Qualifications to Evaluate and Treat Sex Offenders Under "Qualified Practitioner" Status

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Board of Psychology

RULE NO: RULE TITLE
64B19-18.001: Qualifications to Evaluate and Treat Sex Offenders Under "Qualified Practitioner" Status

NOTICE OF CHANGE

Notice is hereby given that the following changes have been made to the proposed rule in accordance with subparagraph 120.54(3)(d)1., F.S., published in Vol. 32 No. 2, January 13, 2006 issue of the Florida Administrative Weekly.

The changes are in response to public comments received on the rule.  The Board discussed this rule at its telephone conference meeting held on June 16, 2006. The Board voted to change the rule to read as follows:

64B19-18.001 Qualifications to Evaluate and Treat Sex Offenders as a “Qualified Practitioner”.

Prior to holding oneself out as a “Qualified Practitioner,” eligible to evaluate and treat sex offenders, complete a “risk assessment” or prepare a “safety plan,” as defined in Sections 947.005(9), (10), (11), and 948.001(6), (7), (8), Florida Statutes, a Florida licensed psychologist must:

(1) Possess 55 hours of education (based on the formula: one doctoral hour equals 10 education hours and one continuing education hour equals one education hour) in any combination of the following core areas:

(a) Theory and research regarding the etiology of sexual deviance;

(b) Theory and research regarding evaluation, risk assessment and treatment of sex offenders;

(c) Theory and research regarding evaluation, risk assessment and treatment of specialized populations of sex offenders (i.e., the female and developmentally delayed);

(d) Theory and research regarding physiological measures of sexual arousal;

(e) Safety planning/Family safety planning; and

(f) Legal and ethical issues in the evaluation and treatment of sex offenders.

(2) Possess 2,000 hours of supervised experience in the evaluation and treatment of sex offenders.

(3) Those licensees who are able to demonstrate 2,000 hours of practice and treatment of sex offenders during the five years immediately prior to January 1, 2006, shall be deemed to meet all the requirements of this rule.

Specific Authority 947.005(9), 948.001(6), 490.004(4) FS. Law Implemented 947.005(9), 948.001(6) FS. History–New_________.

 

The Board will be holding a public hearing on this rule on July 28, 2006, in Orlando, Florida.

THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: Susan K. Love, Executive Director, Board of Psychology, 4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin C05, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3255.