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AN ACT concerning licensed masters level psychologists; practice
  requirements; amending K.S.A. 1996 Supp. 74-5362 and 74-5363 and
  repealing the existing sections; also repealing K.S.A. 74-5363, as
  amended by section 124 of chapter 229 of the 1996 Session Laws of
  Kansas.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
  Section 1.  K.S.A. 1996 Supp. 74-5362 is hereby amended to read as
follows: 74-5362. Any person who is licensed under the provisions of this
act as a licensed masters level psychologist shall have the right to practice
only in a licensed community mental health center or one of its contracted
affiliates, in any federal, state, county or municipal agency, or other po-
litical subdivision, in a contracted affiliate of a federal, state, county or
municipal agency, or other political subdivision, in a duly chartered ed-
ucational institution, in a medical care facility licensed under K.S.A. 65-
425 et seq. and amendments thereto or in a psychiatric hospital licensed
under K.S.A. 75-3307b and amendments thereto insofar as such practice
is part of the duties of such person's paid position and is performed solely
on behalf of the employer, so long as such practice is under the direction
of a person licensed to practice medicine and surgery or a person licensed
to provide mental health services as an independent practitioner and
whose licensure allows for the diagnosis and treatment of psychological
disorders. Such licensed person may use the title licensed masters level
psychologist and the abbreviation LMLP but may not use the title li-
censed psychologist or psychologist.
  Sec. 2.  K.S.A. 1996 Supp. 74-5363 is hereby amended to read as
follows: 74-5363. (a) Any person who desires to be licensed under this
act shall apply to the board in writing, on forms prepared and furnished
by the board. Each application shall contain appropriate documentation
of the particular qualifications required by the board and shall be accom-
panied by the required fee.
  (b)  The board shall license as a licensed masters level psychologist
any applicant for licensure who pays the fee prescribed by the board
under K.S.A. 74-5365 and amendments thereto, which shall not be re-
funded, who has satisfied the board as to such applicant's training and
who complies with the provisions of this subsection (b). An applicant for
licensure also shall submit evidence verified under oath and satisfactory
to the board that such applicant:
  (1)  Is at least 21 years of age;
  (2)  has satisfied the board that the applicant is a person who merits
public trust;
  (3)  has received at least a master's degree in clinical psychology based
on a program of studies in psychology from an educational institution
having a graduate program in psychology consistent with state universities
of Kansas; or has received at least a master's degree in psychology and
during such master's or post-master's coursework completed a minimum
of 12 semester hours or its equivalent in psychological foundation courses
such as, but not limited to, philosophy of psychology, psychology of per-
ception, learning theory, history of psychology, motivation, and statistics
and 24 semester hours or its equivalent in professional core courses such
as, but not limited to, two courses in psychological testing, psychopa-
thology, two courses in psychotherapy, personality theories, developmen-
tal psychology, research methods, social psychology; or has passed com-
prehensive examinations or equivalent final examinations in a doctoral
program in psychology and during such graduate program completed a
minimum of 12 semester hours or its equivalent in psychological foun-
dation courses such as, but not limited to, philosophy of psychology, psy-
chology of perception, learning theory, history of psychology, motivation,
and statistics and 24 semester hours or its equivalent in professional core
courses such as, but not limited to, two courses in psychological testing,
psychopathology, two courses in psychotherapy, personality theories, de-
velopmental psychology, research methods, social psychology;
  (4)  has completed 750 clock hours of academically supervised prac-
ticum in the master's degree program or 1,500 clock hours of postgrad-
uate supervised work experience;
  (5)  has completed 2,000 clock hours of postgraduate work experience
under the supervision of a licensed psychologist or a currently licensed
master's level psychologist with three years' experience;
  (6)  for applicants on and after January 1, 1997, has passed an exam-
ination approved by the board with a minimum score set by the board by
rules and regulations at 10 percentage points below the score set by the
board for licensed psychologists; and
  (7)  is in the employ of a Kansas licensed community mental health
center, or one of its contracted affiliates, or a federal, state, county or
municipal agency, or other political subdivision or a contracted affiliate
of a federal, state, county or municipal agency, or other political subdi-
vision, or a duly chartered educational institution, or a medical care fa-
cility licensed under K.S.A. 65-425 et seq. and amendments thereto or a
psychiatric hospital licensed under K.S.A. 75-3307b and amendments
thereto and whose practice, in any such employment, is a part of the
duties of such applicant's paid position and is performed solely on behalf
of the employer.
  (c)  The board shall adopt rules and regulations establishing the cri-
teria which an educational institution shall satisfy in meeting the require-
ments established under item (3) of subsection (b). The board may send
a questionnaire developed by the board to any educational institution for
which the board does not have sufficient information to determine
whether the educational institution meets the requirements of item (3)
of subsection (b) and rules and regulations adopted under this section.
The questionnaire providing the necessary information shall be com-
pleted and returned to the board in order for the educational institution
to be considered for approval. The board may contract with investigative
agencies, commissions or consultants to assist the board in obtaining in-
formation about educational institutions. In entering such contracts the
authority to approve educational institutions shall remain solely with the
board.
  Sec. 3.  K.S.A. 1996 Supp. 74-5362 and 74-5363 are hereby repealed.
  Sec. 4.  On July 1, 1997, K.S.A. 74-5363, as amended by section 124
of chapter 229 of the 1996 Session Laws of Kansas, is hereby repealed.
  Sec. 5.  This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its
publication in the Kansas register.