Illinois (MMD Newswire) February 13, 2009 -- Congressman William Black (R-104) has introduced legislation that is sure to start a battle. HB 527 will grant prescriptive authority to Medical Psychologists. Modeled after the military, the US Public Health Service, the Indian Health Service, and similar legislation which has been enacted in New Mexico and Lousiana, this bill permits specially trained doctoral level psychologists to manage mental health medications in collaboration with the patient's primary care doctor.

Congressman Black knows of the great shortage of mental services in his rural district and in Illinois State facilities and has proposed this legislation to permit Medical Psychologists like Dr. Richard Elghammer, one of his constituants with this training, to provide badly needed services. Dr. Elghammer has completed the rigorous 2 years of additional course work and extensive practicum experience required by the legislation in order to be able to meet the needs of people in Congressman Black's district. Dr. Elghammer was encouraged to complete this additional training by his father, a noted pediatrician in the district who is a strong advocate of prescriptive authority for Medical Psychologists.

Congressman Black also shows great concern for citizens who are receiving mental health services through understaffed state facilities. This legislation would permit psychologists like Dr. Kathy Parker to provide medication management within a state institution. This is a breakthrough in expanding services since Dr. Parker obtained the additional training for prescriptive authority on her own time and at no expense to the state. Passage of this legislation would permit Dr. Parker and several other state employed Medical Psychologists to provide urgently needed services.

More than 90 Medical Psychologists are practicing nation wide and in the military. Over the past 10 years they have treated thousands of patients with medication with an outstanding record of safety. Representative Black is willing to fight even organized opposition in order to help citizens who are badly in need of services. Congressman Black is persuaded by the fine record of safety demonstrated by practicing Medical Psychologists that this model is safe, effective, and an economical way to make more mental health services available.

Media Contact:
Marlin C Hoover, PhD, MS, ABPP
708-717-9706

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