Click here to download Application in Word 

You can email NMPA your application to nmpamember@aol.com  and save fees and time.  Please click here to pay for your application. Once we receive your payment, we will send your application out for review.

Guidelines for Approval of Continuing Education Programs for Psychologists

The New Mexico Psychological Association (NMPA) is authorized by the State of New Mexico Board of Psychologist Examiners to review for approval Category 1 continuing education programs for psychologists.  NMPA approval indicates that the program offered meets the criteria of a Category I Continuing Education activity as defined by the State of New Mexico statutes and regulations. Continuing education credit may be applied toward meeting requirements for renewal of the psychologist's license. *

 

Continuing education program approval is provided for a specific activity or program. It does not indicate endorsement by NMPA of any organization. Unless specified in a written agreement, it does not involve financial obligation by NMPA or on the part of NMPA. Through program approval, NMPA approval assures that 1) the educational quality of the offering meets NMPA criteria, and 2) the instructors meet training and full qualifications of their respective professions and have documented expertise in the area of instruction.

 

I.   Criteria:

A. Goals: Programs should be designed to meet the specific needs of postgraduate professionals in the field of psychology.

B. Facilities: NMPA approval obligates the requesting organization to ensure that facilities and materials are private enough to ensure confidentiality of any case materials that may be part of the curriculum. Facilities should be accessible to physically challenged persons, including the room in which the activity takes place, rest rooms, parking spaces, overnight accommodations, and meeting rooms.

C. Instructors: Instructors will be recognized experts in their subject matter, as evidenced, for example, by training, experience, publications, and/or academic or clinical appointments. In addition, instructors should be competent teachers, as evidenced by reviews, reports of previous presentations, or evaluation data. While NMPA recognizes that experts come from many fields and educational backgrounds, NMPA reserves the right to require the majority of faculty in any given offering to be doctoral level, especially if the program content specifically relates to diagnostic or therapeutic skills.

D. Content: Programs must be relevant to psychological practice, theory, and method. Programs must reflect up-to-date empirical, theoretical, and practice literature. We favor programs that are directly relevant to psychological practice, which are based on empirical research, and fall within the mainstream of standard practice.

E. Program Evaluation: There must be a procedure that assesses the participants' satisfaction with the overall program and their degree of perceived (self-report) or achieved (objective) learning of the program objectives.

F. Standards for Awarding Credit: Credit is awarded on the basis of 1 hour for each hour of actual classroom or learning activity time. Credit cannot be given for time spent in breaks, conducting organizational business, or the like. Verification of attendance (e.g., a sign-in roster) is necessary. Participants must be given documentation stating the number of credits earned. Participants must attend the entire program to receive credit. Partial credit may not be awarded.

G. Record Keeping: Application materials, NMPA letter of approval, attendance roster, and program evaluations must be kept on file for 3 years by the organization receiving approval. This will aid in documenting attendance in case of a Board of Psychologist Examiners audit.

H. Ethics: Programs should conform to the presenting organization's ethical guidelines (e.g., APA’s Ethical Principles of Psychologists). In particular, provisions must be made to ensure the confidentiality of all case materials and research subjects.

I.   Promotion and Advertising: Participants must have access to the following information before enrolling: 

1.              Educational objectives

2.              Intended audience and skill level

3.              Schedule and format

4.              Advisement of potentially stressful or upsetting case material

5.              Advisement of the presentation of confidential material

6.              Cost, refund and cancellation policy

7.              Faculty credentials

8.              Number of CE credits offered.  

II.   Procedures:

A.  Approval of a program for CE credit through NMPA is based on review of an application that describes the proposed program in detail including:

1.              Complete program description

2.              Educational objectives

3.              How the information is directly relevant to psychologists

4.              Provisions for confidentiality

5.             Name of the person responsible for ensuring that the organization's ethical  guidelines are followed

6.              Presenter name (s) and vita (e)

7.              Form for sign-in and program evaluation

8.              Number of CE hours requested

9.             Name of person responsible for maintaining documentation of participants' attendance and completion  

 

B. Three sets of the application materials are required if you submit by mail but only one set of attachments is required for emails, and must be accompanied by a non-refundable include the $75 email application fee/$100 mail application fee. Applications should be received 60 DAYS PRIOR TO THE EVENT for timely consideration. Email applications can frequently be reviewed more quickly.

C. The NMPA Continuing Education Review Committee meets monthly. Applications will be reviewed at that time.

D. The proposed program must be planned, coordinated, administered, and evaluated in terms of specific educational objectives and designed specifically to meet the continuing education needs of psychologists  

E. Programs are defined as a single topic presentation and approved for a one-time presentation only.

1.   If the program is one seminar or workshop, given in one or two days, or over a short period of time on consecutive days, it will be considered as one program Complete the application for the program as directed and include the $75 email application fee/$100 mail application fee.

2.   If the program is a series of brief sessions covering a single topic, it will be considered as one program. Complete the application for the complete series, attaching a list of specific dates, topic breakout, and faculty for each session, and include the $75 email application fee/$100 mail application fee.

3.   For multiple topics and educational formats (i.e., multiple programs) complete a separate application for each program that includes objectives, instructional methods, and evaluation procedures, and include the $75 email application fee/$100 mail application fee for each program to be reviewed.

 

If a program is repeated within 6 months (with the same faculty), an extension of the previous approval may be requested by sending a letter to NMPA stating the new date of the program. After 6 months, a new application for program approval must be completed and submitted to NMPA along with the include the $75 email application fee/$100 mail application fee.

 

For further information, please call NMPA at (505) 883-7376 Mail to: NMPA, 8205 Spain NE, Suite 202, Albuquerque, NM 87109 

*The State of New Mexico Board of Psychologist Examiners maintains its authority and responsibility to ensure compliance with the continuing education requirement as a condition of renewal of licensure.