Since we launched SimplePractice Learning, we’ve gotten one question more often than any other: Are you pursuing APA approval to provide continuing education courses to psychologists? We have been, and we’re proud to announce that SimplePractice is now an APA-approved sponsor of continuing education for psychologists. 

The Road to APA

APA upholds particularly high standards for CE providers, which is part of why APA-approved sponsors are so widely accepted by licensing boards across the country. 

One key factor for approval was getting a psychologist deeply involved with SimplePractice. The APA specifies that “Sponsors must include the direct input of psychologists in all phases of the decision-making and program-planning process for the activities offered to psychologists for CE credit.” We welcomed Dr. Raymond Buscemi to our team to serve in this key role of Psychologist Consultant. Dr. Buscemi is a licensed Psychologist in San Francisco, core faculty at The Wright Institute in Berkeley, and a former chair of the CE Committee for the San Francisco Psychological Association.

Why APA Approval Matters

The APA process was especially important to us for two reasons: 

1. We want our courses to be counted toward license renewal requirements for mental health providers of all kinds, regardless of which license you carry and which state you’re in. APA approval greatly expands that availability. 
2. This approval demonstrates the high standards we uphold internally, and APA pays specific attention to those internal standards and processes. APA approval serves as a meaningful indication that our processes meet their requirements. 

With this approval, you can count certain SimplePractice Learning courses for credit toward license renewal, if your state board recognizes online coursework from APA-approved sponsors. Of course, it’s important to maintain awareness of the rules and requirements for CE for your particular board.

CE for Psychologists

Our list of SimplePractice Learning courses for psychologists is here, and we’re rapidly expanding our CE offerings under APA approval. Not all of our courses are included within our APA approval; we include information on whether or not a course is within our APA approval on each course page. Current online CE courses for psychologists include:

“Pure O” OCD Subtypes: How to Identify and Treat Them (2 hours CE, $27)

Fundamentals of Therapy with LGBTQ Clients (1 hour CE, $19)

Emotional Support Animals (1 hour CE, $19)

Social Media Ethics for Mental Health Professionals (1 hour CE, free)

Clients Who Threaten Therapists (1.5 hours CE, $23)

Behavioral Case Formulation (2 hours CE, $27)

Of course, our APA approval is one of several CE provider approvals we carry, and we are proud of each of them. See the full library of courses for all mental health providers here, and our online CE for Psychologists here. 

SimplePractice is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. SimplePractice maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

Prices effective 10/23/2019, subject to change.

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Want to know more about SimplePractice Learning?

1. Improving Continuing Education: The SimplePractice Learning Story
2. Therapist Scrutinized for Writing ESA Letter
3. 4 Ways to Learn More from Continuing Education