ALOHA - Division 18 column

IMPLEMENTATION TIME -- CHANGE IS COMING

            2016 is a Presidential year and history would suggest that one should not expect significant Congressional developments, especially in the highly politicalized health care area.  The Republicans seem intent upon repealing Obamacare; the Democrats are internally arguing what, if any, modifications might be pursued.  The U.S. Supreme Court has consistently held that P.L. 111-148 is constitutional.  Thus, the status quo?  It is important for psychology to appreciate that one of the underlying tenets of President Obama’s Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) is its emphasis upon interdisciplinary collaboration (i.e., integrated care).  Public service psychologists, especially those within the Departments of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Defense (DoD), have excellent track records demonstrating the clinical and leadership contributions that mental/behavioral health providers can make and further, the benefits of working collaboratively with colleagues in other disciplines, including clinical pharmacy and advanced practice nursing (APNs).  Over the years, both Departments have developed cutting-edge post-doctoral training initiatives (our personal thanks to the visionary leadership of now-retired Robert Zeiss) addressing the intimate relationship between the “mind and body.”  This represents a significant societal maturation.

            For those interested in the psychopharmacology (RxP) agenda, this gradual evolution towards interdisciplinary collaboration provides an excellent vehicle for its ultimate acceptance, at least at the “bed-side” operational level.  Last year, significant efforts were finally initiated to implement the Guam RxP statute which had become law on December 30, 1998, thanks to the dedication of Lyndsey Miller on Guam and Hilo’s Judi Steinman, Program Coordinator of the University of Hawaii at Hilo’s College of Pharmacy training program – which recently received APA RxP designation.  On June 25, 2014 Governor Pat Quinn signed the Illinois Psychological Association’s (IPA) RxP legislation into public law.  Without question, the key to IPA’s amazing legislative success (over strong objections from organized medicine) was the persistence and commitment of Beth Rom-Rymer, a long-time member of the APA Council of Representatives.  She has subsequently gone beyond Illinois in her seeking allies for the RxP movement.

            “On two occasions, I discussed the paradigm of prescriptive authority for psychologists with President Barack Obama at events in Chicago -- first in July 2009 and then in August 2012.  In response to my giving him some information about RxP and my asking him for his thoughts, the President replied: ‘Yes, I agree that we need better access to care for the underserved.  I especially agree that non-MD providers, like psychologists, when given specialized training, can provide integrative care for the mentally ill, including effective treatment with psychotropic medication.’  I have recently been in touch with a group of researchers at Princeton University, colleagues and students of the prominent health economist, Uwe Reinhardt.  They are doing groundbreaking research on “scope of practice” expansion across disciplines, research that now includes the introduction of prescribing psychologists into communities.  One research group found that when psychiatric APNs are given independent prescriptive authority, many patients report that previously unidentified psychiatric symptoms remitted.  Even more significantly, this research group reported that giving independent prescriptive authority to nurse practitioners significantly reduces the suicide rate.”  [Beth, forever the trail blazer, was in the first freshman class at Princeton that admitted women as full-time students (Class of ’73)].

            VA Secretary Robert McDonald visited the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) last September.  “The Secretary focused on highlighting current strengths while executing his vision for the VA.  As a former soldier who became a business executive, his point of view combined both passion for Veterans’ care and business-minded solutions.  Impressively, he reiterated his support of full practice authority for nurses in the VA.  He suggested that this support will help respond to current physician and nurse shortages across the VA, which are echoed throughout the civilian health care system.  He spoke of touring the country’s medical schools to recruit top talent and improving salaries for current staff at all levels of the VA to compete with the private market.  The Secretary also spoke of the VA’s responsibility to lead the nation in reforming mental health care by increasing access and eliminating stigma through team-based care models that include mental health care providers.  Notably, the Secretary insisted that he be called “Bob,” explaining that, in his view, companies and organizations should have non-hierarchical structures to reduce barriers between management and staff.  Further, he explained that removing these barriers helps prevent “cooking the books,” withholding information, and avoiding asking questions.  Unfortunately, he did not expressly mention psychology during his visit” (Joanna Sells).  Nursing leadership had obtained the support of the previous VA Secretary – also a former soldier – for the adoption of a national scope of practice protocol, notwithstanding local scope of practice limitations.  We understand that, after considerable public comment (including objections from organized medicine), this far-reaching policy document is presently before OMB for clearance.

