SECOND REGULAR SESSION
SENATE BILL NO. 949
90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR HOWARD.
Read 1st time February 2, 2000, and 1,000 copies ordered printed.
TERRY L. SPIELER, Secretary.
4296S.01I
AN ACT
To amend chapter 337, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to psychologists.
Section A. Chapter 337, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section, to be known as section 337.053, to read as follows:
337.053. 1. The state committee of psychologists shall adopt reasonable rules and regulations providing for the examination and certification of licensed psychologists who apply to the committee for authority to administer, order and prescribe drugs and other medications commonly used in the treatment of all psychological disorders, cognitive disorders, behavioral disorders, mental health disorders and mental illnesses. Such drugs and medications shall be limited to those contained in a formulary of drugs as provided for in subsection 6 of this section.
2. No licensed psychologist shall administer, order or prescribe any drug or medication in the practice of psychology unless such person submits to the state committee of psychologist evidence of satisfactory completion of an approved course of instruction in pharmacology, as defined by the committee, which includes completion of an organized program of intensive didactic instruction with a minimum of three hundred contact hours in the following core areas of instruction:
neuroscience, pharmacology, psychopharmacology, physiology, pathophysiology, appropriate and relevant physical and laboratory assessment, and clinical pharmacotherapeutics. In addition, the licensed psychologist will obtain supervised and relevant clinical experience sufficient to attain competency in the treatment of a diverse patient population under the direction of qualified practitioners as
determined by the committee. This clinical experience shall last a minimum of one year and include a minimum of one hundred patients seen for medication management with exposure to acute, short-term and maintenance medication strategies in both inpatient and outpatient placements under the direct supervision of a qualified practitioner who provides a minimum of two hours of weekly individual supervision. All formal and didactic training and clinical placements must be completed within the five year period immediately preceding the date of application. The licensed psychologist shall pass a certifying examination administered by the state committee of psychologists and developed by a nationally recognized body approved by the committee or developed by the committee.
3. In issuing a license pursuant to section 337.010 to 337.093, the state committee of psychologists shall state upon the license of the psychologist whether the psychologist is certified to prescribe certain medications.
4. The state committee of psychologists shall transmit the names of all psychologists that are certified to prescribe medications to the state board of pharmacy. A pharmacist is authorized to fill any prescription written by a psychologist if the psychologist's name is on the list of those certified by the committee and the medication is an approved medication listed in the formulary as provided for in subsection 6 of this section.
5. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a registered professional nurse licensed pursuant to chapter 335, RSMo, and a licensed practical nurse licensed pursuant to chapter 335, RSMo, shall have the authority to execute an order for the administration of medications issued by a psychologist certified to prescribe, provided that a registered professional nurse and a licensed practical nurse may confer with the psychologist certified to prescribe prior to executing the psychologist's order. Nothing contained in this section shall be deemed to alter the standard of care of the registered professional nurse or the licensed practical nurse applicable to the evaluation and execution of orders, including an order of a psychologist certified to prescribe.
6. The state committee of psychologists, the state board of registration for the healing arts and the board of pharmacy shall jointly promulgate rules establishing a formulary of drugs which may be administered, ordered and prescribed by psychologists certified pursuant to this section.