Article archive / July 1, 2011
Originally published: . Volume 2, No. 11. Source pages: 1, 4.
In a June 13 decision the Louisiana State Board of Examiners of Psychologists (LSBEP) reversed their October 2010 opinion (#012) that said only psychologists licensed under the LSBEP would qualify as supervisors of students, interns, or post- doctoral individuals who seek licensure as a psychologist.
The reversal allows medical psychologists to act as supervisors, licensed only under the medical board, to supervise those seeking a psychology licensure.
In a statement issued by LSBEP and posted on their website, the board said that they revised their opinion “based on a broader interpretation…” of the applicable sections of the law, “particularly Subpart A of Section 2365 that expressly authorizes those duly licensed as medical psychologists by LSBME to represent themselves as psychologists.” The statement also indicated that the original opinion would have invalidated psychologists from other states providing supervision.
The reversal came after Dr. John Bolter, a medical psychologist representing the Medical Psychology Advisory Committee (MPAC), and Dr. Robert Marier, Executive Director of the state medical board, asked the LSBEP to reconsider their opinion, according to the published statement.
Bolter and Marier “presented evidence from the respective statutes and from prior LSBEP actions, particularly related to approving supervision of applicants and candidates for licensure by psychologists who are licensed in states other than Louisiana,” according to the June statement from the psychology board.
The Times attended the September 2010 board meeting where these issues had been discussed. At that time members reviewed the legal definition of “psychologist,” and noted that the law indicates that “psychologist” means a person licensed under the psychology board. Dr. John Courtney argued that the board had no authority over those from other states who might supervise individuals for a license in Louisiana, and they were valid supervisors. But Dr. Lee Matthews pointed out that those licensed in other states will still fall under that state’s psychology board, and also the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB). Dr. Joe Comaty had said that the definition of a psychologist was clear in the law and medical psychologists who did not retain their psychology license did not meet the definition.
The Times requested additional information about this recent reversal but was told that first the board needed the publisher’s “credentials” and determine if the Times is a “legitimate news organization.”
The psychology board is currently composed of three medical psychologists, Drs. Comaty, Courtney, and Young, who fall under the authority of the medical board and Drs. Bolter and Marier.
State records indicate that Drs. Comaty and Courtney pay yearly dues to LAMP-Political Action Committee, the organization that lobbied Act 251 in conjunction with medicine. Dr. Bolter is also a member.
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.