Committee hears broad testimony for and against allowing prescribing psychologists in Washington

Olympia — The Senate Health and Long Term Care Committee on Feb. 13 held a lengthy hearing on Senate Bill 5,112, a proposal to create a voluntary prescribing‑psychologist certification. The bill would allow a licensed psychologist who completes a prescribed master’s degree in clinical psychopharmacology, supervised clinical fellowships and an exam to prescribe psychotropic medications (with restricted opioid authority) and would add a psychiatric prescribing expert to the Psychology Examining Board.

Senator Bateman, the bill’s prime sponsor, said the measure is intended to increase access to psychiatric medications and lessen workforce shortages: “The goal of this bill is to increase access to psychiatric care,” she said. Committee staff summarized the certification requirements briefly and told members the package reflects recommendations from a Department of Health Sunrise Review and other stakeholder input.

Supporters included prescribing psychologists, health services researchers and people who said they had faced long waits for…