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Bill would let physician assistants serve as licensed mental health clinicians and sign emergency holds
Summary
A bill before the Joint Committee on Financial Services would expand the definition of licensed mental health professionals to include physician assistants and authorize them to execute Section 12 emergency hospitalization orders; clinicians, families and hospital representatives urged the committee to act.
A bill filed as House 11 31 and Senate 7 73 would expand the definition of licensed mental health professionals to include physician assistants and allow them to authorize Section 12 emergency holds and emergent use of restraints, supporters told the Joint Committee on Financial Services. Advocates and clinicians said the change would shorten delays in emergency settings and reduce police involvement in mental-health crises.
Supporters said the current restriction forces PAs to locate a different authorized clinician or call law enforcement when a PA believes a patient is an imminent danger to self or others. Michael Bartlett, program director for the American Academy of Physician Associates, said PAs practice…
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