Report Title:

Psychologist Prescriptive Authority

WHEREAS, the need for comprehensive, accessible, and affordable health care has not been fully met, especially in rural and remote areas of Hawaii; and

WHEREAS, in rural and remote areas of Hawaii there is a shortage of physicians that often results in unnecessary health care delay, expense, and nontreatment; and

WHEREAS, licensed psychologists have no authority to prescribe medication, yet are often the sole providers of mental health care for persons who, due to physician unavailability, as well as the cost and stigma of mental health care, may be reluctant or unable to see yet another provider to obtain needed prescriptions; and

WHEREAS, providing prescriptive authority limited to the level of competence and training of certain health care professionals has been proven to effectively address or alleviate many health care problems caused by the unavailability of physicians; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii has provided limited prescriptive authority to advanced practice registered nurses and optometrists, and appropriately certified psychologists working in federal facilities in Hawaii who are currently prescribing medication to veterans and active duty personnel and their dependents; and

WHEREAS, licensed psychologists have completed 3,000 hours of postgraduate supervised practice in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health illness and more than seven years of study, but are not permitted to prescribe psychoactive medication; and

WHEREAS, the American Psychological Association has established a nationally recognized curriculum for the training and certification of licensed psychologists in the use of psychopharmacological agents to ease the suffering of those with mental health problems; and

WHEREAS, independent evaluations by the U.S. General Accounting Office and the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology have concluded that appropriately trained prescribing psychologists provide competent health care; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2001, that the Legislative Reference Bureau is requested to study the advisability of granting a limited degree of prescriptive authority to psychologists certified in psychopharmacology; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislative Reference Bureau is requested to submit a report of its findings, conclusions, and recommendations to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2002; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Acting Director of the Legislative Reference Bureau, the Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, and the Director of Health.