Specialty Specific Requirements

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 that includes an internship. The specialty also requires postdoctoral supervised practice or post-licensure consultative practice and experience in clinical health psychology. Please refer to the Document Library for more detailed information. 

A. The specialty’s specific program requirements are met if: 

1. The doctoral degree program was in professional psychology from a program accredited by the APA or CPA; or
2. 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 United States or in Canada.
3.  

B. Internship Requirements:

A one-year, full-time or two-year, half-time internship program is required. The internship requirement is met if: 

1. Accredited by the APA or CPA; or
2. Listed in the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC) Directory for the year the internship was completed; or
3. The applicant is listed in the NRHSPP or CRHSPP Directory or holds the CPQ.

C.  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 following four training experiences: 

1. The applicant may apply for certification upon successful completion of at least one year of an APA- or CPA-accredited clinical health psychology postdoctoral fellowship, or an APA- or CPA-accredited clinical psychology or clinical child psychology postdoctoral fellowship with a major area of study (80%) in health psychology or pediatric health psychology; or
2. If the applicant completed an APA- or 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 may apply for certification after one additional year of clinical health psychology experience following the fellowship; or
3. If the applicant completed a non-accredited postdoctoral fellowship with 80% supervised training in clinical health psychology, the applicant may apply for certification after one additional postdoctoral year of supervised clinical health psychology experience*; or
4. The applicant may apply for certification after three post-licensure years, with evidence of continuing education, including one year of 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 continuing education credits in clinical health psychology and/or three clinical health psychology courses.***

*Supervised clinical health psychology experience is defined as supervision provided by individuals with competencies in clinical health psychology, demonstrated by appropriate training, qualifications, or credentials (e.g., ABPP, HSP). The supervisor attests to having provided at least 1,000 hours of supervised clinical health psychology experience. * 

**Consultative clinical health psychology experience is defined as consultation provided by individuals with competencies in clinical health psychology, demonstrated by appropriate training, qualifications, or credentials (e.g., ABPP, HSP). The consultant attests to having provided at least 1,000 hours of consultative clinical health psychology experience. ** 

***Clinical health psychology course: Must have content congruent with the Clinical Health Psychology 2018 Education and Training Guidelines (available on the 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 United States or Canada in which the psychologist practices. Exceptions are recognized 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 they are currently practicing.