How to Serve as a Clinical Supervisor in Pennsylvania as a Licensed Psychologist

If you're a licensed psychologist in Pennsylvania aiming to serve as a clinical supervisor, it's essential to understand the state's specific requirements and how to fulfill them. This guide explains the Pennsylvania clinical supervisor requirements for psychologists who supervise other psychologists (e.g., postdoctoral psychology residents) and walks you through eligibility criteria, continuing education expectations, pitfalls, and how to meet these requirements—so you know how to serve as a supervisor in Pennsylvania while staying compliant and strengthening your supervision skills.

✅ Supervisor Eligibility Requirements (Pennsylvania Code Title 49 § 41.33)

To supervise a psychology resident working toward licensure as a clinical psychologist in Pennsylvania, you must meet the following requirements:

🔹 For All Supervisors (Primary and Delegated):

• Hold a current license to practice psychology.
• Be qualified in the resident’s area of supervised clinical practice.
• Be affiliated with the supervisee’s place of employment (owner, employee, or contractor).
• Discuss ethics and clinical issues with the resident.
• Provide at least 2 hours/week of face-to-face individual supervision (on average).
• Keep supervision records for at least 10 years or until the resident is licensed.
• Ensure clients and payors know the resident is under supervision.
• Complete quarterly written evaluations of the resident’s progress, including strengths and weaknesses (included in the licensure application).

🚫 Prohibited for Any Supervisor:

• Being controlled or influenced by the resident.
• Having family ties (blood or marriage) to the resident.
• Having a dual relationship (per Code of Ethics) with the resident.
• Having treated the resident as a patient.
• Being under active license suspension/revocation (must notify and help replace supervisor).
• Accepting fees, gifts, or favors from the resident.

🧑‍🏫 Additional Duties for Primary Supervisors:

• Must have completed a doctoral-level supervision course or 3 CE hours in supervision.
• Set goals/objectives with the resident.
• Be accessible to both the resident and their clients.
• Take responsibility for the care clients receive from the resident.
• Have authority to stop or terminate services or the supervisory relationship.
• Observe sessions or recordings quarterly.
• Give quarterly feedback, recommend literature, and support skill development.
• Support interdisciplinary collaboration, including observing joint work.
• Ensure access to multidisciplinary consultation, if needed.
• Oversee delegated supervision, if applicable.
• At the end of supervision, complete a comprehensive evaluation of the resident’s competencies in key professional domains (e.g., assessment, intervention, ethics, diversity, etc.).

🔗Source: 49 Pa. Code § 41.33 — Supervisors. Pennsylvania Code.

🔁 Ongoing Continuing Education (CE) Requirements

Pennsylvania does not impose any ongoing, supervision-specific CE requirements to maintain your status as a supervisor. Below are the general CE requirements to renew your psychology license.

As required by 49 Pa. Code § 41.59, all licensed psychologists in Pennsylvania must complete 30 contact hours of CE every biennium (every 2 years), from December 1 of an odd-numbered year to November 30 of the next odd-numbered year.

Required CE Breakdown:

• ✅ 30 total contact hours (3 CEUs) every 2 years
• ✅ 3 hours in ethics per biennium
• ✅ 2 hours in child abuse recognition and reporting training (must be in a state-approved course; pursuant to § 41.77; Act 31 of 2014)
• ✅ Up to 10 hours may be carried over from the prior biennium (except ethics and child abuse CE)
• ✅ Up to 15 hours may be completed via home study if the course has defined learning objectives and is from an approved sponsor (the other 15 hours must be live/interactive).
• ✅ CE can also be earned through teaching, writing, or publication — with limits

🔗Source: 49 Pa. Code § 41.59 — Continuing education. Pennsylvania Code.

⚠️ Pitfalls to Avoid

Avoid these pitfalls to ensure your supervision is valid and compliant:

• Insufficient face-to-face supervision: Supervisors must provide an average of 2 hours/week of face-to-face individual supervision. Phone calls do not qualify.

• Improper or missing documentation: Supervisors must maintain quarterly evaluations and supervision records, which must be submitted when the supervisee applies for licensure.

• Supervisor non-compliance: If you did not complete the 3-hour CE or supervision course, or if your license lapses, the hours you supervised may not be valid.

• Conflicts of interest or dual relationships: Supervisors cannot supervise relatives or individuals with whom they have a dual relationship.

• Unapproved supervision setting: Supervisors must be officially affiliated with the supervisee’s place of employment (as an employee, contractor, or owner).

📘 How the Telehealth Certification Institute Helps You Meet Pennsylvania LP Supervision CE

Pennsylvania does not require ongoing, supervision-specific CE to maintain supervisor status. TCI provides continuing education courses (not university-level coursework) to (1) help primary supervisors meet the initial requirement of 3 CE hours in supervision, and (2) help you earn general CE toward psychology license renewal under § 41.59.

Recommended Courses

• Individual Supervision CE Courses
  Need topic-specific training or the initial 3-hour supervision CE? Browse TCI’s catalog and choose what best fits your needs.

• Clinical Supervision Certificate Program
  A comprehensive program covering supervision roles, ethics, evaluation/feedback, documentation, cultural competence, and risk management. You may apply hours earned toward your 30-hour license-renewal requirement (subject to the 15-hour home-study limit in § 41.59(e)); up to 10 hours beyond 30 may carry over to the next biennium (note: ethics and child-abuse hours do not carry over). This program does not include the state-mandated 2-hour child-abuse course.

• 20 CE Clinical Supervision Training Bundle
  Focuses on core supervision areas (ethics, supervision models, documentation, cultural competence). Because Pennsylvania permits only 15 home-study hours per biennium under § 41.59(e), up to 15 hours from this 20-CE self-study bundle may be applied toward a renewal cycle; the bundle provides additional content beyond the home-study maximum.

• Child abuse recognition and reporting training
  Pennsylvania requires 2 hours of training on child abuse recognition and reporting as part of the continuing education requirements for psychologists under 49 Pa. Code § 41.59(b) and Act 31 of 2014. This training must be completed through a Pennsylvania state-approved provider. TCI has not applied for direct approval to offer this training. For more information and a list of approved training providers, see the Pennsylvania Department of State Act 31 page.

• Live Webinars
  Since only 15 hours may be home-study, complete your remaining 15 hours via live webinars or other interactive formats to meet the § 41.59(e) cap while maximizing convenience and topic choice.

🤝 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
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• 🔗 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
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• ✅ 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.”

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