PsychologistsResearch Psychoanalysts

Section § 2950

Explanation

This law allows graduates and students from specific psychoanalytic institutes in California to practice psychoanalysis, but only as part of teaching, training, or research, and not as licensed psychologists. They can't use titles that suggest they are psychologists. These students and graduates must register with the board to practice and verify that their information is true. The board can revoke their exemption if they act unprofessionally.

(a)CA Business & Professions Code § 2950(a) Graduates of the Southern California Psychoanalytic Institute, the Los Angeles Psychoanalytic Society and Institute, the San Francisco Psychoanalytic Institute, the San Diego Psychoanalytic Center, or institutes deemed equivalent by the board who have completed clinical training in psychoanalysis may engage in psychoanalysis as an adjunct to teaching, training, or research and hold themselves out to the public as psychoanalysts, and students in those institutes may engage in psychoanalysis under supervision, if the students and graduates do not hold themselves out to the public by any title or description of services incorporating the words “psychological,” “psychologist,” “psychology,” “psychometrists,” “psychometrics,” or “psychometry,” or that they do not state or imply that they are licensed to practice psychology.
(b)CA Business & Professions Code § 2950(b) Those students and graduates seeking to engage in psychoanalysis under this article shall register with the board, presenting evidence of their student or graduate status. The board may suspend or revoke the exemption of those persons for unprofessional conduct as defined in Sections 726, 2960, 2960.6, 2969, and 2996.
(c)CA Business & Professions Code § 2950(c) Each application for registration as a research psychoanalyst or student research psychoanalyst shall be made upon an online electronic form, or other form, provided by the board, and each application form shall contain a legal verification by the applicant certifying under penalty of perjury that the information provided by the applicant is true and correct and that any information in supporting documents provided by the applicant is true and correct.
Southern California Psychoanalytic Institute Los Angeles Psychoanalytic Society San Francisco Psychoanalytic Institute

Section § 2951

Explanation

This law section explains that using controlled substances, dangerous drugs, or alcohol in a way that harms oneself, others, or the public, or affects one's ability to work safely, is considered unprofessional behavior. If someone is convicted of related crimes, such as multiple misdemeanors or any felony, it proves unprofessional conduct. A guilty plea, or a plea of "no contest," counts as a conviction. The disciplinary board can take action like disciplining or denying registration once the conviction becomes final, even if later legal actions clear the record.

(a)CA Business & Professions Code § 2951(a) The use of any controlled substance or the use of any of the dangerous drugs specified in Section 4022, or of alcoholic beverages, to the extent, or in such a manner as to be dangerous or injurious to the registrant, or to any other person or to the public, or to the extent that this use impairs the ability of the registrant to practice safely or more than one misdemeanor or any felony conviction involving the use, consumption, or self-administration of any of the substances referred to in this section, or any combination thereof, constitutes unprofessional conduct. The record of the conviction is conclusive evidence of this unprofessional conduct.
(b)CA Business & Professions Code § 2951(b) A plea or verdict of guilty or a conviction following a plea of nolo contendere is deemed to be a conviction within the meaning of this section. The board may order discipline of the registrant in accordance with Article 4 (commencing with Section 2960) or may order the denial of the registration when the time for appeal has elapsed or the judgment of conviction has been affirmed on appeal or when an order granting probation is made suspending imposition of sentence, irrespective of a subsequent order under the provisions of Section 1203.4 of the Penal Code allowing this person to withdraw their plea of guilty and to enter a plea of not guilty, or setting aside the verdict of guilty, or dismissing the accusation, complaint, information, or indictment.
controlled substance misuse dangerous drugs alcohol abuse

Section § 2952

Explanation

This law outlines the fee requirements and procedures for maintaining registration in the psychology field in California. Initially, individuals must pay $150 to register, and the registration will expire after two years. To renew, they need to pay up to $75 every two years, and students must show proof of their student status when renewing. The money collected goes into the Psychology Fund, which is used to administer the regulations of the chapter. Additionally, the board can hire extra staff if needed to manage the process.

(a)CA Business & Professions Code § 2952(a) Each person to whom registration is granted under the provisions of this chapter shall pay into the Psychology Fund a fee to be fixed by the board at a sum of one hundred fifty dollars ($150).
(b)CA Business & Professions Code § 2952(b) The registration shall expire after two years. The registration may be renewed biennially at a fee fixed by the board at a sum not in excess of seventy-five dollars ($75). Students seeking to renew their registration shall present to the board evidence of their continuing student status.
(c)CA Business & Professions Code § 2952(c) The money in the Psychology Fund shall be used for the administration of this chapter. Any moneys within the Contingent Fund of the Medical Board of California collected pursuant to Section 2529.5 as it read before the enactment of the statute that added this section, shall be deposited in the Psychology Fund.
(d)CA Business & Professions Code § 2952(d) The board may employ, subject to civil service regulations, whatever additional clerical assistance is necessary for the administration of this article.
Psychology Fund registration fee renewal process

Section § 2953

Explanation

If someone is required to register as a sex offender for actions taken on or after January 1, 2017, their professional registration will be revoked, unless they only had to register because of a misdemeanor for indecent exposure or if they're no longer required to register at all. If their duty to register ends through legal processes, this revocation doesn't apply. Any proceedings to revoke their registration follow specific government codes.

(a)CA Business & Professions Code § 2953(a) Except as provided in subdivisions (b) and (c), the board shall revoke the registration of any person who has been required to register as a sex offender pursuant to Section 290 of the Penal Code for conduct that occurred on or after January 1, 2017.
(b)CA Business & Professions Code § 2953(b) This section shall not apply to a person who is required to register as a sex offender pursuant to Section 290 of the Penal Code solely because of a misdemeanor conviction under Section 314 of the Penal Code.
(c)CA Business & Professions Code § 2953(c) This section shall not apply to a person who has been relieved under Section 290.5 of the Penal Code of their duty to register as a sex offender, or whose duty to register has otherwise been formally terminated under California law.
(d)CA Business & Professions Code § 2953(d) A proceeding to revoke a registration pursuant to this section shall be conducted in accordance with Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
sex offender registration revocation of registration misdemeanor indecent exposure

Section § 2953.1

Explanation

This law requires anyone applying to be a research psychoanalyst or a student research psychoanalyst to undergo a fingerprint-based criminal background check. The board will send the necessary fingerprint and information to the Department of Justice, which will look into both state and national criminal histories.

(a)CA Business & Professions Code § 2953.1(a) The board shall require an applicant for registration as a research psychoanalyst and applicant for registration as a student research psychoanalyst, as defined in Section 2950, to undergo a fingerprint-based state and national criminal history background check, pursuant to Section 144.
(b)CA Business & Professions Code § 2953.1(b) The board shall submit to the Department of Justice fingerprint images and related information for individuals specified in subdivision (a) who are subject to a state and national criminal history background check, pursuant to subdivision (u) of Section 11105 of the Penal Code. The Department of Justice shall provide a state- and federal-level response pursuant to subdivision (p) of Section 11105 of the Penal Code.
research psychoanalyst student research psychoanalyst fingerprint-based background check

Section § 2954

Explanation

This law will start being enforced on January 1, 2025.

This article shall take effect on January 1, 2025.
implementation date January 1 2025