Clinical Health Psychology
In addition to the general foundation requirements, the clinical health psychology specialty requires completion of an organized doctoral education and training program in Professional Psychology, whichincludes an internship. The specialty also requires postdoctoral supervised or post-licensure consultation practice and experience in the specialty. Please refer to the Document Library for more detailed information.
1. The specialty’s specific program requirements are met if:
A. The doctoral degree program was in Professional Psychology from a program accredited by the APA or CPA, OR
B. The doctoral degree program qualifies as equivalent to an APA or CPA accredited program in Professional Psychology as determined by the ABCHP. This option is particularly applicable to degrees awarded outside the U.S. or in Canada.
2.Internship Requirements
A one-year full-time or two-year half-time internship program is required. The internship requirement is met if:
A. Accredited by the APA or CPA, OR
B. Listed in the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC) Directory for the year the internship was completed, OR
C. The applicant is listed in the NRHSPP or CRHSPP Directory or holds the CPQ
3. Postdoctoral or Post-licensure Practice Experience and Supervision Requirements
By its nature, the specialty of clinical health psychology denotes a level of practice requiring preparation beyond doctoral requirements. An individual whose degree is from an APA or CPA accredited program in Professional Psychology must have completed one of the four following training experiences:
A. The applicant can apply for certification upon successful completion of at least one year of an APA/CPA accredited clinical health psychology postdoctoral fellowship or a clinical child psychology postdoctoral fellowship with a major area of study (80%) in pediatric health psychology OR
B. If the applicant completed an APA/CPA accredited postdoctoral fellowship before October 29, 2021, in an area other than clinical health psychology, but at least 50% of the training was in clinical health psychology, the applicant can apply for certification after one additional year of clinical health psychology experience following the fellowship OR
C. If the applicant completed a non-accredited postdoctoral fellowship with 80% supervised training in clinical health psychology, the applicant could apply for certification after one additional postdoctoral year of supervised clinical health psychology experience* OR
D. The applicant can apply for certification after three post-licensure years with evidence of continued education including one-year post-licensure consultative experience in clinical health psychology, ** and two additional years of post-licensure clinical health psychology experience. To qualify for this option the applicant must demonstrate a major area of study in clinical health psychology by attesting to either at least ≥ 45 continued education credits in clinical health psychology AND/OR ≥ three clinical health psychology courses.***
*Supervised clinical health psychology experience defined as supervision being provided by persons with competencies in clinical health psychology demonstrated by appropriate training, qualifications, or credentials (e.g., ABPP, HSP) as clinical health psychologists. The supervisor attests to have provided supervision for at least 1000 hours of supervised clinical health psychology experience. *
**Consultative clinical health psychology experience defined as consultation being provided by persons with competencies in clinical health psychology demonstrated by appropriate training, qualifications, or credentials (e.g., ABPP, HSP) as clinical health psychologists. The consultant attests to have provided consultation for at least 1000 hours of consultative clinical health psychology experience. **
***Clinical health psychology course: Must have content congruent with Clinical Health Psychology 2018 Education and Training Guidelines (available on Council of Specialties in Professional Psychology website https://cospp.org/education-and-training-guidelines-1).***
Licensure/Certification Requirements
The applicant must be licensed or certified as a psychologist at the independent practice level by the state, province, or territory of the U.S. or Canada in which the psychologist practices. Exceptions for the above arerecognized for active-duty federal uniformed service psychologists and Veterans Administration psychologists when practicing in those roles. Such psychologists may be licensed in a state, province, or territory other than the one in which the psychologist currently is practicing.