Sen. Mark Harris proposes switch to collaborative agreements for prescribing psychologists

Senator Mark Harris introduced RS32220 to the Idaho Senate Health and Welfare Committee, proposing to revise how prescribing psychologists are supervised in Idaho.

Harris said the bill “improves and streamlines practice of psychology in the state of Idaho” by moving from a supervision model to a collaborative agreement model and by eliminating the permanent advisory panel. He told the committee that “Idaho has only 8 prescribing psychologists since the bill to allow prescribing psychologists went into effect 8 years ago,” and said the change is intended to reduce barriers while maintaining patient safety.

The proposal would alter supervision requirements and other provisions of the Psychologist Act. Harris asked the committee to send RS32220 to print. Senator Shippey moved to send RS32220 to print; Senator Buerke seconded. The motion carried on a voice vote; the transcript does not record a roll-call tally.

The committee did not take further testimony or amend the proposal during this session. The request to print moves RS32220 to the next step where a bill draft can be prepared and a formal hearing scheduled.

Proponents described the change as a way to make provisional prescribing psychologists’ path to practice less cumbersome; no proponents or opponents from outside the sponsoring senator testified at this meeting. The committee did not set implementation details such as training, supervisory requirements under the collaborative agreement model, or transitional rules in the session record.

Votes at this meeting: RS32220 — motion to send to print moved by Senator Shippey, seconded by Senator Buerke; outcome: approved by voice vote (roll-call not recorded).