§ 5-44-23. Persons and practices exempt.
(a) No provisions of this chapter shall be construed to prevent members of other recognized
professions who are licensed, certified, or regulated for independent practice of
that profession under the laws of this state from rendering services consistent with
their professional training and code of ethics; provided, that they do not represent
themselves to be psychologists. Recognized members of the clergy shall not be restricted
from functioning in their ministerial capacity; provided, that they do not represent
themselves to be psychologists.
(b) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prohibit teachers, guidance personnel,
social workers, and school psychologists in public or private school, from full performance
of their duties; nor to prohibit the use of psychological techniques by business or
industrial organizations or companies for employment, placement, evaluation, promotion,
or job adjustment of their own officers or employees.
(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed as prohibiting the use of consultants who
are defined as qualified intellectual disability professionals under the Code of Federal
Regulations (C.F.R.) 42 C.F.R. § 483.430, by facilities licensed as intermediate-care facilities for persons with intellectual
disabilities by the department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities
and hospitals.
(d) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as permitting the licensed psychologist
to practice medicine as defined by the laws of this state.
(e) Nothing in this section shall be construed as permitting those persons identified
in subsections (b) and (f) of this section to offer their services to any persons
or organizations other than those listed in subsection (f) of this section as consultants
or to accept remuneration for any psychological services other than that of their
institutional salaries or fees unless they have been licensed under this chapter or
exempted under subsection (a) of this section.
(f) Nothing in this chapter limits the professional pursuits of any nonlicensed psychologists,
psychology students, psychology trainees, psychology residents, or persons rendering
psychological services as an employee of a licensed hospital, accredited educational
institution, authorized community mental health clinic or center, government or medical
agency, while functioning under the title conferred upon him or her by the administration
of any hospital, educational institution, or agency.
(g) Those organizations listed in subsection (f) of this section include all facilities,
agencies, or institutions regulated and/or licensed by the department of health, the
department of elementary and secondary education, the department of children, youth
and families, and the department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities
and hospitals.
(h) A psychologist licensed or certified in another state or United States territory may
perform psychological services in the state of Rhode Island without obtaining a license
for up to ten (10) calendar days per calendar year with no more than five (5) days
of this activity occurring consecutively. The calendar-day limit shall not apply to
service as an expert witness in a legal proceeding.