Dr. Gormanous Sole Candidate for LSBEP

The Louisiana State Board of Examiners of Psychologists (LSBEP) opened self-nominations at their Long Range Planning Meeting held in Baton Rouge on November 17 and found that
Dr. Greg Gormanous was the only qualified candidate for the upcoming election.

Dr. Gormanous is the retired Chair of the Psychology Department at Louisiana State University at Alexandria, and served briefly in June to September 2015 as the LSBEP’s Executive Director.

Gormanous has also previously served on the board twice, the first time in 1981 to 1984 and then from 1986 to 1989

In a message to licensed psychologists the board’s Executive Director Jaime Monic wrote, “ LSBEP’s policy on elections states that the Board will proceed with the election process if at
least one (1) nomination has been submitted. One nomination was received, therefore the Board is proceeding with the election accordingly.”

Licensed psychologists may vote until the election closes on December 22.

Following that the results will be transmitted to the Louisiana Psychological Association who will submit a list to the Governor.

Dr. Gormanous noted several goals of his service on his self-nomination form. “My view for regulating psychology in LA is helping the board become more effective and efficient in protecting consumers of psychological services,” he wrote, “while simultaneously ensuring due process, irrespective of particular staff, board members, issues and personalities.

He noted that his purpose and goals are: “To proactively enhance effectiveness, collegiality
and transparency with administrative, legislative, media, professional, psychological & public stakeholders in order for the LSBEP to ensure statutorily that consumers have access to qualified providers of psychological services and to ensure enforcement of ethical standards of practice to which providers are required to adhere, with appropriate over sight of the Board’s function by the state of Louisiana.

“In both Louisiana and North America, there have been cataclysmic shifts in regulatory  psychology in the last three years. And rapid transformational regulatory changes are on the immediate horizon. Thus, LSBEP is facing & will face additional significant challenges in the next five years.

“1. Revising the “complaint” rules, procedures and practices by focusing on two equally  important objectives: protecting consumers of psychological services AND ensuring due process for all.

“2. Achieving more effective outcomes for the expenditure of legal fees – presumably underway now.

“3. Staying a pace with changes in education and training. For example, other jurisdictions will be moving toward eligibility for candidates to sit for the EPPP 1 after doctoral course work is
completed.

“4. Adjusting to implementation of the competency model (EPPP 1 Knowledge and EPPP 2 Skills) by other jurisdictions and considering what is best for consumers in LA.

“5. Revisiting Generic versus Specialty Credentialing. Does the board stay with its “opportunity for registering…within a limited list of recognized specialties…” or does it implement the health service psychologist (HSP) & general applied psychologist (GAP) categories recognized by APA and ASPPB?

“6. Exploring any ramifications of implementation of the ASPPB’s PEP for LA.”

He also wrote: “A common view in the regulatory community – be it pharmacy, psychology, social work, veterinary medicine, or whatever-is that it takes a year or two for a new board member to figure out her/his role. Past & current experiences as an active member of ASPPB
and FARB & short term services as ED of LSBEP have prepared me to serve.”

Dr. Gormanous is Professor Emeritus of Psychology, LSU Alexandria, and earned his PhD from the University of Southern Mississippi in General Psychology in 1976. He member of
Association of State & Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB), the Federation of Associations
of Regulatory Boards, the American Psychological Association, the Society for
Industrial & Organizational Psychology (APA Div. 14), the Society of Consulting Psychology
(APA Div. 13), and the Association for Psychological Science.

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