BILL ANALYSIS
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Senate Research Center |
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AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
In order to become a licensed psychologist, an individual must complete the following requirements: undergraduate course work, graduate course work in mental health, a dissertation, a one year pre-doctoral supervised internship, and a one-year post-doctoral supervised fellowship. The 83rd Legislature passed H.B. 808, which authorized a licensed psychologist to delegate psychological tests or services to a provisionally licensed psychologist, a newly licensed psychologist not eligible for managed care panels, a person who holds a temporary license to practice, and a person qualified to take the provisional license examination who is participating in a post-doctoral fellowship. The delegating psychologist is responsible for supervising the tests and services. In addition, the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists (TSBEP) was authorized to determine through rules whether a service or test can be properly and safely delegated.
Pre-doctoral supervised internships can sometimes be difficult to obtain, particularly in private practice settings. H.B. 1924 will expand the authority of a licensed psychologist to delegate psychological tests or services to pre-doctoral interns, which will serve to increase internship opportunities and access to care. TSBEP would determine which services and tests are appropriate for delegation.
H.B. 1924 amends current law relating to the authority of a psychologist to delegate certain care to an intern.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
Rulemaking authority previously granted to the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists is modified in SECTION 1 (Section 501.351, Occupations Code) of this bill.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 501.351(a), Occupations Code, as follows:
(a) Authorizes a psychologist licensed under this chapter to delegate to a person enrolled in a formal internship as provided by the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists rules any psychological test or service that a reasonable and prudent psychologist could delegate within the scope of sound psychological judgment if the psychologist determines that the test or service and the person meet criteria as set forth. Makes no further change to this subsection.
SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2015.