NJ Psychology Licensure Requirements -- How To Count Hours?

[psychodynamicbeginner]

UPDATE:

After months of effort, I was able to get a definitive answer from the Board: you can count externship, internship, and postdoc hours all together across several calendar years.

Even though the Board's website FAQs mention "two years" of hours, that actually just means two years worth of hours (i.e., 3500 hours). But an applicant can accrue those hours across several calendar years.

For externship hours, you can have your DCT fill out the standard supervisory form and, as an addendum, includes a table listing each externship experience and number of hours.

At least, this is what I did, and it worked. Good luck all!

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ORIGINAL POST:

Hello all! For months, I've been trying (without success) to get clear info on hours requirements for NJ psychology licensure.

Today I created an SDN account with the hope of finding some answers/guidance. I'm grateful for any help!

A little context: I just completed my pre-doc internship in NYC. My post-doc, which starts in 12 days, is in GA. In one year, I'll return to NJ, so I hope to get licensed there (and in NY too). OK, here goes...

The NJ State Board Online FAQ's describe these hours requirements:

1. Two (2) years of full-time (3,500 hours) supervised practice, at least one (1) year of which (1,750 hours) is acquired subsequent to receiving the doctorate with the following breakdown:
   A. 1,000 client contact hours
   B. 200 hours of supervision (at least 100 of which must be individual supervision, the remainder may be group or individual supervision
   C. 550 hours in work-related activities such as record-keeping, consultations, report writing, etc.

Some questions:

1. Do the numbers above apply to post-doc year alone?

- That is, during a 50-week post-doc year, must I accrue the following?​

a) 1000 client contact hours (i.e., 20 hrs/wk client contact)​

b) 200 supervision hours (i.e., 4 hrs/wk supervision, with 2 hrs/wk individual supervision)​

c) 550 work-related activity hours (i.e., 11 hrs/wk of work-related activity)​

​

- These numbers seem very high for a post-doc -- especially the 4 hrs/wk of supervision (with 2 hrs/wk individual supervision). So I just want to make sure I'm not misreading...​

2. How do internship and practicum hours fit in?

- I see in this thread and this press release that practicum hours can be counted toward NJ licensure. But I wonder how exactly the counting works.​

- For example, should I think of all my training hours (practicum + internship + post-doc) as one "giant pool" that needs to add up to 3500 hours?​

- Alternatively, maybe post-doc is supposed to count as one year (1750 hrs), and internship + practicum count as the other year (1750 hrs)?​

Thanks so much for your time and support!

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[WisNeuro]

My read is that you can use your internship year and a 1 year postdoc to count towards those hours.

 

[Benny386]

3500 includes everything from practicum to completing internship. There is no longer a post doc requirement in NJ.

 

[WisNeuro]

3500 includes everything from practicum to completing internship. There is no longer a post doc requirement in NJ.

How does that jive with "least one (1) year of which (1,750 hours) is acquired subsequent to receiving the doctorate with the following breakdown:"?

 

[psychodynamicbeginner]

3500 includes everything from practicum to completing internship. There is no longer a post doc requirement in NJ.

Thanks so much for your response!

Question: Even though there is no post doc requirement in NJ, can post doc hours still contribute to the 3500?

 

[bluecolourskies]

Thanks so much for your response!

Question: Even though there is no post doc requirement in NJ, can post doc hours still contribute to the 3500?

If it's anything like WA- if you didn't get enough hours using practicum/pre-internship/internship hours, then yes, you have to use post doc hours to get the full 3500, because it's not like you will do another practicum or internship to get extra hours, you know?

 

[WisNeuro]

Thanks so much for your response!

Question: Even though there is no post doc requirement in NJ, can post doc hours still contribute to the 3500?

According to the law, yes. In fact, at least 1 year of supervised experience has to be acquired after internship. Which is, by definition, post-doctoral.

 

[MiniLop]

Also, fun NJ Board fact that came to my attention today: They only have two employees that do all the licensure/email stuff. Apparently one was on vacation recently while the other was out due to a family emergency and nothing got done for several weeks, and they are presumably now quite backed up. So if you're wondering why stuff is taking even longer than usual with them, that's why!

 

[Benny386]

According to the law, yes. In fact, at least 1 year of supervised experience has to be acquired after internship. Which is, by definition, post-doctoral.

The law changed in the last couple years. You are no longer required to do a specific amount of hours after obtaining your doctorate. But yes you would need to work post doctorate if pre doctorate you have not obtained 3500 hours.

Edit: Per the below law, you're required to obtain at least 1750 predoctoral (that would be internship), but they removed the part indicating that the other 1750 take place postdoc.

From NJ Board of Psychology Administrative Code:

13:42-4.1 AMOUNT OF SUPERVISION REQUIRED a) An applicant for licensure shall be required to document the competent performance of at least two years of full time or full time equivalent supervised experience in the practice of psychology, at least one year of which shall have been completed subsequent to the applicant's receipt of his or her doctoral degree.

b) The equivalent of one year of full-time supervised experience shall be a minimum of 1,750 hours.

