Guidelines Concerning Removal From Listing Related to Professional Conduct: Scope of Sanctions

The National Register of Health Service Psychologists ("the National Register") may impose appropriate sanctions in cases involving violations of the Guidelines by Applicants for credentialing, or by psychologists already credentialed ("Registrants). Appropriate sanctions may include denial of the National Register credential, withdrawal of the National Register credential, referral of matters to appropriate authorities, and such other actions as may reasonably be warranted in order to comply with the law, or to protect third parties, the public, or the integrity of the National Register.

Bases for Sanctions

A. Failure to Meet the Criteria

If at any time the National Register determines that a Registrant does not meet the applicable credentialing criteria (because, for example, a license has been revoked, suspended, restricted, placed on probation, subject to material conditions, or voluntarily relinquished or withdrawn), appropriate sanctions may be imposed.

B. Professional Misconduct

The National Register may also impose appropriate sanctions upon an Applicant or Registrant who has demonstrated evidence of professional misconduct, including but not limited to any departure from or failure to conform to the standards of acceptable and prevailing psychological practice.

C. Serious Crimes

The National Register may impose appropriate sanctions upon any Applicant or Registrant who has been convicted of a serious crime, despite the pendency of an appeal or other legal proceedings (provided that if such conviction is vacated, sanctions may be modified or revoked). A "serious crime" shall include any felony, any lesser crime an element of which under applicable law is fraud, bribery, extortion, theft, or attempt or conspiracy to commit another serious crime, and any other criminal act involving moral turpitude.

D. Malpractice

The National Register may impose appropriate sanctions upon an Applicant or Registrant who is found by a court or arbitral body to have committed malpractice or another professional tort, if such finding appears to reflect a substantial deficiency in the individual's standards of practice.

E. Disability

The National Register may withdraw a Registrant's National Register credential or take other appropriate action concerning an individual if a court, a governmental body, a state, provincial or territorial psychology board (or similar body responsible for supervising psychology practice), the American Psychological Association, the Canadian Psychological Association or any affiliated regional, state, provincial or territorial, county or other local psychological association, determines that he/she is professionally incapacitated or disabled by reason of mental or physical causes, provided that if such incapacity or disability is removed, sanctions may be modified or revoked.

F. Misrepresentation and Failure to Advise of Events

For initial and subsequent yearly credentialing by the National Register, Applicants and Registrants must attest that the information they submit is true and complete to the best of their knowledge and belief. Applicants and Registrants, by virtue of accepting or renewing the National Register credential, agree that they shall advise the National Register by certified, registered or express and receipted mail, within thirty days of the occurrence of any of the following events:

(1) Credentialing criteria are no longer satisfied and/or psychology license in any jurisdiction is revoked, suspended, restricted, placed on probation, subject to material conditions, or voluntarily relinquished or withdrawn;

(2) Professional misconduct or violation of the material rules of a professional body described in Section II.B. of the Guidelines;

(3) Conviction of a serious crime, as defined in Section II.C of the Guidelines; or

(4) Determination to be professionally incapacitated or disabled by reason of mental or physical causes by a court or other governmental body as described in Section II.E. of the Guidelines.

This reporting obligation exists regardless of the pendency of any appeal or other proceedings related to the triggering event, and regardless of whether any such condition or sanction has already expired.

Appropriate sanctions may be imposed upon any individual who is found to have made any significant misrepresentation in connection with his/her application for credentialing or who fails to notify the National Register as required above.