WHEREAS, the Board of Psychology oversees the licensing of psychologists in this State; and

WHEREAS, the basic requirements to obtain a license from the board are the possession of a doctoral degree in psychology, demonstration of internship and post doctoral experience, and passage of a board-prescribed examination; and

WHEREAS, licensure modifications exist for applicants who have licenses from other states or who have doctoral degrees from foreign institutions; and

WHEREAS, on the one hand, graduates of foreign or unaccredited institutions must demonstrate to the Board that their doctoral degree requirements are substantially similar to the State's requirements, in particular, that the degree is from a program approved by the American Psychological Association; and

WHEREAS, on the other hand, licensees from other states who have not previously failed a board-prescribed examination may be granted a license without written examination if they are licensed in a state deemed by the Board to have standards equivalent to the State's; and

WHEREAS, these modifications nonetheless do not grant much leeway to applicants who have out-of-state licenses, have never passed a board-prescribed examination, and have doctoral degrees from a foreign institution; and

WHEREAS, the board should consider the particulars of each case as they arise in a manner that is fair to the applicant and protects the public welfare; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2005, that the Board of Psychology is requested to exercise more latitude in licensing a person who is licensed as a psychologist in another state; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Psychology.

Report Title:

Psychologists; licensure