Article archive / September 1, 2012
Originally published: . Volume 4, No. 1. Source pages: 3.
In an interview this week with Dr. Alicia Pellegrin, Legislative Chair and also Secretary for the Louisiana Psychological Association (LPA), she said to the Times that her group was very aware of the “Doctor Rule” legislation, passed in the spring and supported by the medical board.
The “Doctor Rule” or Act 772 prohibits those who are not physicians from using communications that could confuse patients about who is and who is not a physician. The body of the legislation mentions nurses, physical therapists, and physician assistants. It also provides for exceptions. Psychologists are not listed in either section.
“We were on that,” Dr. Pellegrin told the Times. “We did not leave that to chance. I got with Kevin Hayes, our attorney and he got with the authors. We made sure of that one. Mental health was not even on the radar.”
Pellegrin had called the Times after the last issue and gave a correction to one story, and
reported LPA’s efforts about the “Doctor Rule.”
Pellegrin also described where the state association is headed in the future. “First, we will have a shorter than normal legislative session in the Spring, with the session to begin April 8th and ending on June 6th. While the session may be 30 days shorter, you can bet that it won't be any less lively.”
“While we have not yet finalized our legislative agenda for the upcoming session, we know that we will be monitoring a number of issues,” she noted.
First, we will be exploring the findings of the working group for the Applied Behavior Analysts in an attempt to resolve, to the satisfaction of all and for the protection of the public, the issue of ABA regulation. We have our own representative in the working group in Dr. Lacey Seymour who will be providing us with regular updates as the working group goes forward.”
“Secondly,” Pellegrin said, “we are very concerned about the effects that Magellan has had
on the access to psych- ological services for Medicaid and DCFS [Department of Child and Family Services] clients, an issue about which we intend to be at the forefront. We feel strongly that not only must we represent our profession, but also those who are the most powerless to speak out about the diminution of their services.”
“Of course, we will as always be monitoring all new legislation for anything that has the potential to affect our profession.” But, Pellegrin noted that the association will be sponsoring some proactive legislation at the right times.
And she said, “We continue to be grateful to the many generous members of our PAC who have donated the funds necessary for us to continue to be players in the political arena. We have raised approximately 30K thus far and will continue our fund raising campaigns. I would like for Times readers to stay tuned to what is likely to be another important and exciting legislative session.”
Dr. Carolyn Weyand (L) and Dr. Alicia Pellegrin at a recent meeting of the Louisiana Psychological Association Executive Committee. Dr. Pellegrin told the Times she is following several areas in the legislative area.
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