Posted by gardenergirl on December 6, 2006, at 10:32:25
In reply to Re: Should psychologists have prescribing priveled » saturn, posted by Dinah on December 5, 2006, at 12:20:33
The New Mexico Law: Description and Analysis
As stated above, New Mexico earlier this year became the first state to enact legislation granting authority to psychologists to prescribe psychiatric medications. The legislation creates a two step process for licensing psychologists to prescribe psychiatric medications.
* Psychologists who meet certain requirements specified in the law are eligible to be granted "conditional prescribing certificates."
To obtain a conditional prescribing certificate, a psychologist must, among other things, within five years of applying complete at least 450 hours of didactic educational instruction in at least the following core areas:
o Neuroscience;
o Pharmacology;
o Psychopharmacology;
o Pathophysiology;
o Appropriate and relevant physical and laboratory assessment; and
o
Clinical pharmacotherapeutics.
* Additionally, an applicant psychologist must, within five years of applying, be certified by a supervising psychiatrist or physician as having completed a supervised clinical practicum involving, among other things, at least four hundred hours treating no fewer than one hundred patients with mental disorders.
* Finally, the applicant must pass a national certification examination approved by the board of psychological examiners that test’s his/her knowledge of pharmacology in the diagnosis, care and treatment of mental disorders.
* Following an additional period of clinical supervision, psychologists with conditional certificates are then eligible to be granted "general prescription certificates." Authority for reviewing applications and determining whether applicants meet criteria for conditional or general certificates is vested with the New Mexico state board of psychologist examiners.A psychologist with a conditional prescription certificate may apply for a general prescription certificate after successfully completing two years of experience prescribing psychotropic medications under the supervision of a licensed physician. The state board of psychologist examiners is granted authority to develop additional requirements for general certification.
Additional requirements are set forth in the New Mexico law for psychologists to maintain their general prescription certificates, including:
* No fewer than 20 hours per year of continuing education; and [This is in addition to any state continuing ed requirements for state licensure as a pscyhologist.]
* An ongoing collaborative relationship with the health care practitioner overseeing the patient’s general medical care.
gg
poster:gardenergirl
thread:710510
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/poli/20061123/msgs/710844.html