Article archive / September 1, 2011
Originally published: . Volume 3, No. 1. Source pages: 1, 3.
President of the Louisiana Psychological Association (LPA), Dr. Phillip Griffin told the Times that he sent a letter to Dr. John Bolter, President of LAMP (Louisiana Academy of Medical Psychologists), and also to the Chair of the LSBEP (Louisiana State Board of Examiners of Psychologists) Dr. Tony Young. This was a step at implementing a resolution passed by LPA members at a Town Hall meeting in April, 2010, regarding Act 251.
“So there is at least the beginning of dialog,” Dr. Griffin told the Times. He noted he sent a letter to Dr. Bolter shortly after the first Executive Council meeting, Griffin said, “reminding him of the resolution and expressing a desire and need for open dialog between LPA and LAMP.” As of press time Dr. Griffin had yet to receive a reply from Dr. Bolter.
In April LPA passed the resolution offered by Dr. Tom Hannie at a special Town Hall Meeting held at the LPA Annual Convention. The Town Hall meeting was the result of continuing concerns of members regarding Act 251. One of the main reasons for the special meeting was the results of a survey conducted by the LPA council and led by Drs. Robert Storer and Gail Gillespie in late 2010. The findings indicated that 74 percent of respondents had concerns about Act 251. The results were similar to a phone survey conducted by Dr. Susan Dardard in the fall 2010.
Dr. Hannie’s motion directed the association to open a dialogue between LPA, the state medical board, the state psychology board, the state medical association, and also LAMP. And, according to Dr. Hannie, the motion indicated that the goal of this effort was to determine if there was a way for all psychology to be regulated by psychology and the practice of prescribing, or all medical practice, be regulated by the medical board.
Dr. Griffin explained, “I am not surprised that I have not received a reply as of this date. LAMP and LSBEP do not meet all that often and the matters that I raised would probably be brought before the entire group.”
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