Utah needs help with high rates of mental illness and a shortage of practitioners, writes Ben Shelton.
Psychologists are particularly important when discussing Utah’s shortage of mental health professionals because they are critical to helping those with mental health disorders recover. Such professionals work with clients to perform a variety of cognitive and behavioral therapies as well as create treatment plans. They often work with patients for a more extended period when compared to physicians and psychiatrists.
Currently, scope of practice laws are limiting psychologists from being able to most effectively assist those with mental health disorders and are keeping them from moving to the state. Specifically, laws that do not allow psychologists to prescribe psychotropic medication are handicapping these professionals from alleviating Utah’s mental health disaster.
Such restrictive laws are placing a large burden on the mentally ill instead of assisting them, and already struggling rural communities are the most negatively impacted. Their citizens may not even have a psychiatrist or a physician who can prescribe them medication, in their town. This presents a challenge to those who are already suffering and may find it challenging to attend appointments, as it requires additional time and costs to receive care.
Psychologists are already prescribing medication in five states. All of these states made the move to allow for prescription following similar problems to what Utah is experiencing—a shortage of trained psychiatrists and prescribing professionals. Currently, New Mexico, Louisiana, Idaho, Illinois, and Iowa all allow psychologists to prescribe medications.
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