Texas psychologists: your 40 hours, and which courses can count.

What the Texas rule asks of psychologists

40 hours each renewal period. Texas psychology licenses renew every two years, on the last day of your birth month. You need 40 hours of professional development each renewal period, including 6 hours in ethics and 6 hours designed to ensure competency when providing services to a distinct population. You may carry up to 10 unneeded hours forward to the next period.

At least half from listed providers. At least fifty percent of your professional development hours must come from these providers: international, national, regional, state or local associations of medical, mental or behavioral health professionals; public school districts, charter schools or education service centers; city, county, state or federal government entities; institutions of higher education accredited by a regional accrediting organization recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board or the United States Department of Education; religious or charitable organizations devoted to improving individuals' mental or behavioral health; hospitals or hospital systems, including their clinics, divisions and departments; or providers approved or endorsed by any of these providers. Special Learning is not on this list, and we have not verified approval or endorsement by a listed provider. For your required 40 hours, at least 20 must come from listed providers. The Council's CE FAQ says: "The remaining 50% may be obtained from any provider you choose."

Every hour must relate to psychology. Professional development hours must be received during the renewal period, except for up to 10 unneeded hours carried forward from the previous period. Every hour must be directly related to the practice of psychology, as determined by the Council. The same activity can't be claimed more than once in one renewal period. The Council does not pre-evaluate or pre-approve professional development providers or hours.

Recorded courses and self-study. The rule caps self-study at 1 hour and does not define it. The Council's CE FAQ gives its guidance: "Self-study includes informal, independent learning that does not involve a CE provider. Example: reading a professional journal article. A good rule of thumb: if you receive a certificate at completion, it's not considered self-study." That is the Council's guidance, not the rule's text.

Keep your records. The provider must designate your professional development hours in a letter, email, certificate or transcript showing your name, the topic covered, the training date or dates, and the hours of credit earned. Keep proof of compliance for at least 3 years after the applicable renewal period. Each month, an automated process selects 5 percent of licensees for a continuing education audit.

Read the Council's own pages before you plan your hours: Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council statutes and rules (psychology rule 22 TAC §463.35) · Continuing education FAQs

Does this mandated reporting course from Special Learning count toward my Texas psychology professional development hours?

It can count only toward the half of your 40 hours that may come from any provider, up to 20 hours, and only if the Council finds it directly related to the practice of psychology. That is the Council's decision, not ours. Special Learning is not on the rule's list of providers, awards no CE credit for this course, and makes no claim that it counts toward the ethics or distinct-population hours. Compassionate Mandated Reporting Across Disciplines issues a Special Learning certificate of completion showing your name, the course title, the dates and 1.83 hours of course duration. We have not verified that the certificate satisfies the rule's requirement to document “hours of credit earned.” It does not replace mandated reporter training required by your state or employer.

A course for psychologists: mandated reporting

The recorded course costs $39, paid once, with a downloadable slide deck and a certificate of completion after you pass its quiz. The recording runs 110 minutes; the certificate records 1.83 hours. Special Learning does not award CE credit for this course. We have not verified that this course and its completion certificate meet Texas CE requirements; read the explanation above before relying on it for renewal.

Mandated reporting

Compassionate Mandated Reporting Across Disciplines

Deborah P. Coehlo, Manya Ralkowski and Iris Maynard use school and adult protective-services cases to cover recognizing suspected abuse and neglect, responding to a disclosure, sharing what you observed rather than investigating, what intake workers ask for, and preparing for a difficult conversation with a family. 110 minutes. Historical material with examples from Oregon and Colorado; it does not replace any mandated reporter training your state or employer requires.

See the course, $39

Other professions

Speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, counselors, school psychologists and Texas social workers: find your profession's course and board rule. Questions about a course? Contact us.