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A pricey proposed nationwide certification examination for psychologists has been scrapped for now after Texas’s licensing authority led the battle in opposition to it by contemplating crafting a less expensive various to alleviate the psychological well being supplier scarcity.
On Tuesday evening, the Affiliation of State and Provincial Psychology Boards, also referred to as ASPPB, launched an announcement earlier than their nationwide assembly in Dallas later this month saying the group has determined to pause the rollout of an extra qualification take a look at to the trade.
The choice, launched in 2022, had initially outlined that by Jan. 1, 2026, an additional $450 “skills” take a look at can be added to the already required $800 information examination referred to as the Examination for Skilled Follow in Psychology, or the EPPP take a look at.
This extra expertise take a look at was designed to weed out candidates who lacked the abilities to work in a medical setting.
“In response to ongoing feedback from our membership and the broader professional, educational, and training communities, the Board has decided it is time to shift from conflict to resolution,” the ASPPB board mentioned in an announcement.
As a substitute, the ASPPB will discover the feasibility of making a single-session examination that integrates each information and talent evaluation.
“Together, we can navigate this important moment in time and shape a future that supports both the growth of our profession and the protection of those we serve,” the testing company mentioned of their assertion.
John Bielamowicz, the presiding member of the Texas psychologists’ licensing board, applauded the choice however talked about its hastiness.
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“This kind of whiplash isn’t fair to those who are on the cusp of entering the psychology ranks,” he mentioned.
Texas was the primary licensing board within the nation to think about an alternative choice to the nationwide examination attributable to its price, resulting in different state corresponding to Oklahoma, California, New York, and Florida supporting it.
Presently, Texas licensed psychologists should have a doctoral diploma and cross three exams: the $800 information examination by the nationwide testing board, a $210 jurisprudence take a look at, and a $320 oral examination. That is along with the $340 a potential psychologist should pay to do the required 3,500 hours of supervised work.
Any failure requires a candidate to retake an examination and pay the value once more. A number of psychological well being suppliers testified to the Texas board earlier this yr that they’d spent 1000’s of {dollars} making an attempt to cross the present information examination. They mentioned that including the rest could be pricey.
Refusing to undertake this extra take a look at would have made any future psychologists in Texas ineligible to make use of the present examination, which the state licensing board has used since 1965.
This summer time, the Texas Behavioral Well being Govt Council despatched a letter to the Federal Commerce Fee saying the nationwide board has violated federal antitrust legal guidelines by updating the EPPP with out approval and enter from the states.
The nationwide board denied these claims, stating that the allegations in opposition to it ignore the lengthy growth historical past and justifications behind the extra take a look at. The board added that the take a look at change is in step with each different doctoral-level well being service licensure examination in the US.
Tuesday’s announcement is a major win for the state of Texas because it struggles to seek out sufficient psychological well being employees.
In response to the Texas Division of State Well being Companies, 246 of the state’s 256 counties have a scarcity of psychological well being professionals, with two counties having partial scarcity designations.
Bielamowicz, the presiding member of the state psychologists’ licensing board, mentioned the company nonetheless plans to fold the take a look at into one, which means a worth hike may nonetheless be on the horizon.
“I appreciate that ASPPB finally recognized the lack of support for their new test. However, their decision to back away from this deadline changes little — it’s clear they intend to repackage the same ideas and try to force it through at a later date,” he mentioned.
ASPPB nonetheless helps the spirit that they are saying was behind the walked-back choice so as to add a second take a look at.
“Although the Board of Director’s position remains steadfast — public protection is best achieved by evolving our licensure examination to be comprehensive and competency-based, evaluating not only our foundational knowledge but also practical skills — we find ourselves at a pivotal moment,” in keeping with ASPB’s assertion. “Our collective goals are at risk of being overshadowed by a tug of war, where no clear winners emerge.”
Texas lawmakers will nonetheless get to determine this upcoming legislative session whether or not to proceed with a state-developed licensing take a look at for psychologists regardless of the ASPPB’s choice, Bielamowicz mentioned.
