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Psychologists urge passage of PSYPACT to preserve continuity of care for clients who move or travel
Summary
Dozens of Massachusetts psychologists, clinicians and patient advocates urged the committee to adopt PSYPACT (S1487/H2528) to let licensed psychologists provide telehealth and limited interstate services to patients across compact states, saying the measure would reduce disruptions in care and lower licensure burdens.
Psychologists and patients who rely on long‑term therapeutic relationships urged the Joint Committee on Public Health to advance PSYPACT—an interstate psychology compact (S1487/H2528)—so licensed Massachusetts psychologists can provide telehealth and limited interstate services to patients in other compact states. Witnesses described clients who lost continuity of care when patients moved, traveled for school or short periods, or when clinicians relocated. Several clinicians said current state‑by‑state licensure imposes large time and financial costs on providers and disrupts care for higher‑risk patients; they described months of paperwork, duplicate exams, and tens of thousands of dollars in carrying costs for multiple state licenses. Speakers in favor included licensed Massachusetts psychologists and representatives of the Massachusetts Psychological Association: Diana Westerberg and Rebecca Forkner described how PSYPACT would increase access, expand the number of available specialists and preserve continuity for students and seasonal residents; Amy Yermish, Elise McKelvey and others described personal and clinical cases where interstate portability avoided gaps in care during moves and college breaks. Supporters said PSYPACT establishes eligibility requirements, including a doctoral degree from an APA‑ or CPA‑accredited program, an active unrestricted license, passing the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology and documented continuing education; compact members must upload disciplinary actions to a centralized system and may require a jurisprudence exam before granting a compact privilege. Opponents did not appear in the transcript; multiple witnesses urged the committee to adopt the compact, noting 43 states had enacted PSYPACT (as presented) and that it would not remove state authority over licensing or discipline. Speakers asked the committee to report the bills favorably so Massachusetts clinicians and patients could use the compact credentialing pathway to preserve therapeutic relationships and expand access to specialty care across state lines.
