Colorado Continuing Professional User guide

Rev. 6/2023

Continuing Professional Development Program Manual

Psychologists

Rev. 6/2023 
 
Table of Contents 
Continuing Professional Development Requirements .............................................. 1 
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Program Steps ...................................... 1 
Step 1: Complete the RSAT and Establish Learning Goals .................................... 2 
Step 2: Create a Learning Plan ..................................................................... 2 
Step 3: Execute the Learning Plan ................................................................ 3 
Professional Development Hours (PDH) .......................................................... 3 
Rules for Accruing PDH ....................................................................... 3 
Professional Development Activities (PDA) Categories ........................................ 4 
Coursework ..................................................................................... 4 
Ethics ............................................................................................ 4 
Develop and Teach an Academic Course ................................................... 5 
Graduate Coursework ......................................................................... 5 
Presenting ...................................................................................... 5 
Publication ..................................................................................... 6 
Editorial Review ............................................................................... 6 
Step 4: Documentation .............................................................................. 6 
Multi-Licensed Professionals ............................................................................ 7 
Military Exemptions ....................................................................................... 7 
Audit of Compliance ....................................................................................... 8 
Audit Documentation ................................................................................ 8 
Questions .................................................................................................... 8 
 
 
 
   
 

Psychologist Continuing Professional Development Requirements

What is Continuing Professional Development?

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is the State Board of Psychologist Examiners’

(Board) program through which a licensed psychologist satisfies requirements to ensure their

ongoing ability to learn, integrate, and apply the knowledge, skill, and judgment to practice

psychology according to generally accepted industry standards and professional ethical

standards.

Who is required to comply with CPD requirements?

All licensed psychologists with an Active-status license are required to satisfy CPD

requirements in order to renew or reinstate a license to practice as a psychologist in

Colorado, regardless of current employment status or number of hours worked.

How do I comply with CPD requirements?

There are two ways to comply:

1. The State Board of Psychologist Examiners’ CPD Program.

2. Military Exemption: If you were called to federally-funded active duty for more

than 120 days for the purpose of serving in a war, emergency or contingency,

you may be eligible for an exemption from CPC requirements.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Program Steps

If you do not qualify for a Military Exemption, you must participate in the Board’s CPD

Program. The program consists of the following steps:

1. Complete the Reflective Self-Assessment Tool (optional) and establish learning

goals.

2. Create a Learning Plan.

3. Execute the Learning Plan. Completion of 40 Professional Development Hours

(PDH) through Professional Development Activities (PDA) is required.

4. Document the completed Professional Development Hours (PDH).

Step 1: Complete the Reflective Self-Assessment Tool and

Establish Learning Goals

Self-reflection upon your practice can assist you in identifying learning opportunities. To

assist in this self-reflection, the Board developed the Reflective Self-Assessment Tool (RSAT),

which uses the American Psychological Association’s (APA) Benchmarks Model to identify the

foundational knowledge areas of the psychology profession according to one’s professional

role. Reflecting on your practice with honesty and sincerity while completing this tool will

assist in the realization of potential areas for improvement and growth. Results from the RSAT

can guide you in creating useful learning goals to achieve during the license period.

Completing the RSAT is an optional step and will not be

viewed or used by the Board.

The RSAT is available online at dpo.colorado.gov/Psychology/CPD. This document can be

completed as a fill-in document by saving it to your computer and entering the information

onto it, or it can be printed from the website and saved in paper format. Either way, a

completed copy should be retained to use as a resource during the license period.

Step 2: Create a Learning Plan

In accordance with Colorado statute, all licensed psychologists are required to develop and

complete an official Learning Plan. Learning Plan forms are available at

dpo.colorado.gov/Psychology/CPD.

Learning Plans are to be used as a tool to document professional learning goals and

demonstrate completion of required Professional Development Hours (PDH). They should be

created at the beginning of each license period, consist of learning goals that develop new

skills or improve upon existing skills, and allow time for completion of all learning goals by

the end of each period.

The Learning Plan may be changed throughout the license period, but it must

be final upon the renewal of a license.

Learning goals documented on the Learning Plan may be satisfied by the completion of

Professional Development Activities (PDA). Board-approved PDA are outlined in detail below,

or can be found at dpo.colorado.gov/Psychology/CPD.

Completed Learning Plans are subject to inspection upon an audit of completion.

