IPA Continuing Education Program

Our Commitment to Continuing Education

One of IPA's most important roles is to provide excellent education and advanced training programming for our members.  We hold two conferences annually in the Spring and Fall, which feature national and local experts and provide both didactic and workshop training.  These events also feature research presentations from Iowa undergraduate and graduate trainees in psychology.  We collaborate with the Trust Insurance Programs to hold biennial Ethics workshops in Iowa.  Additionally, members also host smaller educational "salons" to help promote education, consultation, and collaboration among members, which also provide more opportunities for psychologists in Iowa to earn CEs. 

 

Click here to see a recent history of IPA's CE offerings.

 

Continuing Education Requirements for Licensed Psychologists in Iowa

In Iowa, two kinds of continuing education are mandated for licensed psychologists, biennial compliance and mandatory reporter training. New licensees have different requirements.

 

Biennial Compliance

The biennial continuing education compliance period shall extend for a two-year period beginning on July 1 of each even-numbered year and ending on June 30 of the next even-numbered year. Each biennium, each person who is licensed to practice as a psychologist in this state shall be required to complete a minimum of 40 hours of continuing education. Hours of continuing education credit may be obtained by attending and participating in a continuing education activity. These hours must meet the requirements herein pursuant to statutory provisions and the rules that implement them.  The Iowa Department of Public Health posts the full regulations for licensure in psychology.

Mandatory Reporter Training

Iowa law requires mandatory reporting training every 3 years for relicensure. Iowa's Department of Public Health's Abuse Education Review Panel has approved providers for mandatory reporter training and lists those providers on their website: https://hhs.iowa.gov/report-abuse-fraud/mandatory-reporters https://hhs.iowa.gov/report-abuse-fraud/mandatory-reporters. The training is offered online free of charge and online. All training is conducted by DHS.

Requirements for New Licensees

Those persons licensed for the first time shall not be required to complete continuing education as a prerequisite for the first renewal of their licenses. Continuing education hours acquired anytime from the initial licensing until the second license renewal may be used. The new licensee will be required to complete a minimum of 40 hours of continuing education per biennium for each subsequent license renewal.

Reciprocal Agreements

The IPA and the Kansas Psychological Association (KPA) have a reciprocal agreement for continuing education events. For more information, you can visit the KPA homepage and follow the continuing education link.