fee is per report, not per course. If you are comfortable with maintaining your own interim records, you can file one report every two years. Alternatively, you can file as frequently as you would like. After your report is processed, the Accrediting Agency will mail you an updated copy of your educational records so you have written confirmation.

REGULATION CHANGES

• Law and Ethics - The four hour CE course each license renewal cycle is no longer required (effective license renewals after January 19, 2007). Instead, each licensee will be required to certify on the renewal application that training in law and ethics has been obtained during the previous 24 month period by one of the following:
  1. Formal coursework from an accredited educational institution,
  2. Approved CE course,
  3. Workshops,
  4. Other experiences, including but not limited to, grand rounds or professional association presentations.
• Independent Learning (formerly termed "Distance Learning") - Licensees may fulfill 27 hours (75%) of required 36 hours of continuing education each license renewal cycle by independent learning technologies such as but not limited to courses delivered via the Internet, CD-ROM, satellite download, correspondence and home study (effective for license renewals after December 16, 2006).
• Supervision Requirement - The BOP’s supervision requirement is completely unrelated to the MCEP license renewal requirement. This means that the Accrediting Agency does not review or authorize that a course in any way meets the Board’s supervision requirement. You make the determination whether or not any particular course or subject of study meets your educational requirements as a supervisor. For assistance in making that determination, please visit the Board of Psychology’s Web site at www.psychboard.ca.gov/laws_regs/sup_training_requirement.pdf.