Step 3: Execute the Learning Plan

After creating a Learning Plan, complete the activities that were planned to meet established

learning goals. Activities must be completed during the 2-year license period that

immediately precedes the renewal of a license. Time spent commuting, traveling, scheduling,

or planning your activities does not count towards the 40 PDH required for each license

period.

Professional Development Hours (PDH)

Professional Development Hours are the units of measurement of active learning used to

accrue credit in the CPD Program. One PDH is equivalent to one clock hour (60 minutes).

Document on the Learning Plan form the number of completed PDH and in which PDA

category each PDH was completed. Documentation of completed activities must be retained

for at least five (5) years.

For licensees who obtain their initial license during the current license period,

PDH requirements will be prorated at 1.67 hours per month, including the

month the license is issued through the month the license expires.

Rules for Accruing PDH:

• You must accrue at least 40 PDH during each 2-year license period.

• A maximum of 10 PDH can be carried from the last license period to the next if the

hours were earned within three (3) months of the license expiration date and are in

excess of the required 40 hours.

• PDH must develop your professional skill and be directly relevant to your competence

in psychology, the behavioral health field, and your learning goals.

• Unless otherwise noted, PDH cannot be accrued for activities that fulfill duties for your

primary role or job description.

• The Board does not pre-approve or accredit specific educational providers or programs.

• Continuing competency requirements apply to all certificate holders and licensees in

Active status – regardless of current employment status or number of hours worked.

• The Board does not accept serving on a federal, state or municipal board or

commission as a CPD activity.

Professional Development Activities (PDA) Categories

Professional Development Activities (PDA) are defined as Board-approved learning activities

undertaken for the purpose of continuing professional development. PDH may be earned in

one or more of the PDA categories. PDA chosen should maintain or enhance competence as a

licensed psychologist, and they must be relevant to the documented Learning Plan.

Documentation of completed activities must be retained for at least five (5) years.

A quick reference for all PDA may be found at

dpo.colorado.gov/Psychology/CPD.

Coursework

Attend workshops, seminars, symposia, colloquia, invited speaker sessions, postdoctoral

institutes, or scientific or professional programs offered at meetings of local, state, regional,

national, or international professional or scientific organizations.

• With the exception of five (5) PDH, activities must qualify as continuing education units

or continuing medical education credit as approved and/or accredited by the American

Psychological Association, state medical association, Accreditation Council for

Continuing Medical Education, or by a regionally accredited institution of higher

education.

• Coursework activities may be completed in-person or online.

• One (1) continuing education hour is equivalent to one (1) PDH.

Documentation Required:

Documentation of learning activities shall include a transcript or certificate of attendance

with a statement of the credits earned, which includes the name of the participant, the

date(s) of attendance, the name of provider(s), the number of hours earned, etc.

Ethics

Complete an ethics course offered by the American Psychological Association, state medical

association, Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education, or a regionally

accredited institution of higher education.

• One (1) continuing education hour is equivalent to one (1) PDH.

Documentation Required:

Documentation of completion of an ethics course shall include a transcript or certificate of

attendance with a statement of the credits earned, which includes the name of the

participant, the date(s) of attendance, the name of the provider(s), the number of hours

earned, etc.

Develop and Teach an Academic Course

Develop and teach an academic course in psychology at an institution accredited by a regional

accrediting association.

• Credit can be earned for the first time within a given license period that the licensed

psychologist develops and teaches the course.

• One (1) academic credit, unit, or hour is equivalent to 10 PDH.

Documentation Required:

Documentation of the development and teaching of an academic course shall include written

verification by the dean or head of the department of the institution in which the course was

taught.

Graduate Coursework

Successfully complete a graduate course in psychology offered by an institution accredited by

a regional accrediting association.

• One (1) academic credit, unit, or hour is equivalent to 10 PDH.

Documentation Required:

Documentation shall include an academic transcript showing the graduate credits earned.

Presenting

Develop and present a workshop, seminar, symposium, colloquium, or invited speaking

session, at a meeting of a professional or a scientific organization or a postdoctoral institute.

• Credit can be earned for the first time within a given license period that the workshop,

seminar, symposium, colloquium, or invited speaking session is developed and

presented.

• One (1) hour of workshop, seminar, symposium, colloquial presentation, or invited

speaking session is equivalent to three (3) PDH.

Documentation Required:

Documentation shall include a printed program or agenda showing the name of the licensed

psychologist, the date(s) of the presentation, the name of the organization, the total number

of hours presented, etc.

