(a) As used in this section, “psychology technician” means a person who (1) holds a bachelor’s or graduate degree in psychology, psychometrics or another mental health field, and (2) has undergone not less than eighty hours of training provided by a psychologist licensed pursuant to chapter 383, including, but not limited to, (A) not less than four hours of education in professional ethics and best practices for the administration and scoring of objective psychological and neuropsychological tests, including, but not limited to, the American Psychological Association Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct and legal obligations pertaining to patient confidentiality and reporting any suspicion of abuse or neglect of a patient, (B) not less than sixteen hours of studying and mastering information from psychological and neuropsychological testing manuals, (C) not less than twenty hours of direct observation of the administration and scoring of objective psychological and neuropsychological tests by the psychologist, and (D) not less than forty hours of administering and scoring objective psychological and neuropsychological tests in the presence of the psychologist.

(b) A psychology technician may score objective psychological or neuropsychological tests with specific, predetermined and manualized administrative procedures. The responsibilities of a psychology technician include, but are not limited to, observing and describing the behavior of the patient taking the test and the patient’s test responses and obtaining and documenting a patient’s test responses according to such procedures, but shall not include evaluation, interpretation or other judgments concerning the patient or the patient’s test responses.

(c) A psychology technician may provide objective psychological or neuropsychological testing services under the supervision and direction of a psychologist licensed pursuant to chapter 383, provided: (1) The psychologist is satisfied as to the ability and competency of the psychology technician; (2) services provided are consistent with the health and welfare of the patient and in keeping with the practice of psychology; and (3) such services are provided under the oversight, control and direction of the psychologist, who shall remain in the facility where the psychology technician provides such services and be available to the psychology technician during the provision of such services.

(d) Each psychologist supervising or directing a psychology technician under subsection (c) of this section shall: (1) Verify that the psychology technician meets the requirements set forth in subsection (a) of this section prior to agreeing to supervise the psychology technician; (2) maintain documentation of such verification, including, but not limited to, the dates of completion of the educational and supervised work experience requirements; (3) make such documentation available to the Department of Public Health upon request; and (4) supervise and direct not more than three psychology technicians who are providing testing services simultaneously.

(e) Nothing in this section shall be construed to apply to the activities and services of a person who is enrolled in a doctorate degree program in psychology approved under section 20-189 and providing psychological testing under the supervision of a psychologist licensed pursuant to chapter 383, provided such activities and services are incidental to the program.

(f) Nothing in this section shall be construed to apply to the activities and services of a person holding a certificate as a school psychologist or school psychological examiner that was granted by the State Board of Education.

(g) A psychology technician shall not: (1) Select tests; (2) conduct intake assessments; (3) conduct clinical interviews, including, but not limited to, patient interviews and collateral interviews of relatives, friends of the patient or other professionals associated with the patient; (4) interpret patient data; (5) communicate test results or treatment recommendations to patients; or (6) administer tests in educational institutions.

(P.A. 16-66, S. 27; P.A. 17-128, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 17-128 amended Subsec. (a)(1) by adding reference to psychometrics, amended Subsec. (b) by deleting provision re services provided by psychology technicians to include administration of tests, and adding “and obtaining and documenting a patient’s test responses according to such procedures”, amended Subsec. (c)(3) by adding provision re psychologist to remain in facility where psychology technician provides services, added new Subsec. (d) re psychologist supervising or directing psychology technician, redesignated existing Subsec. (d) as Subsec. (e) and amending same to replace provision re educational program acceptable to American Psychological Association with provisions re doctorate degree program and providing testing under supervision of psychologist, and replacing “course of study” with “program”, added Subsec. (f) re applicability to activities and services of person holding certificate as school psychologist or school psychological examiner, redesignated existing Subsec. (e) as Subsec. (g), and made technical changes.