How to become an Approved Clinical Supervisor in West Virginia as a Licensed Psychologist

In West Virginia, experienced psychologists can expand their impact by serving as clinical supervisors for those working toward licensure. This guide explains how to become a supervisor in West Virginia, detailing the official West Virginia clinical supervisor requirements, ongoing West Virginia LP supervision CE obligations, and pitfalls to avoid. We also highlight how the Telehealth Certification Institute (TCI) can help you meet the supervision training requirements for LPs and provide valuable resources like a free supervision forum. By understanding the process and leveraging quality training, you can learn how to become a supervisor in West Virginia and mentor the next generation of professionals with confidence.

✅ Supervisor Eligibility Requirements

Psychologists in West Virginia must meet several specific standards to become a clinical supervisor. These requirements are outlined in the West Virginia Board of Examiners of Psychologists' official publication, Becoming a Board Approved Supervisor and the West Virginia Code of State Rules §17-2-6.

To be eligible as a supervisor, a psychologist must:

• Hold an active license as a Licensed Psychologist (LP) in West Virginia. While School Psychologists may be eligible for some supervision roles, clinical supervision of LP candidates must be provided by a Licensed Psychologist.

• Have been licensed for at least two years. Supervisors must demonstrate adequate post-licensure experience before taking on supervisees.

• Have no history of ethical violations or Board disciplinary action. The psychologist must have practiced ethically throughout their licensure.

In addition to these baseline qualifications, the psychologist must complete supervision-specific training through one of the following two pathways outlined in §17-2-6.2:

Option A: Graduate Course Path
Successfully complete a 3-credit hour graduate psychology course specifically focused on supervision.

Option B: Continuing Education Path
Complete at least 14 hours of supervision training that meets the following criteria:

• APA-approved continuing education
• Focused specifically on the supervision of psychologists
• Taught by a Licensed Psychologist

Documentation for either pathway must be submitted to the Board for approval.

Administrative Steps to Become a Supervisor:
Before providing any supervision, the psychologist must:

• Study the Board’s:
  • Supervision Contract
  • Demonstrable Competency Form
• Submit an attestation letter to the Board confirming:
  • Completion of training requirements
  • Agreement to all responsibilities listed in the Supervision Contract
• Wait for the Board’s written approval confirming you are recognized as a Board-Approved Supervisor.
• Submit a completed Supervision Contract for each supervisee before supervision begins. Supervision may not begin until the contract has been reviewed and accepted by the Board.

Supervision Caseload Limit:
A supervisor may oversee no more than four (4) supervisees at any given time.

📄 Source: West Virginia Board of Examiners of Psychologists. Becoming a Board Approved Supervisor [PDF].
📄 Source: West Virginia Code of State Rules §17-2-6.3

📑 Ongoing/Renewal CE Requirements

Once approved, West Virginia does not impose any extra continuing education requirements specifically for supervisors beyond the standard license renewal CE. In other words, maintaining supervisor status simply requires you to keep your psychologist license active by meeting the usual CE obligations for licensed psychologists. There are no separate “West Virginia LP supervision CE” hours that supervisors must earn apart from these. However, staying current with general CE is mandatory for all psychologists and ensures you remain knowledgeable in both clinical practice and supervision ethics.

West Virginia License CE Requirements for Psychologists: All licensed psychologists in WV must complete 20 hours of continuing education every 2 years to renew their license. These 20 hours must include:

• Ethics & Specialty Topics: At least 3 hours of ethics training, and 2 hours dedicated to mental health conditions common to veterans and their families (e.g. training on veteran suicide risk/prevention, PTSD, anxiety, depression, family counseling, etc.). The veterans’ mental health requirement was instituted in 2017 to ensure providers are educated in the unique needs of veterans and their families.

• Approved Providers: At least 10 of the 20 hours (50%) must come from programs approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) or the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). (The remaining hours can be from other approved sources, but half must be APA/NASP-approved CE to count for renewal.)

• Acceptable CE Sources: The WV Board automatically accepts continuing education from various reputable sources, such as APA and NASP-sponsored programs, the West Virginia Psychological Association (WVPA), the West Virginia School Psychologists Association (WVSPA), other state or regional psychology boards/associations, and regionally accredited graduate psychology programs. In practice, this means workshops or conferences by these organizations, or coursework from accredited universities, will count toward your CE requirements without needing prior Board approval.

• Alternate CE Credits: The Board also allows some non-traditional CE activities to count toward the 20-hour requirement, within limits. For example, you can claim up to 10 hours of credit per cycle for presenting professional psychology workshops or trainings yourself (one CE hour per hour of presentation). You can also count up to 6 hours for publishing an article or book chapter in a peer-reviewed psychology journal or text during the renewal period. Additionally, completing graduate-level coursework (beyond what’s required for licensure) can earn CE credit – each academic credit hour counts as 1 CE hour for renewal. (For instance, a 3-credit graduate course in a relevant psychology topic could fulfill 3 CE hours.) Note that these alternatives still must be documented, and you must retain certificates or proof in case of audit.

Keep in mind that these CE requirements apply to all West Virginia psychologists, including those supervising. Failing to meet the 20-hour biennial CE requirement will jeopardize your license (and thus your ability to supervise), so plan your continuing education accordingly. The West Virginia Board’s CE Guidelines (PDF) provides more detail on what counts and how to document your hours.