The 1,750 hours shall include: 1) One thousand client contact hours completed in accordance with the limitations provided in N.J.A.C. 13:42-3.6(f); BOARD OF PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAMINERS LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY Chapter 42 Page 20 of 84 Last Revision Date: 11/01/2021 2) Two hundred hours of supervision. At least 100 hours shall be individual face-to-face supervision; the remaining 100 hours may be individual or group supervision. The ratio shall be one hour of supervision for each five hours of client contact per week; and 3) Five hundred fifty hours in other work-related activities such as recordkeeping, consultations, report writing, etc.

 

[WisNeuro]

The law changed in the last couple years. You are no longer required to do a specific amount of hours after obtaining your doctorate. But yes you would need to work post doctorate if pre doctorate you have not obtained 3500 hours.

Edit: Per the below law, you're required to obtain at least 1750 predoctoral (that would be internship), but they removed the part indicating that the other 1750 take place postdoc.

From NJ Board of Psychology Administrative Code:

13:42-4.1 AMOUNT OF SUPERVISION REQUIRED a) An applicant for licensure shall be required to document the competent performance of at least two years of full time or full time equivalent supervised experience in the practice of psychology, at least one year of which shall have been completed subsequent to the applicant's receipt of his or her doctoral degree.

b) The equivalent of one year of full-time supervised experience shall be a minimum of 1,750 hours.

The 1,750 hours shall include: 1) One thousand client contact hours completed in accordance with the limitations provided in N.J.A.C. 13:42-3.6(f); BOARD OF PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAMINERS LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY Chapter 42 Page 20 of 84 Last Revision Date: 11/01/2021 2) Two hundred hours of supervision. At least 100 hours shall be individual face-to-face supervision; the remaining 100 hours may be individual or group supervision. The ratio shall be one hour of supervision for each five hours of client contact per week; and 3) Five hundred fifty hours in other work-related activities such as recordkeeping, consultations, report writing, etc.

You cannot complete a doctorate degree prior to completing an internship. If we are reading the statute, regarding the phrase "subsequent to", it would say that one year of those hours would need to be completed "subsequent to" the person receiving their degree. That is, after they have been given a degree, which would mean after completing internship, which is the last step needed for degree conferral. Am I missing something?

 

[psychodynamicbeginner]

One part of the NJ State Board FAQ's note a requirement for: "Two (2) years of full-time (3,500 hours) supervised practice, at least one (1) year of which (1,750 hours) is acquired subsequent to receiving the doctorate..."

But another part of the FAQ's state,

Q: What is P.L.2020, c.134.? ​

A: Public Law 2020, chapter 134 revised psychologist training requirements. The law amends prior requirements for licensure that state at least one year of the two required years of professional experience accrued towards licensure must be subsequent to the applicant receiving their doctoral degree. This means that when applying, candidates could now use more than one year accrued in pre-doctoral experience towards licensure.​

The actual text of P.L. 2020, c. 134 (plain English version here) states that the "two years of full time professional experience...may be completed prior to the applicant receiving a doctoral degree."

Lots of conflicting info! I hope to hear back from the board soon and will post an update if/when I do...

 

[WisNeuro]

One part of the NJ State Board FAQ's note a requirement for: "Two (2) years of full-time (3,500 hours) supervised practice, at least one (1) year of which (1,750 hours) is acquired subsequent to receiving the doctorate..."

But another part of the FAQ's state,

Q: What is P.L.2020, c.134.? ​

A: Public Law 2020, chapter 134 revised psychologist training requirements. The law amends prior requirements for licensure that state at least one year of the two required years of professional experience accrued towards licensure must be subsequent to the applicant receiving their doctoral degree. This means that when applying, candidates could now use more than one year accrued in pre-doctoral experience towards licensure.​

The actual text of P.L. 2020, c. 134 (plain English version here) states that the "two years of full time professional experience...may be completed prior to the applicant receiving a doctoral degree."

Lots of conflicting info! I hope to hear back from the board soon and will post an update if/when I do...

I would go based on what the actual NJ statutes say, that is, what is actually the law, rather than anything that the board has on their website. The statute is what is legally binding.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

I would go based on what the actual NJ statutes say, that is, what is actually the law, rather than anything that the board has on their website. The statute is what is legally binding.

This is a good example of why you want to get everything in writing. If the statutes and website are conflicting, I'd ask the board to email you their response. I know they are slow, but you want to have whatever the board tells you in writing, in addition to speaking with your malpractice insurance company about NJ statutes. Most/All carriers should have the option to speak to someone about specific liability concerns, and I'm sure you aren't the first to run into conflicting information.

 

[psychodynamicbeginner]

Hello all. After months of effort, I was able to get a definitive answer from the Board: you can count externship, internship, and postdoc hours all together across several calendar years.

Even though the Board's website FAQs mention "two years" of hours, that actually just means two years worth of hours (i.e., 3500 hours). But an applicant can accrue those hours across several calendar years.

For externship hours, you can have your DCT fill out the standard supervisory form and, as an addendum, includes a table listing each externship experience and number of hours.

At least, this is what I did, and it worked.

Good luck all!