SB 1457 Summary

• Creates two pathways for psychologists to prescribe psychotropic medications: conditional prescription certificates (requiring supervision by a physician) and independent prescription certificates (after two years of supervised practice and peer review).

• Requires psychologists seeking prescribing authority to complete a doctoral psychology degree, obtain a psychology license, complete at least 450 hours of approved pharmacological training, pass a national certification exam, and complete supervised clinical practicum hours (80 hours in assessment plus 400 hours treating at least 100 patients).

• Mandates that psychologists with conditional prescription certificates maintain ongoing collaboration with patients' primary health care providers and provide written notice of prescriptions within 24 hours.

• Adds supervising physicians under title 32 chapters 13 and 17 to the laws governing psychologists' prescribing authority and exempts supervising physicians from liability for supervised psychologists' acts unless arising from the physician's direction and control.

• Modifies controlled substances prescription monitoring program definitions and registration requirements to include prescribing psychologists and their delegates in the system's oversight.