If your application has been deemed as “non-routine” by the DOH credentialing unit, EBOP needs to review your application to ensure it meets the licensing requirements for Washington State. There are many reasons why an application might be deemed non-routine. The most common reason is that the applicant did not obtain an APA or CPA-accredited doctoral degree or there is a discrepancy or lack of clarity regarding the supervision hours listed.
It is important to note that processing a non-routine application is not usually easy or quick. On average it takes three to four weeks for a professional Board member to review such an application in the necessary detail. Additionally, in any given month, the number of available professional Board members who can review applications varies due to personal or work obligations, and vacancies on the Board.
Currently, the Board reviews requests only at Board meetings, which are held every other month. Thus, we suggest that licensees needing a waiver or extension submit their requests two to three weeks in advance. (See the Department of Health‘s EBOP webpage which provides a list of upcoming Board meetings). The Board is not responsible for delaying a decision beyond the license expiration date if there is not enough time to process it.
When submitting a request, review “Does the board grant any extensions or waivers?” and “How do I get an indefinite waiver of the CE requirements?” in the Continuing Education section. The answers will provide details on who can request a waiver and what needs to be submitted with the request. Once ready to submit, you can send the request to psychology@doh.wa.gov
To determine if a provider meets the requirements to obtain this permit, please review “Am I eligible to apply for the psychology temporary permit? How do I apply? Is there a fee?” for a detailed answer.
The goal of this new requirement is to increase patient safety so that “people aren't disadvantaged from achieving . . . [their full health] potential because of the color of their skin, ancestry, level of education, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, socioeconomic status, the job they have, the neighborhood they live in, or whether they have a disability . . ." This goal will be achieved by giving “people the resources they need.” The training will help health professionals recognize and reduce their own implicit biases, as well as biases in the health financing and delivery systems in which they practice.
EBOP must adopt health equity CE rules by January 1, 2024. To meet this deadline, the Board began rulemaking during the fall of 2022 to review the minimum standards the Department of Health is developing and determine what this requirement should look like for Washington psychologists. More information will be provided in the psychology FAQs and through the GovDelivery listserv when it becomes available.