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A board-certified specialist with current certification status and retiring from direct patient/client care who desires to maintain affiliation with the certification process may apply to ABPTS for authorization to include the designation "emeritus" after their specialist credential listing. Clinical specialists with two or more clinical specialties may apply for "emeritus" status only when they have retired from direct patient/client care across all specialty areas (including any pro bono work). Review full emeritus eligibility guidelines below prior to beginning your emeritus application.
Please note, once approved the emeritus designation goes into effect immediately. If a current specialist is not prepared to immediately transition to the emeritus status or does not currently meet requirements, they should refrain from submitting their emeritus application. For this reason, specialists are advised to submit their emeritus application no earlier than six months prior to their certification expiration date.
There is a one-time application fee of $100 that is required when submitting the online application.
Emeritus Eligibility Guidelines:
- A board-certified specialist with current certification status retiring from direct patient and client care who desires to maintain affiliation with the certification process may apply to ABPTS for authorization to include the designation “emeritus” after their specialist credential listing.
- Clinical specialists with two or more clinical specialties may apply for “emeritus” status only when they have retired from direct patient and client care (see only exceptions noted below in item 3).
- For the purpose of this policy, there are two exceptions to the requirement of full retirement from direct patient and client care: (1) a therapist who does not participate in direct care but may perform occasional demonstrations or supervision of patient and client care of fewer than five hours per week; and (2) a therapist who does not participate in direct care but may conduct research or pro bono work where patients and clients are directly influenced or affected by their interaction, and can demonstrate an inability to meet the minimum maintenance hour requirement through their research or pro bono work. In either case, or combination of the two, therapists conducting research or pro bono work must not exceed 200 clinical hours in any three-year maintenance cycle.
- At the time that ABPTS grants a retired specialist permission to use the designation “emeritus,” the individual will be notified that they may not represent themselves as board certified if they resume direct patient and client care. Use of the specialist credentials in violation of this condition will be dealt with under Section XIV of the ABPTS Policies and Procedures (.pdf).
Emeritus designation application and one-time $100 fee should be submitted through the application online system, which is available for selection from a specialist's list of Learning Plan options.