Article archive / June 1, 2014
Originally published: . Volume 5, No. 10. Source pages: 6.
The Illinois legislature passed Senate Bill 2187 amending the Clinical Psychologist Licensing Act to include certification for certain doctoral level psychologists to perscribe medications.
The final bill was an outcome of numerous negotiations between various factions both for and against the measure. The final result is noted by some to include numerous of concessions by those supporting the measure, especially in the level of training required for the credential. But is said by some supporters to be a step in the right direction.
The law will require psychologists to have a current license to practice in the psychology. The required education includes the following:
(A) specific minimum undergraduate biomedical prerequisite coursework, including, but not limited to: Medical Terminology (class or proficiency); Chemistry or Biochemistry with lab (2 semesters); human Physiology (one semester); Human Anatomy (one semester); Anatomy and Physiology; Microbiology with lab (one semester); and General Biology for science majors or Cell and Molecular Biology (one semester);
(B) a minimum of 60 credit hours didactic coursework, including but not limited to: Pharmacology; Clinical Psychopharmacology; Clinical anatomy and Integrated Science; Patient Evaluation; Advanced Physical Assessment; Research Methods; Advanced Pathophysiology; Diagnostic Methods; Problem Based Learning; and Clinical and Procedural Skills; and
(C) a full-time practicum of 14 months supervised clinical training of at least 36 credit hours, including a research project; during the clinical rotation phase, students complete rotations in Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine, Geriatrics, Internal Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, Psychiatrics, Surgery, and one elective […]
The law requires the prescribing psychologist to maintain on-going collaboration with a physician or psychiatrist, and also sets out a number of restrictions, including patients younger than 17 or older than 65, pregnant patients, patients with serious medical conditions, and the prescribing of benzodiazepine Schedule III controlled substances or narcotic drugs as defined by Illinois law.
The law allows medical psychologists from others states, such as from Louisiana, to apply for the Illinois credential. However, they must meet the same educational requirements outlined in the law for Illinois psychologists. One group initially opposing the “APA Model” for prescribing psychologists, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), changed from opposing the measure to supporting it when the stronger training was included. In the NAMI Illinois legislative update, they said to their advocacy networks that the agreed upon bill was written by the Medical Society, and “… is a well-negotiated product, agreed to by all professional groups. NAMI Illinois applauds their endeavors and the outcomes of this lengthy debate.”
However, in an accidental post on the Illinois listserve, an APA Division 55 leader said those he had talked to were essentially seeing the Illinois prescribing bill as a “total loss” to the national objectives, and a “massive step backwards.”
The degree of training has been compared by some to be close to what is required of a physician’s assistant.
Louisiana medical psychologist Dr. Nadia Webb has provided education assistance to the RxP leaders in Illinois and to help them with their objectives. Current President Elect for the Louisiana Psychological Association also has presented at their conference, with Dr. Webb, clarifying how psychologists and medical psychologists can benefit from working together.
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.