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Board of Psychology clarifies CPD credit rules for meeting attendance, promises clearer agenda language
Summary
Board staff told attendees Feb. 28 that CPD (continuing professional development) credit is awarded to in‑person attendants for meetings listed as in‑person, and to remote attendees only when the webcast is interactive. Staff reiterated hour-for-hour rules under three hours, a six‑hour cap for longer days and an eight‑hour cap per renewal cycle,
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — At its Feb. 28 meeting the California Board of Psychology spent an extended session clarifying how continuing professional development (CPD) credit is awarded for attendance at board meetings and committee meetings, and agreed to update agenda language and public communications to reduce confusion among licensees.
Board staff opened the discussion by reminding attendees that CPD hours are credited only to individuals who attend ‘‘in person’’ when a meeting is listed as in person. "Since the meeting is an in person meeting, CPD hours can only be credited to individuals who are in person with us today," a staff member said during the opening announcement. Staff also said CPD hours are not credited for viewing a non‑interactive webcast.
Board members and attendees raised multiple practical concerns, including whether closed‑session portions of an agenda reduce the credited hours for people who travel to attend in person. "So when we have agenda days where the majority of it will be closed, like, do we just do we share that closed session times don't count towards CPD hours?" asked Mr. Booth, a board member. Staff described the existing regulatory framework and said the mechanics determine how many hours can be claimed: when a meeting lasts less than three hours, CPD is counted hour for hour; if open session attendance exceeds three hours, a full day is credited as six hours. Staff also said the maximum CPD credit that may be claimed in a renewal cycle is eight hours.
Hybrid attendance and interaction. Staff explained that webcast or Webex attendees can receive CPD credit if the remote option is interactive — that is, if remote participants can ask questions or otherwise engage through the meeting moderator. "If they're listed at the webcast to where they have the option to interact with the meeting ... they can get the CPD help," staff said describing the hybrid criteria.
Communication changes promised. Board members expressed repeated concern about licensees who travel long distances for meetings and then learn that closed sessions or the meeting format limit the hours they can claim. In response, staff said they would revise agenda language, update the CPD FAQ and add explanatory language to meeting notices, social media posts and the newsletter to make the crediting rules clearer. "We'll update the language on the agenda ... and prepare something for future meetings," a staff member said.
Context and enforcement. Staff also noted that some meeting formats — for example committee meetings that are hybrid by default — already permit interactive remote attendance and CPD credit for remote participants. The board did not change regulations at the meeting; staff said any change to the hour‑credit rules would require a formal regulatory process. The board announced it will continue to post meeting notices and clarify which meetings are interactive and which are in person only.
The meeting included an announcement that the board would move into closed session under Government Code section 11126(c)(3) to consider disciplinary matters; staff clarified that the closed session portion is governed separately from CPD‑creditable open session time and that attendees should review agenda notices before traveling to attend a meeting for CPD credit.