            The successes of the prescribing psychologists within the DoD and U.S. Public Health Service are impressive; however, at the policy level “scope of practice” issues are usually decided at the individual state legislative level.  In the State of California, the Little Hoover Commission is beginning their review of occupational licensing.  The Commission’s mission is to investigate state government operations and – through reports, recommendations and legislative proposals – promote efficiency, economy, and improved service.  By statute, the Commission is a balanced bipartisan board composed of five citizen members appointed by the Governor, four citizen members appointed by the Legislature, two Senators, and two Assembly members.  Our colleague Le Ondra Clark Harvey, Chief Consultant for the Assembly Committee on Business and Professions, is scheduled to testify.  In its description of their proposed study, the Commission noted: “Critics contend that these regulations at times go beyond consumer protection and unjustifiably restrict competition….  The Commission also will examine the result of occupational licensing on the cost and availability of services provided by licensed practitioners to consumers.”  These, in essence, are psychology’s fundamental arguments in support of RxP.

            Since the release of the landmark Institute of Medicine (IOM) report The Future of Nursing, nursing’s leadership has been impressively successful in obtaining significant financial support from national foundations.  The American Academy of Nursing: “[We] received a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) to partner with the RAND Corporation to examine nurse-designed models of care that will address many key social determinants of health and to empower and support people to lead healthier lives….  Nursing has long focused on patient- and family-centered care, pursuing a holistic view of individuals that incorporates aspects of their family, community and work environment.  This perspective makes nurses uniquely positioned to break down the current siloed approach to health care and advocate for social action and policy changes on behalf of patients.  The Academy’s Edge Runner initiative, previously originally funded by RWJF, identifies nurses who have developed innovative models of care that have good clinical and financial outcomes.  The new grant will examine how these models address elements that have been identified as contributing to the creation of a shared value of health among individuals, families and communities….  To date, the Academy has publicly recognized 54 individual Edge Runners who have created 42 innovative care models delivering evidence-based high quality care at reduced cost.  Many of these models focus on fostering a culture of health through building multi-sector partnerships and promoting equitable access to high-quality services.”  Step by step, the vision underlying the ACA is steadily taking hold.  Aloha,

Pat DeLeon, former APA President – Division 18 – February, 2016

 

 

IMPLEMENTATION TIME -- CHANGE IS COMING

  2016 is a Presidential year and history would suggest that one should not expect significant Congressional developments, especially in the highly politicalized health care area.  The Republicans seem intent upon repealing Obamacare; the Democrats are internally arguing what, if any, modifications might be pursued.  The U.S. Supreme Court has consistently held that P.L. 111-148 is constitutional.  Thus, the status quo?  It is important for psychology to appreciate that one of the underlying tenets of President Obama's Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) is its emphasis upon interdisciplinary collaboration (i.e., integrated care).  Public service psychologists, especially those within the Departments of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Defense (DoD), have excellent track records demonstrating the clinical and leadership contributions that mental/behavioral health providers can make and further, the benefits of working collaboratively with colleagues in other disciplines, including clinical pharmacy and advanced practice nursing (APNs).  Over the years, both Departments have developed cutting-edge post-doctoral training initiatives (our personal thanks to the visionary leadership of now-retired Robert Zeiss) addressing the intimate relationship between the "mind and body."  This represents a significant societal maturation.

            For those interested in the psychopharmacology (RxP) agenda, this gradual evolution towards interdisciplinary collaboration provides an excellent vehicle for its ultimate acceptance, at least at the "bed-side" operational level.  Last year, significant efforts were finally initiated to implement the Guam RxP statute which had become law on December 30, 1998, thanks to the dedication of Lyndsey Miller on Guam and Hilo's Judi Steinman, Program Coordinator of the University of Hawaii at Hilo's College of Pharmacy training program – which recently received APA RxP designation.  On June 25, 2014 Governor Pat Quinn signed the Illinois Psychological Association's (IPA) RxP legislation into public law.  Without question, the key to IPA's amazing legislative success (over strong objections from organized medicine) was the persistence and commitment of Beth Rom-Rymer, a long-time member of the APA Council of Representatives.  She has subsequently gone beyond Illinois in her seeking allies for the RxP movement.

