Article archive / December 1, 2016
Originally published: . Volume 7, No. 12. Source pages: 4.
LSBEP Eyeing Regulations for Unlicensed Assts
“This is something whose time might never come,” said Vice Chair Dr. Phillip Griffin, addressing the members of the Louisiana State Board of Examiners of Psychologists (LSBEP) at the November 11 Long-Range Planning meeting. He introduced discussion about some level of regulation of unlicensed assistants who work for psychologists. Griffin told those attending, “Don’t shoot the messenger.”
Dr. Griffin said that Louisiana had recently passed a law requiring background checks for unlicensed assistants for institutions, and that the topic for psychologists’ assistants, needs to be addressed.
He also said that in his role with the Applied Behavior Analysis Board, he had seen that the background checks on line technicians uncover a “lot of issues.”
Dr. Kim Van Geffen, Chair of Professional Affairs for the Louisiana Psychological Association, asked, “Have there been any incidents?” The board members did not confirm that there had been any issues, or provide any statistics. But Ms. Jaime Monic, current executive director for the LSEP, noted that background checks uncovered issues for psychologists that would surprise those attending the meeting.
Monic read the licensing law where the LSBEP is viewed to have authority over assistants, and said that it could include, “anyone under the supervision…”
Dr. Joe Comaty, also attending, said that the Louisiana statutes put the psychologist under a “strict liability standard,” where the psychologists have full responsibility for the actions of assistants.
Griffin said, “We haven’t thought of how this would work,” and explained that it was in the early stages of discussion.
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