Publication

Author or edit a psychology publication. Maximum hours earned as follows:

• Authoring a professional or scientific book is equivalent to 40 PDH.

• Authoring a professional or scientific book chapter or journal article is equivalent to 20

PDH.

• Editing a professional or scientific book or journal is equivalent to 30 PDH.

Documentation Required:

Documentation shall include a coversheet, masthead, or table of contents from the

publication showing the name of the licensed psychologist, the date of authoring or editing,

etc.

Editorial Review

Provide editorial review of a professional psychological or scientific journal article at the

request of the journal’s editorial staff.

• Completion of activity is equivalent to one (1) PDH.

Documentation Required:

Documentation shall include the acknowledgment of the completed review by the editorial

staff with the name of the licensed psychologist, date of review, etc.

Step 4: Documentation

Document your PDH according to the requirements described in this manual or in the quick

reference PDA Chart. Documentation must be kept for a period of five (5) years from the

license expiration date of the license period for which PDH was accrued.

Do not send any documentation to DORA unless specifically requested.

An additional form to be saved with the documentation of completed activities includes the

Learning Plan. It can be completed as a fill-in document by saving it to your computer and

entering the information onto it, or it can be printed from the website and saved in paper

format.

All forms can be found online at

dpo.colorado.gov/Psychology/CPD.

Multi-Licensed Professionals

Licensees holding two (2) mental health licenses are granted an exemption of 40 hours. This

means if you are dually licensed, you only need to complete a total of 40 PDH each two-year

license period. Licensees holding three (3) licenses are granted an exemption of 80 hours.

This means if you are triply licensed, you only need to complete a total of 40 PDH. You do

not need to complete 40 hours per license.

For example: A licensee holds an Active psychologist license and is also licensed as a social

worker. They only need to complete 40 hours to renew their psychologist and social worker

licenses. They must still participate in the respective RSATs/Practice Surveys/Rubrics and

maintain a learning plan for each certificate or license. The separate learning plans may log

the same activities and hours.

Do not submit a formal request for a dual or triple license exemption, Board Rule extends the

exemption to all licensees who hold more than one license and participate in the CPD

program.

Military Exemptions

A Military Exemption is one way to comply with continuing professional development

requirements. A Military Exemption must be pre-approved by the Division of Professions and

Occupations (DPO).

Pursuant to Colorado statute, a licensee who has been called to federally-funded active duty

for at least 120 days for the purpose of serving in a war, emergency or contingency may be

eligible to receive an exemption from the continuing professional development requirements

for the renewal of a license. The time frame of a license period is defined as the period from

six (6) weeks prior to the expiration date of the current license through 60 days following the

expiration date. The qualified service period must fall within the defined license period or up

to six (6) months prior to the license period.

A licensee seeking a Military Exemption from licensing fees and continuing professional

development requirements must submit a request in writing following the procedure found on

DPO’s website at dpo.colorado.gov/Military/FeeWaiver. Questions regarding military

exemptions can be emailed to dora_dpo_l[email protected].

Audit of Compliance

Audits of compliance will be conducted following each license period. All actively-licensed

psychologists can be audited. Do not send documentation of your compliance unless you

receive a notice of audit.

Any documentation received by DORA and/or the Board, that was not specifically

requested, will not be retained, and will NOT be returned to you.

A licensee will be notified by email if they have been selected for an audit of compliance.

Addresses of record and email addresses must be kept current with the Division of Professions

and Occupations. Instructions for updating an address can be found at

dpo.colorado.gov/UpdateContact.

Audit Documentation

To show compliance with the Continuing Professional Development program, an audited

psychologist must provide the following documentation:

• A Learning Plan signed by the licensed psychologist that contains the PDH completed in

each PDA category; AND

• Documentation of all 40 PDH listed on your Learning Plan Form. Documentation

requirements can be found in the PDA Chart and the PDA Categories section of this

manual.

The CPD Program allows substantial flexibility to determine the course and subject matter of

learning; however, licensees are expected to comply with Board requirements. In an audit,

you may be asked to defend your PDH, PDA and Learning Plan, especially if activities appear

to be outside the normal scope of requirements.

Questions

Please contact the Continuing Competency Helpdesk with any questions, by email at

[email protected] or by phone at 303-894-2363.

Colorado Continuing Professional User guide

Other documents