            "On two occasions, I discussed the paradigm of prescriptive authority for psychologists with President Barack Obama at events in Chicago -- first in July 2009 and then in August 2012.  In response to my giving him some information about RxP and my asking him for his thoughts, the President replied: 'Yes, I agree that we need better access to care for the underserved.  I especially agree that non-MD providers, like psychologists, when given specialized training, can provide integrative care for the mentally ill, including effective treatment with psychotropic medication.'  I have recently been in touch with a group of researchers at Princeton University, colleagues and students of the prominent health economist, Uwe Reinhardt.  They are doing groundbreaking research on "scope of practice" expansion across disciplines, research that now includes the introduction of prescribing psychologists into communities.  One research group found that when psychiatric APNs are given independent prescriptive authority, many patients report that previously unidentified psychiatric symptoms remitted.  Even more significantly, this research group reported that giving independent prescriptive authority to nurse practitioners significantly reduces the suicide rate."  [Beth, forever the trail blazer, was in the first freshman class at Princeton that admitted women as full-time students (Class of '73)].

            VA Secretary Robert McDonald visited the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) last September.  "The Secretary focused on highlighting current strengths while executing his vision for the VA.  As a former soldier who became a business executive, his point of view combined both passion for Veterans' care and business-minded solutions.  Impressively, he reiterated his support of full practice authority for nurses in the VA.  He suggested that this support will help respond to current physician and nurse shortages across the VA, which are echoed throughout the civilian health care system.  He spoke of touring the country's medical schools to recruit top talent and improving salaries for current staff at all levels of the VA to compete with the private market.  The Secretary also spoke of the VA's responsibility to lead the nation in reforming mental health care by increasing access and eliminating stigma through team-based care models that include mental health care providers.  Notably, the Secretary insisted that he be called "Bob," explaining that, in his view, companies and organizations should have non-hierarchical structures to reduce barriers between management and staff.  Further, he explained that removing these barriers helps prevent "cooking the books," withholding information, and avoiding asking questions.  Unfortunately, he did not expressly mention psychology during his visit" (Joanna Sells).  Nursing leadership had obtained the support of the previous VA Secretary – also a former soldier – for the adoption of a national scope of practice protocol, notwithstanding local scope of practice limitations.  We understand that, after considerable public comment (including objections from organized medicine), this far-reaching policy document is presently before OMB for clearance.

            The successes of the prescribing psychologists within the DoD and U.S. Public Health Service are impressive; however, at the policy level "scope of practice" issues are usually decided at the individual state legislative level.  In the State of California, the Little Hoover Commission is beginning their review of occupational licensing.  The Commission's mission is to investigate state government operations and – through reports, recommendations and legislative proposals – promote efficiency, economy, and improved service.  By statute, the Commission is a balanced bipartisan board composed of five citizen members appointed by the Governor, four citizen members appointed by the Legislature, two Senators, and two Assembly members.  Our colleague Le Ondra Clark Harvey, Chief Consultant for the Assembly Committee on Business and Professions, is scheduled to testify.  In its description of their proposed study, the Commission noted: "Critics contend that these regulations at times go beyond consumer protection and unjustifiably restrict competition….  The Commission also will examine the result of occupational licensing on the cost and availability of services provided by licensed practitioners to consumers."  These, in essence, are psychology's fundamental arguments in support of RxP.

            Since the release of the landmark Institute of Medicine (IOM) report The Future of Nursing, nursing's leadership has been impressively successful in obtaining significant financial support from national foundations.  The American Academy of Nursing: "[We] received a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) to partner with the RAND Corporation to examine nurse-designed models of care that will address many key social determinants of health and to empower and support people to lead healthier lives….  Nursing has long focused on patient- and family-centered care, pursuing a holistic view of individuals that incorporates aspects of their family, community and work environment.  This perspective makes nurses uniquely positioned to break down the current siloed approach to health care and advocate for social action and policy changes on behalf of patients.  The Academy's Edge Runner initiative, previously originally funded by RWJF, identifies nurses who have developed innovative models of care that have good clinical and financial outcomes.  The new grant will examine how these models address elements that have been identified as contributing to the creation of a shared value of health among individuals, families and communities….  To date, the Academy has publicly recognized 54 individual Edge Runners who have created 42 innovative care models delivering evidence-based high quality care at reduced cost.  Many of these models focus on fostering a culture of health through building multi-sector partnerships and promoting equitable access to high-quality services."  Step by step, the vision underlying the ACA is steadily taking hold.  Aloha,

