Re: Why Some States Want Psychologists To Prescribe Antidepressants

[Guest guest]

What tosh!!

GPs prescribe these drugs all over the place so this is an excuse

and considering even the trained medical doctors, psychiatrists

and everyone else, are already not paying attention to side

effects or looking for real underlying physical problems etc then

this is a really extra bad idea because the psychologists are not

trained to know what thyroid issues look like much less an

infection.

All this would do is increase drugging, increase profits for

pharma and psychologists. Yuck!

On 3/23/2011 3:55 AM, jeremy9282 wrote:

Why

Some States Want Psychologists To Prescribe Antidepressants

Partner content from:

by s http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/03/22/134759654/why-some-states-want-psychologists-to-prescribe-antidepressants?ps=sh_sthdl

Enlarge iStockphoto.com

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Before New Mexico became the first

state to pass a law allowing psychologists to

prescribe drugs to treat their patients' mental health

problems, it could take months to get an appointment

with a prescribing psychiatrist, says Elaine LeVine, a

New Mexico psychologist and one of the first to begin

prescribing after the law passed in 2002.

Since then, roughly 30 psychologists have completed the

coursework — equivalent to a master's degree in

psychopharmacology — and passed the exam certifying them

to prescribe psychotropic drugs, such as

antidepressants, in New Mexico. That increases the

number of mental health professionals who can prescribe

by about a third, says LeVine. And as for those wait

times? "We're making a dent," she says.

Half a dozen other states are considering proposals to

give psychologists prescribing authority. Some of them —

Arizona, Oregon and Montana, for example — are like New

Mexico. They have large swaths of rural, sparsely

populated countryside where residents have little access

to mental health providers.

Shortages

of mental health professionals in rural and other areas

are a serious

problem. The federal Health Resources and Services

Administration estimates

that 80 million people live in areas that are

underserved. Meeting their needs at a ratio of just

10,000:1 would require more than 5,300 additional

practitioners.

In addition to New Mexico, psychologists can prescribe

drugs in Louisiana, as well as all branches of the

military and the Indian Health Service. But doctors'

groups, including the American Medical Association, and

some patient advocacy groups oppose giving psychologists

the authority to prescribe. The nature of a lot of these

medications is that they have significant side effects,"

says Mike Fitzpatrick, executive director of the National

Alliance on Mental Illness, a patient advocacy

group. "We want to make sure they're prescribed by

medical professionals."

All medical doctors can prescribe psychotropic drugs,

whether or not they have special training in treating

mental disorders, as psychiatrists do. In fact, one

study found that primary

care physicians prescribe 41 percent of

antidepressants. But it's not just psychiatrists who are

thin on the ground in rural areas; primary care

physicians and specialists may be scarce

as well.

LeVine says naysayers who argue against giving

psychologists the right to prescribe should look at the

numbers. "We've been prescribing for 10 years now and

there's been not one single complaint at the state

medical board or psychology board level," she says

[Guest guest]

What tosh!!

GPs prescribe these drugs all over the place so this is an excuse

and considering even the trained medical doctors, psychiatrists

and everyone else, are already not paying attention to side

effects or looking for real underlying physical problems etc then

this is a really extra bad idea because the psychologists are not

trained to know what thyroid issues look like much less an

infection.

All this would do is increase drugging, increase profits for

pharma and psychologists. Yuck!

On 3/23/2011 3:55 AM, jeremy9282 wrote:

Why

Some States Want Psychologists To Prescribe Antidepressants

Partner content from:

by s http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/03/22/134759654/why-some-states-want-psychologists-to-prescribe-antidepressants?ps=sh_sthdl

Enlarge iStockphoto.com

iStockphoto.com

Before New Mexico became the first

state to pass a law allowing psychologists to

prescribe drugs to treat their patients' mental health

problems, it could take months to get an appointment

with a prescribing psychiatrist, says Elaine LeVine, a

New Mexico psychologist and one of the first to begin

prescribing after the law passed in 2002.

Since then, roughly 30 psychologists have completed the

coursework — equivalent to a master's degree in

psychopharmacology — and passed the exam certifying them

to prescribe psychotropic drugs, such as

antidepressants, in New Mexico. That increases the

number of mental health professionals who can prescribe

by about a third, says LeVine. And as for those wait

times? "We're making a dent," she says.

Half a dozen other states are considering proposals to

give psychologists prescribing authority. Some of them —

Arizona, Oregon and Montana, for example — are like New

Mexico. They have large swaths of rural, sparsely

populated countryside where residents have little access

to mental health providers.

Shortages

of mental health professionals in rural and other areas

are a serious

problem. The federal Health Resources and Services

Administration estimates

that 80 million people live in areas that are

underserved. Meeting their needs at a ratio of just

10,000:1 would require more than 5,300 additional

practitioners.

In addition to New Mexico, psychologists can prescribe

drugs in Louisiana, as well as all branches of the

military and the Indian Health Service. But doctors'

groups, including the American Medical Association, and

some patient advocacy groups oppose giving psychologists

the authority to prescribe. The nature of a lot of these

medications is that they have significant side effects,"

says Mike Fitzpatrick, executive director of the National

Alliance on Mental Illness, a patient advocacy

group. "We want to make sure they're prescribed by

medical professionals."

All medical doctors can prescribe psychotropic drugs,

whether or not they have special training in treating

mental disorders, as psychiatrists do. In fact, one

study found that primary

care physicians prescribe 41 percent of

antidepressants. But it's not just psychiatrists who are

thin on the ground in rural areas; primary care

physicians and specialists may be scarce

as well.

LeVine says naysayers who argue against giving

psychologists the right to prescribe should look at the

numbers. "We've been prescribing for 10 years now and

there's been not one single complaint at the state

medical board or psychology board level," she says

[Guest guest]

What tosh!!

