Per the Standards of Accreditation (SoA), the Commission on Accreditation (CoA) requires that all trainees who complete accredited training programs, regardless of substantive practice area, degree type, or level of training, develop certain competencies as part of their preparation for practice in health service psychology. The CoA evaluates a program’s adherence to this standard in the context of the SoA sections that articulate competencies at each training level. The Implementing Regulations (IRs) that correspond with demonstration of these profession-wide competencies are IRs: C-8 D, C-8 I, and C-9 P.
From July through October of 2020, these three IRs were put out for public comment. The IR for doctoral programs is currently undergoing review and revision. The IR for internship programs was reviewed and approved. While seven out of the eight postdoctoral Level 3—Specialty Competency Areas were accepted, the postdoctoral IR (C-9 P) is out for another round of public comment for additional proposed changes that include revisions for the forensic psychology specialty area and the addition of Serious Mental Illness as a specialty area. Further information about the proposed changes and public comment are available on the Accreditation Public Comment System.