Pat DeLeon, former APA President – Division 18 – February, 2016

Sent from my iPhone

Division 42 column - February, 2016

“AND THE BEAT GOES ON”

            The Campaign for Action:  This past fall, I had the exciting opportunity to attend, along with 500+ health professional colleagues, the two-day Campaign for Action Summit 2015: Leading Change & Building Healthier Communities, an initiative of AARP and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF).  The key-note speakers addressed the importance of developing a Culture of Health and included Dr. Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, RWJF President and CEO, and Dr. Victor Dzau, President of the National Academy of Medicine, formerly named the Institute of Medicine (IOM).  Present were representatives of the 51 nursing Action Coalitions, which are dedicated to implementing the recommendations on a nation-wide basis of the landmark IOM report on the Future of Nursing, as well as RWJF’s new Public Health Nurse Leaders and their Culture of Health Leaders in Nursing.  Dr. George Thibault, President of the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation, was another featured presenter; as was Charlotte Parent, a nurse who has been appointed as Director of the New Orleans Health Department.  Representative Lois Capps (D-Ca.), also a nurse, was honored at their evening reception.  One has to be impressed by nursing’s ability to garner support from national foundations.  We suspect that they succeed because they focus on addressing society’s most pressing priorities.

            The framework for the Summit’s Culture of Health included four fundamental Action Areas.  * Making health a shared value.  * Fostering cross-sector collaboration to improve well-being.  * Creating healthier, more equitable communities.  And, * Strengthening integration of health services and systems.  The goal (Outcome) is rather straight forward: Improved Population Health, Well-Being, and Equity.  Each of the action areas were broken down into “drivers” with objective “measures.”  Examples of the latter include: public discussion on health promotion and well-being, opportunities to improve health for youth at schools, developing business support, access to healthy foods, public libraries, access to mental health services, electronic medical record linkages, and addressing scope of practice laws.  It was particularly impressive to see attention being paid to society’s growing emotional concerns surrounding caregiving burdens and disability associated with chronic conditions.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was an active participant at the Summit stressing CDC’s focus on addressing “Winnable Battles,”emphasizing evidence-based interventions.

Moving from “Data to Action” is an express priority for RWJF.  As has been similarly the case for various APA policy events, it was refreshing to reflect upon RWJF’s enthusiastic willingness to embrace the participation of USUHS graduate students – most of whom are active duty personnel.  We believe that these student interchanges with their national leaders, especially if they involve nursing and psychology students participating together, are absolutely critical for both professions’ future in the ever-changing and unpredictable world of health care.  If one is going to be expected to function within interdisciplinary teams, as envisioned by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), one must learn the language and culture of future professional colleagues.  The increasing emphasis at the national level on population-centered care, undoubtedly facilitated by the expanding application of the advances occurring within the communications and technology fields, foreshadows a future health care environment that will be quite different than that many of today’s academics and practitioners have ever experienced.  Fundamental change takes time and is always unsettling for those “invested” in the status quo.  It is unquestionably best to begin this exciting journey early on in graduate school.

            A Bi-Partisan Focus upon Society’s Need for Access:  Early in February, six U. S. Senators, led by Hawaii’s Brian Schatz, introduced the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act which would expand the federal government’s coverage of telehealth, as a benefit under Medicare.  It is estimated that this legislation would result in a cost savings of $1.8 billion over the next decade.  Not surprisingly, one of its supporters is AARP.  The bill (S.2484) also has the support of the APA, AMA, and the American Telemedicine Association, as well as nearly 50 industry organizations.  Senator Schatz: “Telehealth is the future of health care.  It saves money and improves health outcomes.  Our bipartisan bill puts us on a path to transform health care delivery, making it less costly and more convenient for patients and providers.”