GPs prescribe these drugs all over the place so this is an excuse

and considering even the trained medical doctors, psychiatrists

and everyone else, are already not paying attention to side

effects or looking for real underlying physical problems etc then

this is a really extra bad idea because the psychologists are not

trained to know what thyroid issues look like much less an

infection.

All this would do is increase drugging, increase profits for

pharma and psychologists. Yuck!

On 3/23/2011 3:55 AM, jeremy9282 wrote:

Why

Some States Want Psychologists To Prescribe Antidepressants

Partner content from:

by s http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/03/22/134759654/why-some-states-want-psychologists-to-prescribe-antidepressants?ps=sh_sthdl

Enlarge iStockphoto.com

iStockphoto.com

Before New Mexico became the first

state to pass a law allowing psychologists to

prescribe drugs to treat their patients' mental health

problems, it could take months to get an appointment

with a prescribing psychiatrist, says Elaine LeVine, a

New Mexico psychologist and one of the first to begin

prescribing after the law passed in 2002.

Since then, roughly 30 psychologists have completed the

coursework — equivalent to a master's degree in

psychopharmacology — and passed the exam certifying them

to prescribe psychotropic drugs, such as

antidepressants, in New Mexico. That increases the

number of mental health professionals who can prescribe

by about a third, says LeVine. And as for those wait

times? "We're making a dent," she says.

Half a dozen other states are considering proposals to

give psychologists prescribing authority. Some of them —

Arizona, Oregon and Montana, for example — are like New

Mexico. They have large swaths of rural, sparsely

populated countryside where residents have little access

to mental health providers.

Shortages

of mental health professionals in rural and other areas

are a serious

problem. The federal Health Resources and Services

Administration estimates

that 80 million people live in areas that are

underserved. Meeting their needs at a ratio of just

10,000:1 would require more than 5,300 additional

practitioners.

In addition to New Mexico, psychologists can prescribe

drugs in Louisiana, as well as all branches of the

military and the Indian Health Service. But doctors'

groups, including the American Medical Association, and

some patient advocacy groups oppose giving psychologists

the authority to prescribe. The nature of a lot of these

medications is that they have significant side effects,"

says Mike Fitzpatrick, executive director of the National

Alliance on Mental Illness, a patient advocacy

group. "We want to make sure they're prescribed by

medical professionals."

All medical doctors can prescribe psychotropic drugs,

whether or not they have special training in treating

mental disorders, as psychiatrists do. In fact, one

study found that primary

care physicians prescribe 41 percent of

antidepressants. But it's not just psychiatrists who are

thin on the ground in rural areas; primary care

physicians and specialists may be scarce

as well.

LeVine says naysayers who argue against giving

psychologists the right to prescribe should look at the

numbers. "We've been prescribing for 10 years now and

there's been not one single complaint at the state

medical board or psychology board level," she says

[Guest guest]

What tosh!!

GPs prescribe these drugs all over the place so this is an excuse

and considering even the trained medical doctors, psychiatrists

and everyone else, are already not paying attention to side

effects or looking for real underlying physical problems etc then

this is a really extra bad idea because the psychologists are not

trained to know what thyroid issues look like much less an

infection.

All this would do is increase drugging, increase profits for

pharma and psychologists. Yuck!

On 3/23/2011 3:55 AM, jeremy9282 wrote:

Why

Some States Want Psychologists To Prescribe Antidepressants

Partner content from:

by s http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/03/22/134759654/why-some-states-want-psychologists-to-prescribe-antidepressants?ps=sh_sthdl

Enlarge iStockphoto.com

iStockphoto.com

Before New Mexico became the first

state to pass a law allowing psychologists to

prescribe drugs to treat their patients' mental health

problems, it could take months to get an appointment

with a prescribing psychiatrist, says Elaine LeVine, a

New Mexico psychologist and one of the first to begin

prescribing after the law passed in 2002.

Since then, roughly 30 psychologists have completed the

coursework — equivalent to a master's degree in

psychopharmacology — and passed the exam certifying them

to prescribe psychotropic drugs, such as

antidepressants, in New Mexico. That increases the

number of mental health professionals who can prescribe

by about a third, says LeVine. And as for those wait

times? "We're making a dent," she says.

Half a dozen other states are considering proposals to

give psychologists prescribing authority. Some of them —

Arizona, Oregon and Montana, for example — are like New

Mexico. They have large swaths of rural, sparsely

populated countryside where residents have little access

to mental health providers.

Shortages

of mental health professionals in rural and other areas

are a serious

problem. The federal Health Resources and Services

Administration estimates

that 80 million people live in areas that are

underserved. Meeting their needs at a ratio of just

10,000:1 would require more than 5,300 additional

practitioners.

In addition to New Mexico, psychologists can prescribe

drugs in Louisiana, as well as all branches of the

military and the Indian Health Service. But doctors'

groups, including the American Medical Association, and

some patient advocacy groups oppose giving psychologists

the authority to prescribe. The nature of a lot of these

medications is that they have significant side effects,"

says Mike Fitzpatrick, executive director of the National

Alliance on Mental Illness, a patient advocacy

group. "We want to make sure they're prescribed by

medical professionals."

All medical doctors can prescribe psychotropic drugs,

whether or not they have special training in treating

mental disorders, as psychiatrists do. In fact, one

study found that primary

care physicians prescribe 41 percent of

antidepressants. But it's not just psychiatrists who are

thin on the ground in rural areas; primary care

physicians and specialists may be scarce

as well.

LeVine says naysayers who argue against giving

psychologists the right to prescribe should look at the

numbers. "We've been prescribing for 10 years now and

there's been not one single complaint at the state

medical board or psychology board level," she says