Okla. Admin. Code § 575:10-1-7

Current through Vol. 42, No. 4, November 1, 2024

Section 575:10-1-7 - Hiring of psychological technicians by psychologists

(a)Application to hire a psychological technician.

(1) A licensed psychologist may apply for approval to employ a technician by submitting the following information in writing to the Board of Examiners and paying the application fee pursuant to 575:10-1-9:

(A) the name and address of the proposed technician, and

(B) the qualifying academic training and work experience of the technician, and

(C) the specific activities and services to be perform by the technician, and

(D) the arrangements and extent of continuing supervision to be provided.

(2) The information in (1) of this subsection must be supplied by submitting:

(A) an agreement form

(B) a vita, and

(C) complete academic transcripts for the technician.

(b)Non-exempt hospital or clinic settings. Psychologists working in settings other than state agencies must also provide the Board with a written statement from the appropriate administrator(s) acknowledging the psychologist's authority to hire and, if necessary, to terminate the technician's employment, and to regulate the activities and services of the technician. The written statement must also indicate that hospital or clinic policies will not prevent the licensed psychologist from abiding by all of the conditions specified in this section.

(c)Use of certain individuals as psychological technicians forbidden. Psychologists may not hire or continue to use as psychological technicians, members of their immediate families or any other person whose employment might affect detrimentally the psychologist's objectivity. This will include, but is not limited to, spouses, children, siblings, parents, or anyone with whom the psychologist is having an intimate emotional or sexual relationship.

(d)Limitation on activities of psychological technicians.

(1) All activities and services performed by a psychological technician must be under the direct and continuing professional supervision of the licensed psychologist. The licensed psychologist must notify the Board and all concerned parties in writing should conditions change so that the licensed psychologist is no longer assuming the role of supervisor. In such case, the status of the individual who was a psychological technician and the psychological activities performed by that individual must cease since the condition of the agreement are no longer being met.

(2) Activities performed by the technician are not to be used to fulfill postdoctoral requirements for licensure.

(3) Activities performed by the technician are not to be used to develop a private practice for the technician.

(4) Activities and services exempt from licensure are limited to those activities of the technician that provide assistance to the licensed psychologist in the conduct of that psychologist's practice.

(5) Work assignments shall be commensurate with the skills of the technician and procedures shall under all circumstances be planned in consultation with the supervisor.

(6) Technicians shall work under the direction of the supervisor and provide services only at those times when the licensed psychologist is available physically onsite or through telemedicine or direct telecommunications for consultations.

(7) A psychological technician shall be under the direction and supervision of a licensed psychologist who is employed by the same organization/company/private practice in which the psychological technician is employed. Supervision of the psychological technician may not be delegated to another licensed psychologist not approved by the Board, regardless if the psychologist is employed in the same organization/company/ private practice as the supervisor.

(A) Every supervisor of a psychological technician shall be responsible for supervising the psychological functions performed by the psychological technician and ensuring that the extent, type, and quality of the psychological functions performed by the technician are consistent with the supervisor's training and experience, and that the technician complies with the provisions of the code, the Board's regulations, and the standards established by the American Psychological Association.

(B) The supervisor shall inform each client or patient prior to the rendering of services by the psychological technician that the technician is under the direction and supervision of the supervisor as an employee and that the supervisor shall have access to the patient's chart in fulfilling his/her supervision duties.

(C) The supervisor will have personal contact with all clients and patients in order to plan effective and appropriate service and define procedures that the psychological technician will perform.

(D) The psychological technician will only perform specific activities and services consistent with the technician's skills and training as approved by the Board. Technicians without a Master's level degree in the field of mental health will be limited to performing psychological or neuropsychological tests (administration and scoring) defined ahead of time by the supervisor. Technicians with Master level degrees in the field of mental health can perform psychological procedures outside of test administration and scoring that has been previously approved by the Board on record, while under supervision. The supervisor shall be solely responsible for interpretations of psychological assessments. Psychological technicians who have achieved and maintain certification as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) or who have completed the DDS Certification Program are able to provide services to individuals served by the Department of Human Services, Developmental Disabilities Services (DDS).

(E) The supervisor will plan all procedures to be used by the psychological technician and inform the technician of those plans.

(F) The supervisor will make all public announcements of fees and services. In addition to the supervisor, the psychological technician may consult with other professionals as part of the multidisciplinary process in the provision of services.

(G) The supervisor shall be responsible for all psychological services performed by the technician.

(H) The supervisor shall be available to the technician during the time the technician is performing psychological functions. The availability can be in-person, by telephone, or by other appropriate telecommunication technology.

(I) The supervisor shall ensure that the supervisee thoroughly understands the plan in the event of a crisis or emergency.

(J) The supervisor shall provide a minimum of one (1) hour of individual supervision for each 10 hours of billed services to the psychological technician.

(8) The Board can approve or deny any application for psychological technician at the Board's discretion.

(e)Supervisory responsibility of licensed psychologist; maximum number of technicians allowed.

(1) The licensed psychologist is accountable for the planning, course, and outcome of the work of a psychological technician. The conduct of the supervision shall insure the professional, ethical, and legal protection of the client and the technician.

(2) The supervisor shall have competence in the specific area of practice in which supervision is being given.

(3) The supervisor shall have sufficient face-to-face contact with all clients to plan effective and appropriate services and to define procedures.

(4) The progress of the work shall be sufficiently monitored to insure that full professional responsibility can be accepted by the supervisor for services rendered.

(5) The supervisor shall establish and maintain a level of supervisory contact consistent with professional standards, and be fully accountable in the event that ethical or legal issues are raised.

(6) The maximum number of psychological technicians that a psychologist may hire is four.

(f)Representation to the public.

(1) Public announcement of services and fees, and contact with the lay or professional community shall be offered only by or in the name of the licensed psychologist.

(2) The technician's name is not to appear on any announcements, telephone listings, or other such notices, except for business cards in a Board approved format.

(3) Users of the technician's services shall be informed as to the technician's qualifications and functions.

(4) The supervisor shall not permit the technician to represent him/herself as an independent practitioner to the public.

(g)Psychologist's responsibility for financial arrangements.

(1) The licensed psychologist assumes responsibility for all financial arrangements relating to the supervision of a psychological technician.

(2) Setting and collecting of fees shall remain the sole domain of the supervisor except in non-governmental, non-charitable hospitals or clinics in which fees are determined by administrative policy. Under no circumstances, however, shall the technician be responsible for setting or collecting fees.

(3) Employment of a technician on a fee-for-service or a fee-splitting basis is not acceptable.

(4) Technicians shall be employed on a salaried or hourly basis, i.e., a predetermined, set, weekly or monthly rate.

Okla. Admin. Code § 575:10-1-7

Amended at 10 Ok Reg 1861, eff 5-14-93; Amended at 12 Ok Reg 1263, eff 5-11-95; Amended at 13 Ok Reg 1719, eff 5-28-96; Amended at 16 Ok Reg 1239, eff 5-13-99; Amended at 18 Ok Reg 1752, eff 5-25-01; Amended at 20 Ok Reg 1016, eff 5-12-03

Amended by Oklahoma Register, Volume 32, Issue 24, September 1, 2015, eff. 9/11/2015

Amended by Oklahoma Register, Volume 33, Issue 24, September 1, 2016, eff. 9/11/2016

Amended by Oklahoma Register, Volume 41, Issue 23, August 15, 2024, eff. 8/25/2024