Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 84 Part 2.djvu/626

 1956

Definitions.

Consultation.

Prohibition.

Licensing, exemptions.

PUBLIC LAW 91-657-JAN. 8, 1971

[84

STAT.

SEC. 2. The practice of psychology in the District of Columbia is hereby declared to affect the public health, safety, and welfare, and to be subject to regulation and control in the public interest to protect the public from the practice of psychology by unqualified persons and from unprofessional conduct by persons licensed to practice psychology. SEC. 3. As used in this Act-— (A) "Commissioner"' means the Commissioner of the District of Columbia. (B) "Person" includes an association, partnership, or corporation, as well as natural persons. (C) "Accredited college or university" means any college or university which, in the Commissioner's determination, offers either an acceptable full-time resident graduate program of study in psychology leading to the doctoral degree, or a comparable program. In making his determination concerning domestic educational institutions, the Commissioner shall accredit those institutions included in the listings of approved academic institutions published by the United States Office of Education; in determining what foreign educational institutions shall be accredited the Commissioner may take into account the published lists of recognized accrediting agencies and professional associations. (D) "The practice of psychology" means the rendering of or offering to render to the public for a fee, monetary or otherwise, any service involving the application of established methods and principles of the science and profession of psychology. These principles and methods are concerned with understanding, predicting, and changing behavior, and include, but are not restricted to, the use of counseling and psychotherapy with groups or individuals having adjustment problems in the areas of work, family, school, and personal relationships; measuring, testing, and assessing aptitudes, skills, public opinion attitudes, emotions, personality, and intelligence; teaching, doing research, or lecturing in psychology. (E) "Psychotherapy" means the use of learning or other psychological behavioral modification methods in a professional relationship to assist a person or persons to modify feelings, attitudes, and behavior which are intellectually, socially, or emotionally maladjustive or ineffectual. SEC. 4. All persons licensed or certified under this Act shall assist their clients in obtaining professional help for all relevant aspects of the clients' problem that fall outside of the boundaries of the psychologist's competence. All persons so licensed or certified shall make provision for the diagnosis and treatment of relevant medical problems by an appropriate and qualified medical practitioner, and shall, in instances where a medical problem is involved, collaborate effectively with such a medical practitioner. No person licensed or certified under this Act shall administer or prescribe drugs, or perform surgery or any manual or mechanical treatment whatsoever. SEC. 5. I t shall be unlawful for any person to practice or to offer to practice psychology, or to represent himself to be a psychologist, unless he shall first obtain a license or certificate pursuant to this Act: Provided, however, That the following categories of persons need not obtain a license:

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