            The CONNECT for Health Act would improve access to telehealth in three major ways.  It would establish a “bridge program” that allows health care providers participating in the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) to apply for demonstration waivers that would exempt them from restrictions Medicare currently places on the coverage of telehealth.  It would automatically exempt participants in alternative payment models (such as Accountable Care Organizations (ACO)) from those restrictions.  And, it would expand the coverage of remote patient monitoring technologies for patients with chronic conditions.  Telehealth reimbursement options would also be expanded for non-hospital sites including telestroke evaluation and management sites, Native American health service facilities, dialysis facilities, community health centers, and rural health clinics.  The successful efforts of Steve DeMers, CEO of the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB), during our Toronto convention to obtain the endorsement of the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact (PSYPACT) by the APA Council of Representatives will facilitate psychology’s involvement in telehealth.

            Making a Difference – Step by Step:  There has recently been considerable discussion on the various APA list-serves regarding the importance for all of psychology of actively engaging the next generation within the governance.  This is a policy agenda which I strongly support.  Hopefully, an element of this effort will be a thoughtful focus upon providing exciting mentoring opportunities, while also addressing their ongoing training experiences.  Bob McGrath is currently teaching Professional Development at Fairleigh Dickinson University and in order to make his course particularly relevant he has asked the membership on various list-serves: “What you wish you’d learned about being a professional while you were in graduate school that you didn’t?”  Appreciating the national evolution towards interdisciplinary collaboration and integrated care, Steve Walfish, editor of the Division’s new journal Practice Innovations, has accepted an article for the inaugural edition submitted by School of Social Work faculty, and has in press another article by School of Nursing faculty.

Prescriptive authority (RxP) champion Beth Rom-Rymer has been inspired to continue her quest by the stories of the many Illinois psychologists and psychology students who are now studying to become prescribers.  For example, one young psychologist has written: “Throughout my involvement in the psychological and medical fields over the past 15 years, I have recognized that helping people has become my life-long passion.  I believe that as a Prescribing Psychologist, I would be able to provide services to a wider array of underserved populations, especially families within my Polish community, who have little access to mental health services from Polish-speaking healthcare providers.”  And, Division 55 President Neal Morris (the Division’s program chair last year) selected as his Denver convention program chairs two graduate students from USUHS, asking only that Joanna Sells and Omni Cassidy work to craft a program that would be exciting for practitioners and especially for their own generation.  We are confident that these thoughtful efforts by our senior colleagues will, over time, make a meaningful difference.  “The Beat Goes On.”  Aloha,

Pat DeLeon, former APA President – Division 42 – February, 2016

 

AND THE BEAT GOES ON

    The Campaign for Action:  This past fall, I had the exciting opportunity to attend, along with 500+ health professional colleagues, the two-day Campaign for Action Summit 2015: Leading Change & Building Healthier Communities, an initiative of AARP and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF).  The key-note speakers addressed the importance of developing a Culture of Health and included Dr. Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, RWJF President and CEO, and Dr. Victor Dzau, President of the National Academy of Medicine, formerly named the Institute of Medicine (IOM).  Present were representatives of the 51 nursing Action Coalitions, which are dedicated to implementing the recommendations on a nation-wide basis of the landmark IOM report on the Future of Nursing, as well as RWJF's new Public Health Nurse Leaders and their Culture of Health Leaders in Nursing.  Dr. George Thibault, President of the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation, was another featured presenter; as was Charlotte Parent, a nurse who has been appointed as Director of the New Orleans Health Department.  Representative Lois Capps (D-Ca.), also a nurse, was honored at their evening reception.  One has to be impressed by nursing's ability to garner support from national foundations.  We suspect that they succeed because they focus on addressing society's most pressing priorities.

            The framework for the Summit's Culture of Health included four fundamental Action Areas.  * Making health a shared value.  * Fostering cross-sector collaboration to improve well-being.  * Creating healthier, more equitable communities.  And, * Strengthening integration of health services and systems.  The goal (Outcome) is rather straight forward: Improved Population Health, Well-Being, and Equity.  Each of the action areas were broken down into "drivers" with objective "measures."  Examples of the latter include: public discussion on health promotion and well-being, opportunities to improve health for youth at schools, developing business support, access to healthy foods, public libraries, access to mental health services, electronic medical record linkages, and addressing scope of practice laws.  It was particularly impressive to see attention being paid to society's growing emotional concerns surrounding caregiving burdens and disability associated with chronic conditions.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was an active participant at the Summit stressing CDC's focus on addressing "Winnable Battles,"emphasizing evidence-based interventions.

