March 9, 2012

To qualify for Health Service Provider certification, a psychology applicant must complete at least two years of full-time supervised health service experience in a health service setting, the first year of which meets the requirements of a health service training program.  As there are often questions regarding further clarification of which settings qualify as a "health service setting", the Board issues this policy to communicate the criteria used to make this determination.   The Board’s policy is as follows:

"A site where health services in psychology are normally provided", as referenced in MGL c. 112, s. 118 and further referenced in  251 CMR 3.08 (3),  must meet the following criteria:

  1. The health service setting must be a defined entity (e.g., clinic, hospital, school counseling center).
  2. If the health service setting is embedded in a non-health service institution, the health service setting must be a substantially separate entity that presents itself to the public as a health service facility and must be identifiable as such.
  3. The health service setting must have a place for maintaining confidential records.
  4. The health service setting must comply with HIPAA regulations (and/or FERPA for academic settings).
  5. The health service setting must have a protocol covering emergencies and after-hours coverage.
  6. The health service setting must provide supervision by qualifying licensed professionals, and qualifying licensed professionals must be on-site. 
  7. For facilities in which research is a major component of the mission, the health service setting must have clients who are not participating in research protocols, and other clinical services which are not part of research protocols must be available to all clients.   
  8. The health service setting must have a referral network for services that are not provided by the health service setting (e.g., medication).
  9. For facilities in which research is a major component of the mission, the health service setting must have a protocol for ensuring continuity of care for clients who withdraw from research projects.