Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
Act 842 of the Regular Session
1 State of Arkansas As Engrossed: H4/3/23
2 94th General Assembly A Bill
3 Regular Session, 2023 HOUSE BILL 1772
4
5 By: Representative L. Johnson
6 By: Senator B. Davis
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8 For An Act To Be Entitled
9 AN ACT TO CREATE THE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND
10 NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING WORKFORCE SCHOLARSHIP,
11 STIPEND, AND INCENTIVE PROGRAM; AND FOR OTHER
12 PURPOSES.
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15 Subtitle
16 TO CREATE THE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND
17 NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING WORKFORCE
18 SCHOLARSHIP, STIPEND, AND INCENTIVE
19 PROGRAM.
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22 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
23
24 SECTION 1. Arkansas Code Title 6, Chapter 81, is amended to add an
25 additional subchapter to read as follows:
26 Subchapter 19 — Psychological and Neuropsychological Testing Workforce
27 Scholarship, Stipend, and Incentive Program
28
29 6-81-1901. Creation.
30 There is created the Psychological and Neuropsychological Testing
31 Workforce Scholarship, Stipend, and Incentive Program to be administered by
32 the Arkansas Psychology Board in accordance with the provisions of this
33 subchapter.
34
35 6-81-1902. Legislative findings and intent.
36 (a) The General Assembly finds that:
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1 (1) Neuropsychological testing services are necessary services
2 for the citizens of the State of Arkansas in order to provide access to and
3 inform a broad range of clinical services, psychoeducational services, and
4 legal and quasi-legal decision-making skills, including without limitation
5 child custody evaluations, forensic evaluations, and occupationally mandated
6 psychological and neuropsychological evaluations; and
7 (2) There is a workforce shortage and a need for education and
8 training to promote the workforce pipeline for these clinical services.
9 (b) It is the intent of this subchapter that the Arkansas Psychology
10 Board shall approve scholarships, stipends, and incentives, such as loan
11 repayment assistance, based on standards established by the General Assembly
12 and the board for individuals pursuing career paths that address the
13 workforce shortage for these clinical services.
14
15 6-81-1903. Psychological and Neuropsychological Testing Workforce
16 Scholarship, Stipend, and Incentive Program — Funding.
17 (a) Cash funds for the Psychological and Neuropsychological Testing
18 Workforce Scholarship, Stipend, and Incentive Program shall consist of:
19 (1) Funds appropriated for the program;
20 (2) Federal funds;
21 (3) Gifts;
22 (4) Grants;
23 (5) Bequests;
24 (6) Devises;
25 (7) Donations;
26 (8) Interest and other income accruing to or earned by the
27 funds; and
28 (9) All moneys provided by law.
29 (b) The Arkansas Psychology Board:
30 (1) May invest the principal, interest, and income of the funds;
31 and
32 (2) Shall use the funds for program scholarships, stipends, and
33 incentives.
34
35 6-81-1904. Arkansas Psychology Board — Powers and duties.
36 (a) The Arkansas Psychology Board shall:
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1 (1) Prescribe forms to be used for the Psychological and
2 Neuropsychological Testing Workforce Scholarship, Stipend, and Incentive
3 Program;
4 (2) Monitor the submission of applications for scholarships,
5 stipends, or incentives;
6 (3) Determine eligibility of applicants;
7 (4) Allow or reject applications for scholarships, stipends, or
8 incentives;
9 (5) Contract for, increase, decrease, terminate, and otherwise
10 monitor all scholarships, stipends, and incentives made under this
11 subchapter; and
12 (6) Manage, operate, and control all funds and property
13 appropriated or otherwise contributed for purposes of funding this program.
14 (b) The board may:
15 (1) Accept gifts, grants, bequests, devises, donations, and any
16 federal funds available for the program, to be used together with funds
17 appropriated for the program for making scholarships, stipends, and
18 incentives under this subchapter; and
19 (2) Hire a qualified person or entity to administer the program.
20
21 6-81-1905. Eligibility and requirements for scholarships.
22 The Arkansas Psychology Board may award a scholarship, stipend, or
23 incentive under the Psychological and Neuropsychological Testing Workforce
24 Scholarship, Stipend, and Incentive Program available to an applicant who:
25 (1) Is a bona fide resident of Arkansas; and
26 (2) Is:
27 (A) Enrolled in good standing or has been accepted for
28 admission to a program as a:
29 (i) Psychology student or trainee who is pursuing a
30 bachelor's degree to obtain status as a technician according to the
31 requirements of § 17-97-401 et seq. and the board; or
32 (ii) Master level or doctoral psychology student or
33 trainee who has been placed in an approved training site that is focused on
34 psychological or neuropsychological testing under the supervision of a
35 licensed psychologist; or
36 (B) A licensed psychological examiner or licensed
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1 psychologist who provides psychological or neuropsychological testing
2 services.
3
4 6-81-1906. Scholarship, stipend, and incentive — Amount.
5 (a) The Arkansas Psychology Board may award a scholarship to cover
6 tuition and the required coursework to an applicant who has been accepted for
7 admission or is enrolled in good standing in a program as a psychology
8 student or trainee who is pursuing a bachelor's degree to obtain status as a
9 technician according to the requirements of § 17-97-401 et seq. and the
10 board.
11 (b) The board may award a stipend to support required training
12 experience to an applicant who has been accepted for admission or is enrolled
13 in good standing in a program as a master level or doctoral psychology
14 student or trainee who has been placed in an approved training site that is
15 focused on psychological or neuropsychological testing under the supervision
16 of a licensed psychologist.
17 (c) The board may provide loan forgiveness assistance to an applicant
18 who is a licensed psychological examiner or licensed psychologist who
19 provides psychological or neuropsychological testing services.
20 (d) The board may provide a financial incentive to an applicant who
21 agrees to work full time for at least two (2) years in Arkansas providing
22 psychological or neuropsychological testing services following his or her
23 educational training.
24
25 6-81-1907. Renewal.
26 (a) Subject to the availability of funds, each scholarship, stipend,
27 or incentive awarded to an applicant under this subchapter shall be renewable
28 annually for the number of years required to complete a qualifying program
29 under this subchapter.
30 (b) Each scholarship, stipend, or incentive awarded to an applicant
31 under this subchapter subsequent to his or her initial receipt of a
32 scholarship, stipend, or incentive shall be made only upon application of the
33 recipient and upon a finding by the Arkansas Psychology Board that the
34 applicant meets all qualifications under this subchapter and board rules.
35
36 6-81-1908. Rules.
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1 The Arkansas Psychology Board may adopt rules consistent with this
2 subchapter to effectively and efficiently carry out the purposes of this
3 subchapter.
4
5 /s/L. Johnson
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8 APPROVED: 4/13/23
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