Senate Study Bill 1008 - Introduced SENATE FILE _____ BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES BILL BY CHAIRPERSON EDLER) A BILL FOR An Act relating to the requirements for a prescribing 1 psychologist or a psychologist with a conditional 2 prescription certificate. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 1160XC (1) 90 pf/rh

S.F. _____ Section 1. Section 154B.1, subsections 3 and 5, Code 2023, 1 are amended to read as follows: 2 3. “Collaborative relationship” means a cooperative 3 working relationship between a prescribing psychologist or 4 a psychologist with a conditional prescription certificate 5 and a licensed physician in the provision of patient primary 6 care provider who oversees the patient’s general medical care, 7 including diagnosis and cooperation in the management and 8 delivery of physical and mental health care. 9 5. “Physician” means a person licensed to practice medicine 10 and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery in this state 11 who is board-certified in family medicine, internal medicine, 12 pediatrics, psychiatry, or another specialty who prescribes 13 medications for the treatment of a mental disorder to patients 14 in the normal course of the person’s clinical medical practice 15 pursuant to joint rules adopted by the board of psychology and 16 the board of medicine. 17 Sec. 2. Section 154B.10, subsection 1, paragraphs d and e, 18 Code 2023, are amended to read as follows: 19 d. Within five years immediately preceding the date of 20 application, successfully Successfully completed a postdoctoral 21 master of science degree in clinical psychopharmacology 22 approved by the board of psychology and the board of medicine 23 pursuant to joint rules adopted by both boards. The program 24 shall at a minimum include coursework in neuroscience, 25 pharmacology, psychopharmacology, physiology, and appropriate 26 and relevant physical and laboratory assessments. 27 e. Within five years immediately preceding the date 28 of application, has Has been certified by the applicant’s 29 supervising physician as having successfully completed a 30 supervised and relevant clinical experience in clinical 31 assessment and pathophysiology and an additional supervised 32 practicum treating patients with mental disorders. The 33 practica shall have been supervised by a trained physician. 34 The board of psychology and the board of medicine, pursuant to 35 -1- LSB 1160XC (1) 90 pf/rh 1/ 3

S.F. _____ joint rules adopted by the boards, shall determine sufficient 1 practica to competently train the applicant in the treatment of 2 a diverse patient population. 3 Sec. 3. Section 154B.12, subsection 2, Code 2023, is amended 4 to read as follows: 5 2. When prescribing psychotropic medication for a patient, 6 the prescribing psychologist or the psychologist with a 7 conditional prescription certificate shall maintain an ongoing 8 collaborative relationship with the licensed physician primary 9 care provider who oversees the patient’s general medical care 10 to ensure that necessary medical examinations are conducted, 11 the psychotropic medication is appropriate for the patient’s 12 medical condition, and significant changes in the patient’s 13 medical or psychological condition are discussed. 14 EXPLANATION 15 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 16 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 17 Under current law, to be granted a conditional prescription 18 certificate, an applicant who holds a current license to 19 practice psychology in the state, among other requirements, 20 must within five years immediately preceding the date of 21 application, have both successfully completed a postdoctoral 22 master of science degree in clinical psychopharmacology 23 approved by the board of psychology and the board of medicine, 24 and have been certified by the applicant’s supervising 25 physician as having successfully completed a supervised 26 and relevant clinical experience in clinical assessment and 27 pathophysiology and an additional supervised practicum treating 28 patients with mental disorders. This bill retains both of 29 these requirements but eliminates the condition that these 30 requirements must have been completed within the five years 31 immediately preceding the date of application for a conditional 32 prescription certificate. 33 Current law requires that when prescribing psychotropic 34 medication for a patient, the prescribing psychologist or 35 -2- LSB 1160XC (1) 90 pf/rh 2/ 3

S.F. _____ the psychologist with a conditional prescription certificate 1 shall maintain an ongoing collaborative relationship with the 2 licensed physician in the provision of patient care. The bill 3 instead provides that the ongoing collaborative relationship 4 be with the patient’s primary care provider who oversees the 5 patient’s general medical care, rather than the patient’s 6 licensed physician. 7 The bill also redefines “physician” for the purposes of Code 8 chapter 154B (psychology). Current law defines “physician” 9 to mean a person licensed to practice medicine and surgery 10 or osteopathic medicine and surgery in this state who is 11 board-certified in a speciality who prescribes medications 12 for the treatment of a mental disorder. The bill removes the 13 condition that the licensed person also be board-certified in 14 the speciality. 15 -3- LSB 1160XC (1) 90 pf/rh 3/ 3