Article archive / December 1, 2014
Originally published: . Volume 5, No. 16. Source pages: 4.
The psychology board plans to remove the Emeritus designation from the Psychology Practice Act in the upcoming 2015 legislative session, said board representatives at a November planning meeting.
The move would delete the sentence, ‘The status of psychologist emeritus is hereby created.” Those over age 65 who wish to retain a license will pay ½ of the regular renewal fee.
“Basically what we’re proposing here is that once a psychologist is over the age of 65 and has held continuous licensure as a psychologist for at least 20 years and is retired from full time practice of psychology, they’ll only pay half of whatever the fees are …” said Chair, Dr. Rita Culross. “But what we’re doing is removing the emeritus title because it is confusing to the public.”
“Emeritus is typically associated with a individual who is retired and many of our emeritus people continue to practice,” she said. “So what we’re maintaining here, is the ability, once you turn 65, of significantly less fees. But, you would still be called a psychologist at that point in time.”
“And if this goes into effect we’ll make allowances for anybody who is emeritus to assume this new position without any kind of penalty in the current process,” she said.
The Times asked if the emeritus title would remain for those who no longer practice at all. Culross said, “I don’t think so. Because if the individual is still licensed, then they’ll still be a psychologist.”
Culross said that Louisiana is the only state with the emeritus status, and while most states give
psychologists over age 65 or 70 a fee reduction, there is no separate category.
“… you’re either licensed or not, you’re either a psychologist or not,” Culross said.
Dr. Darla Burnett said, “We debated amongst ourselves, keeping it, not keeping it, calling it …, making it a new category if you’re retired. But if you’re licensed you can still practice psychology. So, It becomes tricky, because, does the board want to maintain a list of people that aren’t licensed but they can still say they psychologists?” she said.
“We went back and forth on the best way to do it. And decided that as long your licensed and you can still practice, you have to stay licensed.”
Dr. Marc Zimmermann said, “I think previous boards have been remiss. I hope I’m not insulting anyone, in the fact that what we’re saying is, ‘if you’re, old, you don’t have to learn anything new.’ Or ‘you only have to learn half of the new stuff,’” he said.
“And, how do you justify if you’re treating one patient or a thousand patients? If CE or CPD is what’s important and valid, then how do you defend that, just because you’re old, you don’t need it?”
Culross said that the board had surveyed their complaints, and looked at national data, and found that the majority of complaints come for older psychologists.
Kelly Parker, Executive Director, said that complaints are higher for those with 20 years of practice and more.
Currently there are 49 or 50 emeritus psychologists, Parker said.
Ms. Kelly Parker, Executive Director of the psychology board and Dr. Joe Comaty, recently appointed member, listen to the discussion from the other board members at a November planning meeting.
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