Article archive / November 2019
Originally published: . Volume 10, No. 11. Source pages: 7.
From the Minutes Selected Items from September Minutes of the Louisiana State Board of Examiners of Psychologists
Executive Director Report – Ms. Monic presented the 2019 RENEWAL REPORT as follows: •Opening Renewal July 1, 2019: LICENSED PSYCHOLOGISTS: 770 (62 RENEWED AT THE REDUCED RATED IN 2018); LSSP: 22; PROVISIONAL: 11 • Closing Renewal July 31, 2019: LICENSED PSYCHOLOGISTS: 737 (63 RENEWED AT THE REDUCED RATED IN 2019); LSSP: 22; PROVISIONAL: 7 •Lapsed: LICENSED PSYCHOLOGISTS: 33 (3 Deceased); LSSP: 0; PROVISIONAL: 4
Ms. Monic presented the following report on Complaints/Disciplinary actions: DISCIPLINARYACTIONREPORT 7/1/18–6/30/19 – Total number of Request for Investigations received: 23 Total number of Open Investigations: 12 Total number of cases closed: 11 Total number of Non- Psychologist Cases: 7 Total number of psychologists participating in the Impaired Psychologist Procedure Agreement: 0 Disciplinary Actions: 2 • DISCIPLINARYACTIONREPORT7/1/17–6/30/18 Total number of Request for Investigations received: 16 Total number of Open Investigations: 6 Total number of cases closed: 10 Total number of Non- Psychologist Cases: 4 Total number of psychologists participating in the Impaired Psychologist Procedure Agreement: 0 Disciplinary Actions: 2
Liaison to Professional Organizations and Boards – Dr. Gormanous reported that he attended the 2019 APA Convention and brought back their 2019 Agenda book that he encouraged members to take a look at in order to understand the breadth of what is trending in psychology today, including telepsychology. He also reported that the APA President Elect and Divisional Campaign had started.
RULEMAKING: a. Supervision via Telepsychology – Dr. Moore clarified her intent in requesting this discussion item was to draft an opinion for consideration by the board with regard to Supervision via Telepsychology, not propose rulemaking. Dr. Niolon commented that should this be allowed by the LSBEP, he would like to see clear restrictions in place to eliminate confusion in training programs. Dr. Gormanous shared APPIC’s clarification for tele-supervision as a starting point for these guidelines. b. Complaint Adjudication – The Board requested the draft rules be resent to them. c. Definitions – The Board requested the draft rules be resent to them. d. Continuing Education – The Board requested the draft rules be resent to them.
BUDGET 2019-20: a. Staff Development – Ms. Monic discussed the continuing and vital need for staff development. Ms. Monic reported that the La. Behavior Analyst Board had agreed to split employee costs for a shared Complaint/Compliance Investigator. Ms. Monic reported that the current fund balance of the board would support a salary for this FY, but that the board would have to engage in revenue development in order to support an additional salary for subsequent fiscal years. Ms. Monic provided a job description of what the regular full-time role of the complaint/compliance investigator would entail and how that position would be managed between the two boards. The Board discussed the request and considered the budget and information provided. Dr. Gormanous moved in favor of approving the position of Complaint/Compliance Investigator including funds and benefits for a salaried employee not to exceed $46,200 depending on experience, for a full-time employee to fill the position. The Board discussed the motion. The motion passed by unanimous roll call vote as follows: Boggs- YEA, Henke – YEA, Gormanous – YEA, Gibson – YEA, Moore – YEA.
7. ASPPB 59TH Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, Minnesota October 16-20, 2019 and Voting Delegate. Ms. Monic reported that she had completed her registration as the voting delegate for the LSBEP, as well as the registration of Dr. Gormanous for attendance at the ASPPB 59TH Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, Minnesota October 16-20, 2019. Dr. Gormanous requested an agenda item for the October meeting to review and discuss nominees that LSBEP could support. The board agreed without opposition.
8. Division of Administrative Law – Interagency Agreement The Board reviewed the second proposal from the DAL to provide services to the LSBEP to hear a case, compile the record and make a recommendation to the board for decision (excluding the board from the hearing process). The board discussed the option. Ms. Monic provided information to the Board related to Attorney Amy Lowe’s review of the proposal. Noting that while it would satisfy the requirements of the La. Administrative Procedures Act, the board would not have the benefit of hearing the presentation of the case by either side, instead it would act as a court of appeal, reviewing only the record before accepting a recommendation made by an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). Further, this procedure having not been tested in a court of law, would not prohibit an individual from filing for judicial review in district court. LSBEP would still be responsible for costs associated with defending this procedure should an individual appeal the decision of an ALJ to a district court. Finding that creating a new procedure would have no substantial benefit to the licensee or the board, and in fact could create an additional layer of bureaucracy and more costs to the board and the licensees, Dr. Gormanous moved in favor of declining the proposal and continuing with the current established procedure. The board discussed the motion. The motion passed by unanimous roll call vote as follows: Boggs- YEA, Henke – YEA, Gormanous – YEA, Gibson – YEA, Moore – YEA.
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