The Vermont Statutes Online

Title 26 : Professions and Occupations

Chapter 055 : Psychologists

Subchapter 001 : General Provisions [Effective July 1, 2024]

• § 3001. Definitions

  As used in this chapter:

  (1) “Practice of psychology” means rendering or offering to render to individuals, groups, or organizations, for a consideration, any service involving the application of principles, methods, and procedures of understanding, predicting, and influencing behavior that are primarily drawn from the science of psychology. The science of psychology includes assessment, diagnosis, prevention, and amelioration of adjustment problems and emotional and mental disorders of individuals and groups.

  (2) “Psychologist” or “practicing psychologist” means a person who is licensed to practice psychology under this chapter.

  (3) “Psychologist-doctorate” means a person who is so licensed under this chapter.

  (4) “Psychologist-master” means a person who is so licensed under this chapter.

  (5) “Board” means the Board of Psychological Examiners established under this chapter.

  (6) “Disciplinary action” or “disciplinary cases” includes any action taken by a board against a licensee, applicant, or person engaged in supervised practice toward licensure as a psychologist, premised upon a finding of wrongdoing or unprofessional conduct by that individual. It includes all sanctions authorized under this chapter, but excluding obtaining injunctions.

  (7) “Unprofessional conduct” means conduct prohibited by section 3016 of this title or by other statutes relating to the practice of psychology, whether or not taken by a license holder.

  (8) “Financial interest” means being:

  (A) a psychologist;

  (B) a person who deals in goods and services that are uniquely related to the practice of psychology; or

  (C) a person who has invested anything of value in a business that provides psychological services.

  (9) “Institution of higher education” means a university, professional school, or other institution of higher learning that:

  (A) in the United States, is regionally accredited by bodies approved by the Council on Postsecondary Accreditation of the U.S. Department of Education;

  (B) in Canada, holds a membership in the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada; or

  (C) in any other country, is accredited by the respective official organization having such authority.

  (10) “Professional psychology training program” means a postgraduate training program that:

  (A) is a planned program of study, defined by the Board by rule, that reflects an integration of the science and practice of psychology and emphasizes assessment, intervention, psychopathology, statistical methods, and professional ethics, including practice and internship; or

  (B) is designated as a doctoral program in psychology by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards and the National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology, or is accredited by the American Psychological Association or the Canadian Psychological Association; or

  (C) is a master’s program in psychology that is offered by an educational institution that is a full member of the Council of Applied Master’s Programs in Psychology (CAMPP).

  (11) “Psychotherapy” means the provision of treatment, diagnosis, evaluation, or counseling services to individuals or groups, for a consideration, for the purpose of alleviating mental disorders. “Psychotherapy” involves the application of therapeutic techniques to understand unconscious or conscious motivation, resolve emotional, relationship, or attitudinal conflicts, or modify behavior that interferes with effective emotional, social, or mental functioning. “Psychotherapy” follows a systematic procedure of psychotherapeutic intervention that takes place on a regular basis over a period of time, or, in the case of evaluation and brief psychotherapies, in a single or limited number of interventions. If a person is employed by or under contract with the Agency of Human Services, this definition does not apply to persons with less than a master’s degree; to persons providing life skills training or instruction, such as learning to make friends, to handle social situations, to do laundry, and to develop community awareness; or to interactions of employees or contracted individuals with clients whose job description or contract specifications do not specifically mention “psychotherapy” as a job responsibility or duty.

  (12) [Repealed.] (Added 1975, No. 228 (Adj. Sess.), § 2; amended 1981, No. 241 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; 1993, No. 98, § 1; 1993, No. 222 (Adj. Sess.), §§ 1, 1a; 1997, No. 145 (Adj. Sess.), § 13; 1999, No. 52, § 23; 1999, No. 133 (Adj. Sess.), § 21; 2009, No. 35, § 38; 2009, No. 103 (Adj. Sess.), § 20, eff. May 12, 2010; 2013, No. 138 (Adj. Sess.), § 21; 2015, No. 38, § 29, eff. May 28, 2015; 2015, No. 97 (Adj. Sess.), § 61.)