Elizabeth New (Hovde) discusses how psychologists play a critical role in delivering mental health services in Washington

Elizabeth New (Hovde)
Washington Policy Center

Lawmakers in Washington state are revisiting a good proposal that would grant prescriptive authority to qualified psychologists through Senate Bill 5112. Seven other states allow this, as does the Department of Defense. We should, too. 

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Jessica Bateman, D-Olympia, aims to address a workforce issue and get more help for people with mental care needs by expanding the scope of practice for psychologists. We have too few psychiatrists, as was discussed at the public hearing for SB 5112. Psychologists could help them out. 

Psychologists play a critical role in delivering mental health services in Washington, often establishing deep therapeutic relationships with patients. However, prescriptive authority is limited to psychiatrists and leads to delays in treatment. SB 5112 outlines extra training and certification that would be required of psychologists who want to have prescriptive authority they can use with their patients.

Fewer suicides

A study examining the effects of similar policies in New Mexico and Louisiana found a notable reduction in suicide rates. The implementation of prescriptive authority for psychologists was associated with a 4.8% decrease in suicides, suggesting that improved access to comprehensive mental health care can have life-saving implications. Washington’s state-licensing limitation is getting in the way needlessly. 

The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) implemented the Psychopharmacology Demonstration Project (PDP) between 1991 and 1997, training military psychologists to prescribe psychotropic medications. Evaluations of the program indicated that prescribing psychologists filled critical needs and performed with excellence. Successful implementation within the DOD underscores the potential benefits of extending prescriptive authority to appropriately trained psychologists in Washington state.

SB 5112 will likely be voted on in a Senate committee Feb. 21. I want to nudge it along. Members of the public can leave supportive comments for the idea here. 

Granting prescriptive authority to qualified psychologists has the potential to improve patient access to timely and effective mental health services. 

Elizabeth New (Hovde) is a policy analyst and the director of the Centers for Health Care and Worker Rights at the Washington Policy Center. She is a Clark County resident.

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