Article archive / January 1, 2011
Originally published: . Volume 2, No. 5. Source pages: 7.
According to the minutes of their October 29th meeting, the Behavioral Health Professional Working Group (BHPWG), members discussed the LPC’s scope of practice regarding diagnosing.
According to the discussion described in the minutes, the LPCs already felt that their licensing law allowed them to diagnose. The psychologists asked why LPCs felt the need for additional legislation.
Noted in the minutes, the LPCs said they “felt compelled to clarify the language based on the opinion of Dr. Comaty that they have limited scope of diagnostic authority and they believe that this has had an adverse influence on their practice within DHH.”
In a position statement provided along with the minutes, LPCs explained that when their legislation was passed in 1999, they believed that the issue of diagnosis was resolved, and in fact they were then included in many insurance plans.
But they wrote “…about 4 years ago Dr. Joe Comaty began making statements which presented his and the psychology board’s opinion and position that the LPC statute does not authorize LPCs to diagnose emotional, mental and behavioral disorders as a fact.” They noted that at the Office of Behavioral Health, Dr. Comaty is Chief Psychologist, Medical Psychologist, and Director-Division of Policy, Standards and Quality Assurance.
The LPC position statement explained that LPCs with DHH complained that they were not allowed to diagnose and that the group learned that Dr. Comaty’s and the LSBEP’s position had been adopted as policy by the Office of Mental Health.
“It is because of such a policy decision by DHH, which is based on the influential opinion of Dr. Comaty and the LSBEP, that LCA and the LPC Board realized that it would be beneficial to seek legislation…”
According to the minutes of October 29th, “There was a discussion about the LPCs impression that the psychologists did not consider the LPCs to be trustworthy to which Dr. Comaty responded that it was true based on his personal experience with some LPCs that they have not proven to him that they were trustworthy.”
After discussion of these background issues, the group continued by offering each other their proposals for compromise language in the LPC’s legislation.
LPCs proposed that they would increase their semester course hours from 48 to 60, require that 6 of 40 CEUs be in diagnosis, 3 CEUs in ethics, and to make policy changes.
The psychologists proposed requiring additional formal academic training, specific supervision, and establishment of an advanced level of counselor.
“Each side agreed to take the proposals back to their constituencies for comment before the next meeting,” according to the minutes.
Dr. Comaty was the recorder.
Members of the Behavioral Health Professionals Working Group at a meeting earlier this year. The group is working at the request of the Legislature to develop agreed upon language for legislation and collaborative approaches to serve LA’s citizens.
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.