license waivers to accrue supervised hours - first hand experiences please

[ChuggingAlongWithIt]

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Has anybody applied for a license waiver as a means to obtain supervised hours before licensure? How was the process?

I am a foreign graduate in California and need to accrue 1,500-3,000 (not sure yet) supervised hours here. I am not enrolled in an APA-accredited program so I cannot apply for internships or other appropriate roles without a license waiver. But the job postings say applicants need to have a waiver in place; but when I look at waiver application forms, they say I need to have a job in place. So how the hell do I navigate this cycle? Also, waivers are only valid for a maximum of 5 years - what if I don't get a job for another 6months? I will only have 4.5years to accrue the supervised hours as waivers cannot be extended nor deferred.

As far as I understand, different departments offer their own waivers - Department of Mental Health; Department of Public Health; LA county etc. So how would I even know which department to apply for without knowing the specific job? Obviously I do not want to limit my employment options by having to choose only one kind of waiver. Can we apply for all of them and see where we end up getting a job?

Any insight will be appreciated! Thank you!

ETA: I have tried contacting the companies that post the job requirements to ask them these questions directly but its so hard to get a hold of somebody appropriate. Frontline staff transfer me to the 'right extension' but nothing ever comes of that phone call. Its now Friday evening and I thought I'd post here over the weekend before making more calls on Monday.

 

[AbnormalPsych]

I'm confused. Are you a graduate student or have you completed your education?

Are these postdoctoral hours you are needing?

 

[ChuggingAlongWithIt]

I'm confused. Are you a graduate student or have you completed your education?

Are these postdoctoral hours you are needing?

Sorry - I meant I already completed my Doctorate degree. But because my supervision was not by an APA-accredited psychologist in USA, I will likely need APA-accredited supervision in California. My degree is accredited in the UK, but the UK doesn't have the same standards as APA. I am waiting to hear back from the Board as to how many hours I will need.

 

[Mercury in Taurus]

Has anybody applied for a license waiver as a means to obtain supervised hours before licensure? How was the process?

I am a foreign graduate in California and need to accrue 1,500-3,000 (not sure yet) supervised hours here. I am not enrolled in an APA-accredited program so I cannot apply for internships or other appropriate roles without a license waiver. But the job postings say applicants need to have a waiver in place; but when I look at waiver application forms, they say I need to have a job in place. So how the hell do I navigate this cycle? Also, waivers are only valid for a maximum of 5 years - what if I don't get a job for another 6months? I will only have 4.5years to accrue the supervised hours as waivers cannot be extended nor deferred.

As far as I understand, different departments offer their own waivers - Department of Mental Health; Department of Public Health; LA county etc. So how would I even know which department to apply for without knowing the specific job? Obviously I do not want to limit my employment options by having to choose only one kind of waiver. Can we apply for all of them and see where we end up getting a job?

Any insight will be appreciated! Thank you!

ETA: I have tried contacting the companies that post the job requirements to ask them these questions directly but its so hard to get a hold of somebody appropriate. Frontline staff transfer me to the 'right extension' but nothing ever comes of that phone call. Its now Friday evening and I thought I'd post here over the weekend before making more calls on Monday.

Curious why are you applying for a license waiver? CA allows an unlicensed individual with a psychology degree to work as a Psychological Assistant while acquiring supervised hours. There are many job openings for Psychological Assistants that come along with supervision. You may find more infor about qualifications, requirements, and the application process directly from the board's official website. How to Apply, Psychological Assistant - California Board of Psychology

I knew an Austrian who was a psychologist in her country. She completed a postdoc in CA to get supervision hours. Not sure if she is licensed or not. We have lost touch. Anyway, doing a postdoc is another option. Generally speaking, Psychological Assistant positions are better paid than postdocs. You don't need a waiver to apply for Psychological Assistant jobs; you will apply for a license for Psychological Assistant after being hired. Your clinical supervisor who signs off your hours will sign the application. Otherwise, it won't be approved by the board.

 

[foreverbull]

Curious why are you applying for a license waiver? CA allows an unlicensed individual with a psychology degree to work as a Psychological Assistant while acquiring supervised hours. There are many job openings for Psychological Assistants that come along with supervision. You may find more infor about qualifications, requirements, and the application process directly from the board's official website. How to Apply, Psychological Assistant - California Board of Psychology

I knew an Austrian who was a psychologist in her country. She completed a postdoc in CA to get supervision hours. Not sure if she is licensed or not. We have lost touch. Anyway, doing a postdoc is another option. Generally speaking, Psychological Assistant positions are better paid than postdocs. You don't need a waiver to apply for Psychological Assistant jobs; you will apply for a license for Psychological Assistant after being hired. Your clinical supervisor who signs off your hours will sign the application. Otherwise, it won't be approved by the board.

I would echo that most folks needing supervision will go this route in California or become a "registered psychologist" (not sure if the BOP still has this designation because they're trying to streamline everything to psych assistants only in the proposed regulation changes).

Is there some reason you are unable to enter into this designation? It simply requires an agreement between you and a supervisor (contract/training details from a potential supervising psychologist), then you keep a log of hours of training/practice that your supervisor will sign monthly.

That said, curious @Mercury in Taurus why you think psych assistants are paid more than "official" postdocs? That did not hold true in my experience as a psych assistant and from the salaries I saw when applying to both types of positions years ago.

 

[ChuggingAlongWithIt]

Well, I am glad I asked this board!! I totally missed the fact that I could apply for Registered Psychologist. Thank you!!

I previously thought my only options were:
- CAPIC (California Psychology Internship Council)
- Apply for a license waiver so I can apply for internship positions or 'regular' clinical roles that may provide formal supervision
- ....i feel like I had more options but I guess not. It is more complicated in my head.

I have briefly looked at the RP application form and it looks straight forward enough. Follow-up question though:

I have come to know that sometimes trainees pay a psychologist for supervision (I do not know how much); but I read somewhere in the BoP supervision regulations section 1387 that monetary exchanges are not allowed for supervision...and that makes sense to me. So have I been misinformed or is the payment an off-the-record kind of thing? I cant even imagine how much a psychologist would accept to supervise for 3000 hours so I am leaning towards, "It cannot be true. What graduate has that kind of money". And surely if the student is paying for supervision, that can't be getting a salary either?!

 

[foreverbull]

Well, I am glad I asked this board!! I totally missed the fact that I could apply for Registered Psychologist. Thank you!!

I previously thought my only options were:
- CAPIC (California Psychology Internship Council)
- Apply for a license waiver so I can apply for internship positions or 'regular' clinical roles that may provide formal supervision
- ....i feel like I had more options but I guess not. It is more complicated in my head.

I have briefly looked at the RP application form and it looks straight forward enough. Follow-up question though:

I have come to know that sometimes trainees pay a psychologist for supervision (I do not know how much); but I read somewhere in the BoP supervision regulations section 1387 that monetary exchanges are not allowed for supervision...and that makes sense to me. So have I been misinformed or is the payment an off-the-record kind of thing? I cant even imagine how much a psychologist would accept to supervise for 3000 hours so I am leaning towards, "It cannot be true. What graduate has that kind of money". And surely if the student is paying for supervision, that can't be getting a salary either?!

In formal settings, the supervision is paid for by the organization and both supervisor and postdoc are employees of the organization that get paid via salary or hourly pay.

In more informal settings, the supervisor hires the postdoc as an employee but pays a certain rate to the postdoc for their services that is going to be less than what the postdoc charges, so the supervisor makes a certain amount for supervising. In this way, the postdoc isn’t directly paying for supervision. Instead, they’re paid a wage or salary to work for the supervising psychologist.