Revised Code of Washington
Chapter 18.83A - Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact.
18.83A.010 - Findings.

RCW 18.83A.010
Findings.

(1) The legislature finds:
(a) States license psychologists in order to protect the public through verification of education, training, and experience, and to ensure accountability for professional practice;
(b) The psychology interjurisdictional compact is intended to regulate the day-to-day practice of telepsychology and the provision of psychological services using telecommunication technologies by psychologists across state boundaries in the performance of their psychological practice as assigned by an appropriate authority;
(c) The psychology interjurisdictional compact is intended to regulate the temporary in-person, face-to-face practice of psychology by psychologists across state boundaries for 30 days within a calendar year in the performance of their psychological practice as assigned by an appropriate authority;
(d) The psychology interjurisdictional compact is intended to authorize state psychology regulatory authorities to afford legal recognition, in a manner consistent with the terms of the compact, to psychologists licensed in another state;
(e) The psychology interjurisdictional compact recognizes that states have a vested interest in protecting the public's health and safety through their licensing and regulation of psychologists and that state regulation best protects public health and safety;
(f) The psychology interjurisdictional compact does not apply when a psychologist is licensed in both the home and receiving states; and
(g) The psychology interjurisdictional compact does not apply to permanent in-person, face-to-face practice; it does allow for authorization of temporary psychological practice.
(2) Consistent with the findings of subsection (1) of this section, the psychology interjurisdictional compact is designed to achieve the following purposes and objectives:
(a) Increase public access to professional psychological services by allowing for telepsychological practice across state lines as well as temporary in-person, face-to-face services into a state in which the psychologist is not licensed to practice psychology;
(b) Enhance the states' ability to protect the public's health and safety, especially client/patient safety;
(c) Encourage the cooperation of compact states in the areas of psychology licensure and regulation;
(d) Facilitate the exchange of information between compact states regarding psychologist licensure, adverse actions, and disciplinary history;
(e) Promote compliance with the laws governing psychological practice in each compact state; and
(f) Invest all compact states with the authority to hold licensed psychologists accountable through the mutual recognition of compact state licenses.

[ 2022 c 5 § 2.]