BSRB advisory committee reviews draft workforce survey of master's-level psychology licensees

The Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board (BSRB) master's-level psychology advisory committee discussed a draft survey report on March 12, 2025, summarizing responses from licensed master's-level psychologists (LMLPs) and licensed clinical psychotherapists (LCPs).

The draft shows 236 total responses: 113 from LMLPs (32.1% response rate for that cohort) and 123 from LCPs (44.9% response rate). David Fye, executive director of the BSRB, described the methodology and summarized key findings: most respondents hold licenses only in Kansas, many report fewer than five hours per week of telehealth work, interest in a multistate compact is high, and recurring concerns center on the EPPP examination, supervision availability, insurance recognition, and continuing education access.

Why it matters: committee members said the survey results will inform advisory‑committee work and board priorities, and Fye said finalized reports will be posted on the BSRB publications page and shared with the board in May. The results identify operational items the board can influence (for example, changes to licensure timelines or supervision guidance) and external issues that may require outreach to insurers, federal or state payers, or other licensing authorities.

Key findings and evidence - Response rates and geography: the full draft reports 236 completed surveys. For LMLPs, Sedgwick and Johnson counties were the most commonly reported practice locations; for LCPs Johnson, Sedgwick and Shawnee counties were most common. Approximately half of respondents identify their practice area as urban and roughly 44% as rural (questions distinguished urban/rural/frontier). - Workload and modes of care: the most common in-person client hours reported were 20–40 per week for both cohorts. Telehealth was low among respondents: about 62% of LMLPs reported less than 5 telehealth hours per week; LCP results showed a similar pattern. - Supervision and career stage: most LCP respondents reported providing little or no weekly supervision hours; among those who do supervise, responses ranged up to more than 10 supervisees. The committee noted inconsistencies in how respondents interpreted “supervision.” Fye highlighted qualitative comments about difficulty finding affordable or quality supervisors. - EPPP and licensure pathways: many open‑ended comments referenced the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) and the financial and timing burden it creates (requests to lower passing scores, permit earlier exam attempts, or offer alternate pathways based on years of supervised practice were mentioned). Committee members discussed possible alternative pathways or policy changes to reduce barriers for experienced LMLPs. - Multistate compact interest: a majority of respondents in both cohorts said they would likely join a multistate compact (a model similar to the social work compact was described in the survey text); interest depended on compact cost and participating states for some licensees. - Use of artificial intelligence: most respondents said they do not currently use AI tools; among those who do, the most common uses mentioned were progress‑note drafting and documentation templates. - Practice gaps and training needs: respondents highlighted needs for additional training on autism/neurodivergence, trauma, suicide intervention, assessment and diagnostic training, telehealth practice, and LGBTQ+ and gender‑affirming care. Several respondents reported insurance‑recognition barriers for master's‑level licensure.

Committee response and next steps Committee members noted several follow-up topics for future meetings: potential alternate pathways to clinical licensure for experienced LMLPs, clarifying supervision definitions and limits, exploring continuing education access, and researching AI tools named by respondents. Fye said staff will clean up the draft, include full appendices of open responses, and circulate the cleaned reports to advisory committees this month; the board will receive a comparative report across all seven regulated professions at the next board meeting in May. Finalized profession‑level reports will be posted in the BSRB publications section online.

Quotes from the meeting "We had 236 individuals complete the survey for an overall response rate of about 37.7%," David Fye said, summarizing response counts and rates. "Some of the respondents noted they already hold an LCP," Fye said in explaining why some LMLP respondents reported not working toward the LCP.

Ending The advisory committee asked members to review the appendices and suggested topics ahead of the next meeting on June 4. Fye said the survey will be refined and posted on the BSRB website once the board receives the comparative analysis in May.