GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 1999

SESSION LAW 1999-292
SENATE BILL 793

AN ACT AMENDING THE PSYCHOLOGY PRACTICE ACT TO INCLUDE WITHIN THE SCOPE OF PRACTICE THE DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF PHYSICAL ILLNESS, ACCIDENT, INJURY, OR DISABILITY AND TO DEFINE THE TERM NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

Section 1.  G.S. 90-270.2 is rewritten to add the following new subsection to read:
"(7a)	Neuropsychological. – Pertaining to the study of brain-behavior relationships, including the diagnosis, including etiology and prognosis, and treatment of the emotional, behavioral, and cognitive effects of cerebral dysfunction through psychological and behavioral techniques and methods."
Section 2.  G.S. 90-270.2(8) reads as rewritten:
"(8)	Practice of psychology. – The observation, description, evaluation, interpretation, or modification of human behavior by the application of psychological principles, methods, and procedures for the purpose of preventing or eliminating symptomatic, maladaptive, or undesired behavior or of enhancing interpersonal relationships, work and life adjustment, personal effectiveness, behavioral health, or mental health. The practice of psychology includes, but is not limited to: psychological testing and the evaluation or assessment of personal characteristics such as intelligence, personality, abilities, interests, aptitudes, and neuropsychological functioning; counseling, psychoanalysis, psychotherapy, hypnosis, biofeedback, and behavior analysis and therapy; diagnosis, including etiology and prognosis, and treatment of mental and emotional disorder or disability, alcoholism and substance abuse, disorders of habit or conduct, as well as of the psychological and neuropsychological aspects of physical illness, accident, injury, or disability; and psychoeducational evaluation, therapy, remediation, and consultation. Psychological services may be rendered to individuals, families, groups, and the public. The practice of psychology shall be construed within the meaning of this definition without regard to whether payment is received for services rendered."
Section 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 6th day of July, 1999.

s/	Marc Basnight
President Pro Tempore of the Senate

s/	James B. Black
Speaker of the House of Representatives

s/	James B. Hunt, Jr.
Governor

Approved 10:07 p.m. this 14th day of July, 1999