⚠️ Pitfalls To Avoid

Even after you’ve met the qualifications, there are a few pitfalls that West Virginia psychologists should avoid when beginning to supervise:

• Unregistered or Unapproved Supervisees: One of the biggest mistakes is providing supervision to a licensure candidate before the Board has approved the supervision arrangement. In West Virginia, supervisees must be officially registered with the Board under an approved Supervision Contract prior to accruing hours. If you begin supervising someone without that contract on file (sometimes due to oversight or paperwork delays), any hours they accumulate will not count toward licensure. Always ensure the supervisee has their “Gold Card” (West Virginia’s term for the registration indicating Board-approved supervised status) before you start supervision.

• Improper or Incomplete Documentation: West Virginia requires ongoing documentation of the supervision process. Supervisees must complete Quarterly Reports of their supervised experience, which the supervisor must review and sign off on, and a final Demonstrable Competency evaluation when supervision ends. If these forms are not timely submitted to the Board, or if the supervision hours are not logged as required, the Board may refuse to count those hours. To avoid this pitfall, supervisors should keep meticulous records of supervision sessions (dates, duration, content covered) and ensure all required reports are completed and sent in on schedule. Don’t wait until the end of the supervision period to scramble on paperwork—missing or late documentation can delay a supervisee’s licensure or nullify hours.

• Supervisor’s Qualifications Lapsing: As a supervisor, you must maintain your eligibility throughout the supervision period. This means keeping your own license active (renew on time, complete your CE, and avoid any disciplinary issues) and ensuring you continue to meet Board standards. If, for example, your license were to lapse or be suspended, or you failed to complete the required supervisor training in the first place, any supervision provided during that time could be disqualified. Additionally, remember the Board’s rule that you must have no more than 4 supervisees at once – taking on an extra supervisee beyond the limit could invalidate some of the supervision (and put you in violation of regulations). Always double-check that you’re in good standing and within capacity limits when signing on a new supervisee.

By being mindful of these issues – getting Board approval first, documenting everything, and staying within the rules – you can ensure that your supervisees’ hours will count and that you remain in the Board’s good graces as a mentor.

📘 How the Telehealth Certification Institute Helps You Meet Supervision CE Requirements

If you’re pursuing the continuing education (CE) path to become a Board-Approved Supervisor in West Virginia, the Telehealth Certification Institute (TCI) offers everything you need to meet the state’s CE requirements. While TCI does not provide university-level graduate coursework, we do offer APA-approved, self-paced online CE courses that satisfy West Virginia’s 14-hour supervision training requirement and help you maintain your general license renewal CE.

All supervision courses are taught by qualified professionals and aligned with the standards set by the West Virginia Board of Examiners of Psychologists.

🎓 Recommended TCI Courses

✅ Initial 14-Hour Supervision Training (Option B)
🧠 15 CE Clinical Supervision Training Bundle
This APA-approved bundle covers essential topics such as:

• Ethics
• Tele-supervision
• Supervision methods

✔ Exceeds the required 14 CE hours for initial supervisor qualification in West Virginia.

🔁 Ongoing/Renewal CE for License Maintenance
📚 20 CE Clinical Supervision Training Bundle
Designed to meet West Virginia’s 20-hour biennial CE requirement, this bundle includes training on:

• Documentation
• Cultural Competency
• Ethics
• Supervision models

✔ Fulfills the full 20 CE hours needed for license renewal.
⚠️ Note: This bundle does not include content on veterans’ mental health, which is separately required.

🪖 Clinical Military Counseling Certificate Program
West Virginia requires at least 2 CE hours on mental health conditions common to veterans and their families.
This certificate program:

• Covers PTSD, suicide prevention, and military culture
• Exceeds the state’s veterans-focused CE requirement

✔ Ideal for meeting the veterans’ mental health mandate as part of your license renewal.

📘 Clinical Supervision Certificate (CSC) Program – 49 CE Hours
Looking for in-depth training? The CSC Program is a comprehensive option that:

• Covers all essential supervision competencies (excluding veterans’ mental health)
• Exceeds both the initial 14-hour and 20-hour renewal CE requirements

✔ Offers a total of 49 APA-approved CE hours, ideal for professionals who want advanced supervisory knowledge.
⚠️ Note: This bundle does not include content on veterans’ mental health, which is separately required.

🎯 Individual Clinical Supervision CE Courses
Prefer to focus on specific competencies?
Browse our full catalog of individual clinical supervision CE courses and choose the content areas most relevant to your practice—whether it's ethics, tele-supervision, cultural dynamics, or supervision with early-career professionals.

🤝 Free Clinical Supervision Forum

Join our live, bi-monthly forum designed for clinical supervisors — open to all behavioral health professionals!

• ✅ Earn complimentary live CE hours
• 💬 Participate in real-world supervision case discussions
• 🌐 Network with supervisors from across the country
• 🔗 Register now and be part of the conversation

🌟 Why Choose TCI for Your Training?

• ✅ Trusted by thousands of behavioral health professionals nationwide
• ✅ Fully online and self-paced — study anytime, anywhere
• ✅ Accredited CE courses taught by leading industry experts
• ✅ Modular, flexible courses — pay only for the training you need

⚠️ Disclaimer

“The information provided in this article is for general educational purposes only and is not intended as legal advice. Licensing and supervision requirements may change, and interpretations may vary. It is the responsibility of each individual to verify the current rules and qualifications directly with their state licensing authority.”

🚀 Ready to Get Started?

Take the next step in your career by becoming an approved clinical supervisor in West Virginia. By fulfilling the requirements and obtaining the right training, you’ll be well-positioned to guide new professionals and shape the future of psychology in your state.
👉 Clinical Supervision Certificate (CSC) Program
Help shape the future of the profession — supervise with confidence and make a lasting impact on those entering the field. Good luck on your journey to becoming a West Virginia Board-Approved Clinical Supervisor!