Article archive / April 1, 2010
Originally published: . Volume 1, No. 8. Source pages: 1, 4.
Writing for the National Psychologist, Dr. Jim Quillin provided a review of Act 251. He included a response to criticisms in his article titled “Louisiana RxP psychologist defends regulatory change,” for the publication’s March/April issue.
In the article, Dr. Quillin described
components of Act 251 and wrote that it establishes “a new practice of psychology which combines the clinical practice of psychology with medical practice, …” He noted that the transfer of medical psychology from the LSBEP to the LSBME was “in recognition of the implicit medical component of the practice of medical psychology.”
He answered critics, writing that, “The integration of medical procedures into the practice of psychology instead represents a natural evolution of our profession, and fears that doing so will ‘corrupt our values’ may be best viewed as akin to the kind of primitive religious fears sometimes exhibited when faced with the prospects of interfaith marriages.”
Dr. Quillin’s review was in response to an earlier article in NP by Senior Editor J. Bradshaw, referencing The Psychology Times and editor Julie Nelson. Bradshaw’s article, titled “Louisiana RxP psychologists now regulated by Medical Board,” appeared in the Jan/Feb edition of NP and noted concerns of some Louisiana psychologists about the “secrecy surrounding” passage of Act 251 and the dual regulation of psychology created by Act 251.
Nelson had emailed NP in October ‘09 asking if NP intended to cover Act 251 and explained that Louisiana now had dual regulation for psychology. In the January article, Bradshaw indicated that Dr. Jim Quillin had agreed to explain “what has transpired and why” in a future article.
At the time of passage of Act 251, Dr. Quillin was LPA Legislative Chair and APA delegate. He has since resigned. He now serves on the Medical Advisory Committee under the LSBME, as provided for by Act 251.
Dr. Quillin was a key figure in achieving RxP for psychologists in Louisiana, spearheading the landmark legislation for Louisiana psychologists in 2004. Act 251 repealed that legislation.
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.