TITLE 54

PROFESSIONS, VOCATIONS, AND BUSINESSES

CHAPTER 23

PSYCHOLOGISTS

54-2317.  prescriptive authority — provisional certification. To qualify for provisional certification of prescriptive authority, a psychologist licensed under this chapter shall meet such standards as prescribed by rule of the board. At a minimum, these standards shall include:

(1)  A current license to practice psychology in Idaho;

(2)  A doctorate degree in psychology awarded by an accredited program within a United States department of education-approved, regionally accredited institution of higher education;

(3)  A master’s degree in clinical psychopharmacology awarded by an accredited program within a United States department of education-approved, regionally accredited institution of higher education. The didactic portion of the education shall be at least two (2) years of full-time education, or the equivalent thereof, and shall be substantially equivalent to the education required of an advanced practice psychiatric nurse practitioner in this state as determined by the institution that offers both clinical psychopharmacology and psychiatric nurse practitioner degrees. The necessary prerequisites for the education shall be determined by the institution that offers the degrees and, in the institution’s judgment, shall include sufficient biomedical education to ensure the necessary knowledge and skills to prescribe psychotropic medications in a safe and effective manner. The program shall satisfy the requirements to become designated a post-doctoral education and training program in clinical psychopharmacology by the American psychological association. The program must be established and administered by biomedically trained educators and must demonstrate that all content is covered and that students achieve clinical competency in all areas, and shall include at a minimum:

(a)  Basic science:

(i)   Anatomy;

(ii)  Physiology;

(iii)  Biochemistry;

(b)  Neurosciences:

(i)   Neuroanatomy;

(ii)    Neurophysiology;

(iii) Neurochemistry;

(c)  Physical assessments and laboratory exams:

(i)   Physical assessment;

(ii)  Laboratory and radiological assessment;

(iii) Medical terminology and documentation;

(d)  Clinical medicine and pathophysiology:

(i)   Pathophysiology with particular emphasis on cardiac, renal, hepatic, neurologic, gastrointestinal, hematologic, dermatologic and endocrine systems;

(ii)  Clinical medicine with particular emphasis on signs, symptoms and treatment of disease states with behavioral, cognitive and emotional manifestations or comorbidities;

(iii)  Differential diagnosis;

(iv) Clinical correlations — the illustration of the content of this domain through case study;

(v)  Substance-related and co-occurring disorders;

(vi)   Chronic pain management;

(e)  Clinical and research pharmacology and psychopharmacology:

(i)   Pharmacology;

(ii)  Clinical pharmacology;

(iii) Pharmacogenetics;

(iv)  Psychopharmacology;

(v)   Developmental psychopharmacology;

(vi)  Issues of diversity in pharmacological practice — lifespan related to drug metabolism;

(f)  Clinical pharmacotherapeutics:

(i)   Combined therapies — psychotherapy/pharmacotherapy interactions;

(ii)  Computer-based aids to practice;

(iii) Pharmacoepidemiology;

(g)  Research:

(i)   Methodology and design of psychopharmacology research;

(ii)  Interpretation and evaluation of research;

(iii) Federal food and drug administration drug development and regulatory processes; and

(h)  Professional, ethical, and legal issues:

(i)   Application of existing law, standards and guidelines to pharmacological practice; and

(ii)  Relationship with pharmaceutical industry:

1.  Conflicts of interest;

2.  Evaluation of pharmaceutical marketing practices; and

3.  Critical consumer;

(4)  Clinical experience that is sufficient to attain competency in the psychopharmacological treatment of a diverse patient population under the direction of qualified practitioners including, but not limited to, licensed physicians and prescribing psychologists as determined by the institution offering the clinical psychopharmacology degree;

(5)  A passing score on an examination developed by a nationally recognized body and approved by the board; and

(6)  Supervision agreements with board-certified psychiatrists, neurologists, family medicine physicians, or other physicians with a minimum of two (2) years of experience in the management of psychotropic medication who are licensed under chapter 18, title 54, Idaho Code, or an equivalent licensing provision of the law of an adjoining state.

History:

[54-2317, added 2017, ch. 238, sec. 4, p. 588; am. 2020, ch. 263, sec. 1, p. 761.]