At TinyEYE, we are committed to supporting schools with our comprehensive online therapy services. Understanding the licensing requirements for school psychologists is crucial for those looking to practice in Utah. Here’s a detailed breakdown of what you need to know about obtaining and maintaining a school psychologist license in the state.
NCSP as a Route to Credentialing
Utah recognizes the Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) credential as a valid route to obtaining a school-based credential. This is a significant advantage for professionals who already hold or are planning to obtain the NCSP designation.
Types of SEA Credentials
Utah offers two types of educator licenses for school psychologists:
- Associate License: This license is valid for three years and requires the candidate to have completed all requirements for a regionally accredited master’s level preparation program in school psychology, except for the capstone school-based clinical experience and any co-requisite coursework.
- Professional License: This license is renewable every five years and requires the completion of a preparation program that meets the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) standards, including their model of integrated services and ethics.
Continuing Education Requirements
To renew a Professional School Psychologist license, practitioners must complete 100 hours of professional development. This professional development must be approved by the psychologist’s school administrator.
Scope of Practice
With a Professional educator license, a school psychologist in Utah can:
- Make referrals for students and families to community mental and behavioral health resources.
- Provide professional learning to staff and psychoeducation to parents on prevention and mental health-related topics.
- Offer counseling to individuals and small groups of students with identified needs and concerns.
- Coordinate and participate in crisis intervention and prevention, including assessing students for suicide risk.
- Participate in multi-disciplinary teams for developing student special services, such as behavior intervention plans, Section 504 accommodations, and individualized education program services.
- Conduct assessments in which they are trained in the ethical administration, scoring, and interpretation, meeting the assessment publisher’s criteria for administration.
- Act as a related service provider to offer counseling services for students with individualized education programs, consistent with Board Rules and the Utah Special Education Rules manual.
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