§ 20-A §13022 — School psychologists

1.
Definitions.
For purposes of this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings.
1-A.
Scope of services.
A school psychologist delivers services to children from birth to grade 12 who are eligible to be enrolled in educational and intermediate educational units, special education programs and approved private schools. The services delivered are the services articulated under the domains of practice in the current Model for Comprehensive and Integrated School Psychological Services developed and published by the National Association of School Psychologists.
2.
Certification by commissioner.
The commissioner shall certify school psychologists pursuant to rules adopted by the state board. The rules must include practice standards for certified school psychologists that follow national standards set forth by the National Association of School Psychologists or a successor organization and ethics standards set forth by the National Association of School Psychologists or a successor organization and the American Psychological Association or a successor organization, violation of which constitutes grounds for suspension or revocation of the certification.
3.
Qualifications.
State board rules governing the qualifications for a school psychologist certificate must require that a certificate be issued only to an applicant who has met the academic and preprofessional requirements established by the state board for the provision of school psychological services and who, at a minimum:
4.
Term of issuance.
The commissioner shall issue a school psychologist certificate for a term of years consistent with rules adopted by the state board. The school psychologist certificate may be renewed in accordance with academic and professional requirements established by the state board. A certificate holder must be supervised for the first year following initial certification at no additional cost to the school administrative unit or the department. Supervision of the first-year school psychologist must be in accordance with supervision standards established by the National Association of School Psychologists or a successor organization and provided by a person who is certified as a school psychologist.
5.
Exclusive regulatory authority.
The provisions of Title 32, chapter 56 do not apply to persons certified as school psychologists under this section except to the extent that the persons are also licensed or seek licensure under that chapter, engage in the practice of psychology beyond the scope of this section or hold themselves out as psychologists or psychological examiners.
6.
Designation.
Persons certified under this section may hold themselves out as school psychologists but must include the word "school" in the designation, or as nationally certified school psychologists if they hold the credentials as designated by the National Association of School Psychologists or a successor organization. Persons certified under this section may not hold themselves out as psychologists, psychological examiners or any business name incorporating variations of those titles other than school psychologists or nationally certified school psychologists unless they are appropriately licensed under Title 32, chapter 56.
7.
Advisory committee.
There is established within the department, in accordance with Title 5, section 12004‑I, the Advisory Committee on School Psychologists, referred to in this subsection as "the committee."
8.
Transition.
Persons certified as school psychological service providers and school psychological examiners on or after October 13, 1993 may continue to provide the services authorized by their respective certificates until the scheduled expiration of those certificates.

Legislative History

PL 1993, c. 207, §3 (NEW). PL 2011, c. 386, §2 (AMD). PL 2021, c. 228, §§6-9 (AMD).