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State Board of Unlicensed Psychotherapists: News

Notice: Applications for reinstatement for Unlicensed Psychotherapists will no longer be accepted after December 31, 2022

On August 19, 2022, the Colorado State Board of Unlicensed Psychotherapists passed Board policy 20-1 Reinstatement of Expired Registration. 

Pursuant to section 12-20-202, C.R.S., a registrant who has not timely renewed and wishes to resume practice or engage in activity requiring a registration must file an application to reinstate the registration. After December 31, 2022, the Board will no longer accept reinstatement applications for Unlicensed Psychotherapists.

If your license as an Unlicensed Psychotherapist has expired and you would like to reinstate prior to December 31, 2022:

  • Visit the Division of Professions and Occupations (DPO) website
  • Submit payment of the required application fee via credit card. All fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.
  • Upload name change documentation, if applicable.
  • Detail practice as a psychotherapist  since your Colorado registration expired.
  • Answer general and criminal history screening questions and upload supporting documentation.
  • Complete the Healthcare Professions Profile, including uploading supporting documentation.

If your registration expired more than 2 years ago:

  • Upload a signed and dated passing results report of the current jurisprudence exam.

A complete reinstatement application checklist is available on the DPO website. 

If you have practiced or engaged in activity requiring a registration on an expired license and your registration has been expired for 60 days or more, board staff will automatically initiate a complaint for unlicensed practice.

 

Emotional Support Animal Recommendations Require Bonafide Provider-Patient Relationship

A bona fide provider-patient relationship should exist between a licensed healthcare professional and an individual seeking an emotional support animal (ESA) for therapeutic benefit prior to the issuance of a recommendation letter in Colorado. This bonafide provider-patient relationship is defined in the mental health, medical and nursing practice acts. 

Healthcare professionals must first establish whether a disability exists and if found, determine whether there is sufficient information for a recommendation for an ESA to provide a therapeutic benefit for that disability. In order to make such determinations, licensees must be both sufficiently familiar with the patient and the patient’s disability; and legally and professionally qualified to make this determination.

Nursing and mental health law (Section 12-255-133(3)(a) and 12-245-229(3)(a) Colorado Revised Statutes) further clarifies  that “a licensee shall not make a determination … unless the licensee has met with the patient in person.” Registered nurses are permitted to issue ESA recommendations but must be under the direct supervision of a licensed physician. 

Physicians shouldn’t make a determination unless having “met with the person or by telemedicine,” according to 12-240-144(3)(a), C.R.S.

Healthcare practitioners under the purview of Division of Professions and Occupations must follow all applicable laws for those seeking an assistance animal.

An ESA is an animal that provides a therapeutic benefit, such as emotional support, comfort, or companionship, to a person with a mental health or psychiatric disability. An ESA is not considered a Service Animal and ESA users don’t receive the same accommodations as service dog users.

 ESAs don’t perform specific tasks related to the person’s disability, instead, it is the presence of the animal that relieves the symptoms associated with the serious mental health condition. This condition is documented by a properly formatted prescription letter.