Moving from "Data to Action" is an express priority for RWJF.  As has been similarly the case for various APA policy events, it was refreshing to reflect upon RWJF's enthusiastic willingness to embrace the participation of USUHS graduate students – most of whom are active duty personnel.  We believe that these student interchanges with their national leaders, especially if they involve nursing and psychology students participating together, are absolutely critical for both professions' future in the ever-changing and unpredictable world of health care.  If one is going to be expected to function within interdisciplinary teams, as envisioned by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), one must learn the language and culture of future professional colleagues.  The increasing emphasis at the national level on population-centered care, undoubtedly facilitated by the expanding application of the advances occurring within the communications and technology fields, foreshadows a future health care environment that will be quite different than that many of today's academics and practitioners have ever experienced.  Fundamental change takes time and is always unsettling for those "invested" in the status quo.  It is unquestionably best to begin this exciting journey early on in graduate school.

            A Bi-Partisan Focus upon Society's Need for Access:  Early in February, six U. S. Senators, led by Hawaii's Brian Schatz, introduced the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act which would expand the federal government's coverage of telehealth, as a benefit under Medicare.  It is estimated that this legislation would result in a cost savings of $1.8 billion over the next decade.  Not surprisingly, one of its supporters is AARP.  The bill (S.2484) also has the support of the APA, AMA, and the American Telemedicine Association, as well as nearly 50 industry organizations.  Senator Schatz: "Telehealth is the future of health care.  It saves money and improves health outcomes.  Our bipartisan bill puts us on a path to transform health care delivery, making it less costly and more convenient for patients and providers."

            The CONNECT for Health Act would improve access to telehealth in three major ways.  It would establish a "bridge program" that allows health care providers participating in the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) to apply for demonstration waivers that would exempt them from restrictions Medicare currently places on the coverage of telehealth.  It would automatically exempt participants in alternative payment models (such as Accountable Care Organizations (ACO)) from those restrictions.  And, it would expand the coverage of remote patient monitoring technologies for patients with chronic conditions.  Telehealth reimbursement options would also be expanded for non-hospital sites including telestroke evaluation and management sites, Native American health service facilities, dialysis facilities, community health centers, and rural health clinics.  The successful efforts of Steve DeMers, CEO of the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB), during our Toronto convention to obtain the endorsement of the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact (PSYPACT) by the APA Council of Representatives will facilitate psychology's involvement in telehealth.

            Making a Difference – Step by Step:  There has recently been considerable discussion on the various APA list-serves regarding the importance for all of psychology of actively engaging the next generation within the governance.  This is a policy agenda which I strongly support.  Hopefully, an element of this effort will be a thoughtful focus upon providing exciting mentoring opportunities, while also addressing their ongoing training experiences.  Bob McGrath is currently teaching Professional Development at Fairleigh Dickinson University and in order to make his course particularly relevant he has asked the membership on various list-serves: "What you wish you'd learned about being a professional while you were in graduate school that you didn't?"  Appreciating the national evolution towards interdisciplinary collaboration and integrated care, Steve Walfish, editor of the Division's new journal Practice Innovations, has accepted an article for the inaugural edition submitted by School of Social Work faculty, and has in press another article by School of Nursing faculty.

Prescriptive authority (RxP) champion Beth Rom-Rymer has been inspired to continue her quest by the stories of the many Illinois psychologists and psychology students who are now studying to become prescribers.  For example, one young psychologist has written: "Throughout my involvement in the psychological and medical fields over the past 15 years, I have recognized that helping people has become my life-long passion.  I believe that as a Prescribing Psychologist, I would be able to provide services to a wider array of underserved populations, especially families within my Polish community, who have little access to mental health services from Polish-speaking healthcare providers."  And, Division 55 President Neal Morris (the Division's program chair last year) selected as his Denver convention program chairs two graduate students from USUHS, asking only that Joanna Sells and Omni Cassidy work to craft a program that would be exciting for practitioners and especially for their own generation.  We are confident that these thoughtful efforts by our senior colleagues will, over time, make a meaningful difference.  "The Beat Goes On."  Aloha,

Pat DeLeon, former APA President – Division 42 – February, 2016

 

Sent from my iPhone