The Legislative and RxP Committees

by Donna M. Zook, Chair       

Beginning January 2004 the MPA legislative committee will be gearing-up for the 2005 legislative session.  We have to start gathering support and sponsors for legislation that we would like to bring to the 2005 session.  I was advised by a previous Representative to have the bills prepared early in the session so that they can be on the calendar at the beginning of the session before the legislators get tired and pressed for time in order to pass bills.

The RxP issue continues to be an important issue for some Montana Psychologists.  To date there are only three MPA members who have expressed interest in taking RxP coursework.  Donna Zook (chair of the RxP Committee) is the contact person between MPA and the APA Prescription Privileges Coordinator, Rochelle Jennings.

It is important for MPA membership to identify several of the concerns regarding RxP for properly trained psychologists.  The questions that we need to ask are:

1.     Is the MPA leadership in favor of RxP?  If not, how would we describe the attitude?

2.     Is the MPA membership in favor of RxP?  If not, how would we describe the attitude?

3.     What is the history of RxP legislation in Montana?

4.     Does the MPA foresee introducing RxP legislation in the next 3, 5 or 10 years?

5.     Does the MPA support RxP education for interested members?

6.     Does the MPA support educating the public and other entities on RxP issues?

7.     Does the MPA support building relationships with legislators and other elected officials in anticipation of re-introducing RxP legislation? 

8.     Does the MPA have a group of psychologists that lobby or are willing to lobby on behalf of the legislation?             

9.    What are the strongest arguments for prescriptive authority in Montana? 

10.    What are the strongest arguments against RxP in Montana?

11.    What are the barriers to RxP privileges in Montana?

12.  What are the specific needs in Montana favoring RxP privileges?

13.  How can the MPA proceed with RxP efforts?  What are the barriers to these efforts? 

 There are other issues of great importance to Montana Psychologists that need to be considered for the 2005 legislative session.  Several of us psychologists have been talking about the need for a Good Faith Protection Law for those psychologists who work in the forensic arena.  

These, and other issues, will be brought to the attention of MPA members and non-members during the year.  However, we need members to serve on the Legislative Committee in order to campaign for issues of great importance to us psychologists.  If you are interested in serving on the Legislative Committee, please contact Donna M. Zook at 406-453-5638 or dzook@montana.com and I will be willing to answer questions.