A shortage of psychiatrists in Pennsylvania is preventing people from getting the help they need. That's according to some Pennsylvania lawmakers who are trying to get a licensing bill through the state legislature.
Rep. Wendi Thomas (R-Bucks) knew the problem needed to be addressed when she was called to help a man who she said had just been released from prison with 30 days worth of his mental health medications.
“We had a group working with him, trying to reacclimate him to society, get a job, get housing, etc.,” Rep. Thomas said. “We could not find a psychiatrist and get him in in time to get his prescription renewed.”
Next year’s state budget has allocated $200 million toward mental health in schools and communities, but Rep. Thomas says this licensing bill, House Bill 2607 will address this specific problem.
In Pennsylvania, only psychiatrists and primary care physicians are authorized to prescribe psychotropics – medications used to treat mental health disorders.
Primary care physicians aren’t trained to diagnose mental health.
Dr. Anthony Ragusea is a licensed psychologist at Evangelical Community Hospital in Lewisburg. He says the shortage makes things difficult for clinical psychologists like him.
“They’re frustrated that their patients can’t get in to see a psychiatrist,” he said. “Or they’re frustrated that the patient is getting their meds prescribed by a primary care provider of some kind who doesn’t actually know what they’re doing and might actually make things worse.”
This is a movement that’s been around since the 90s, and according to the American Psychological Association, five states have passed legislation to allow prescribing psychologists.
Psychologists would have to earn an additional masters degree in clinical psychopharmacology, pass an exam, and complete clinical and supervisional requirements to obtain prescribing authority.
The bill would require the prescribing psychologists to collaborate with the patient’s primary doctor and allow them to take patients off of medications, too, which Dr. Ragusea says can be just as important. He says psychologists are trained not to rely on medication in every situation.
“We just have so many other options and tools to come to the table with that that’s not usually our first go to solution, and when you go through the training to become a prescribing psychologist, which I have, that’s certainly not the emphasis of the training program,” Dr. Ragusea said. “If anything, the emphasis of the training program is on the risks and limitations of medications, rather than, ‘You should be using them on all of your patients.’ The reality is that medications are helpful as they are, helpful in certain circumstances, but certainly not in all circumstances. But one of the things that’s great about prescribing psychologists is not only the power to prescribe, but the power to de-prescribe.”
“The psychologist could help some reduce perhaps, maybe even come off, their mental health meds,” Rep. Thomas said. “If they’re seeing them routinely and for an extended period of time, and if they’re properly trained on prescriptions, you know, I think it makes sense when we have a situation where we don’t have enough psychiatrists in the state to meet the demand.”
Rep. Wendi Thomas says HB2607 is currently sitting in committee, and will likely be reintroduced next year.
