Req. No. 910 Page 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 STATE OF OKLAHOMA 1st Session of the 59th Legislature (2023) SENATE BILL 403 By: Pemberton AS INTRODUCED An Act relating to the practice of psychol ogy; defining terms; allowing licensed psychologist to prescribe psychotropic drugs under ce rtain conditions; providing for application for conditional prescription certificate; stat ing application criteria; providing for issuance of, expiration of, and reapplication for certificate; listing conditions under which licensed psychologist may prescr ibe psychotropic drugs under conditional prescription certificate; providing cer tain immunity; providing for application for prescription certificate; stat ing application criteria; listing conditions un der which licensed psychologist may prescribe psychotr opic drugs under prescription certificate; directing promulgation of rules; providing for codification; and providing an effective date . BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA : SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new sec tion of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1371.1 of Title 59, unless there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: As used in this act: 1. “Board” means, unless otherwise explicitly stated, the State Board of Examiners of Psychologists; Req. No. 910 Page 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 2. “Conditional prescription ce rtificate” means a document issued by the State Board of Examiners of Psychologists to a licensed psychologist th at permits the holder to prescribe psychotropic medication under the supervision of a super vising physician pursuant to this act; 3. “Prescription certificate ” means a document issued by the State Board of Examiners of Psychologists to a licensed psycholo gist that permits the holder to presc ribe psychotropic medication pursuant to this act; 4. “Psychologist” has the same meaning as provided in Section 1352 of Title 59 of the Oklahoma S tatutes; 5. “Psychotropic medication ” means a controlled substance or drug that may not be dispensed or adm inistered without a prescription and whose primary use has been approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of mental disorders or is listed as a psychotherapeutic agent in Drug Facts and Comparisons 2017, or the most recent edit ion of that book, or in American Hospital Formulary Se rvice Drug Information, and includes antidepressants, anti -anxiety, stimulants, antipsychotics, and mood stabilizers; and 6. “Supervising physician ” means a licensed allopathic physician or osteopathic physician who is supervising a psychologist in the prescribing of psychotropic medication under this act. Req. No. 910 Page 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Secti on 1371.2 of Title 59, unless there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows : A. A licensed psychologist holding a conditional prescription certificate may prescribe psychotropi c medication under the supervision of a supervising physician pursuant to this act. B. A licensed psychologist holding a prescription certificate may prescribe psychotropic medication independent of the supervision of a supervising physician pursuant to this act. SECTION 3. NEW LAW A new secti on of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1371.3 of Title 59, unless there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: A. A psychologist may apply to the State Board of Examiners of Psychologists for a conditional prescript ion certificate. The application shall be made on a form approved by the Board and be accompanied by evidence satisfactory to the Board that the applicant: 1. Has completed a doctoral program in psychology from an accredited institution of higher educati on or professional school, or, if the program was not accredited at the time of the applicant’s graduation, that the program meets professional standards determined acceptable by the Board; 2. Holds a current license to practice psychology in this state; Req. No. 910 Page 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 3. Has successfully completed a post doctoral master of science degree in psychopharmacolog y from an institution of higher education approved by the State Board of Examiners of Psychologists , the State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision, and the S tate Board of Osteopathic Examiners; 4. Has passed a national certification examination app roved by the State Board of Examiners of Psychologists , the State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision, and the S tate Board of Osteopathic Examiners that tests the applicant’s knowledge of pharmacology in the diagnosis, care , and treatment of mental disorders; 5. Within the five (5) years immediately preceding the date of application, has successfully completed an organized program of education approved by the State Board of Examiners of Psychologi sts, the State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervi sion, and the State Board of Osteopathic Examiners and consisting of didactic instruction of no fewer than four hundred fifty (450) classroom hours in at least the fo llowing core areas of instruction: a. neuroscience, b. pharmacology, c. psychopharmacology, d. physiology, e. pathophysiology, Req. No. 910 Page 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 f. appropriate and relevant physical and laboratory assessment, and g. clinical pharmacotherapeutics ; 6. Within the five (5) years immediately preceding the date of application, has been certified by each of the applic ant’s supervising physicians as having successfully completed a supervised and relevant clinical experience, approved by the State Board of Examiners of Psychologists , the State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision, and the S tate Board of Osteopathic Examiners of: a. no less than an eighty -hour practicum in clinical assessment and pathophysiology under the supervision of a licensed allopathic or osteopathic physician, and b. an additional supervised practicum of at least four hundred (400) hours treating no fewer than one hundred patients with mental disorders, the practic um to have been supervised by any one or a c ombination of a psychiatrist or other appropriate ly trained licensed allopathic or osteopathic physician and determined by the State Board of Examiners of Psychologis ts, the State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision, and the State Board of Osteopathic Examiners to be sufficient to competently train the applicant in the treatment of a diverse patient population. One-to-one Req. No. 910 Page 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 supervision shall be provided either fa ce-to-face, telephonically or by video conference . B. The State Board of Examiners of Psychologists shall issue a conditional prescription certificate if it finds that the appli cant has met the requirements of subsection A of this section. The certificate shall be valid for a period of two (2) years, at the end of which the holder may again apply pursuant to the provisions of subsection A of this section. C. A psychologist with a conditional prescription certificate may prescribe psychotropic medication under the supervision of a supervising physician subject to the following conditions: 1. The psychologist shall continue to hold a current license to practice psychology in this state and shall maintain malpractice insurance in accordance with rules prescribed by the Board; 2. The psychologist shall notify the Board of the name of the psychologist’s supervising physician; and 3. A supervising physician shall notify the supervis ing physician’s own licensing board of the name of each psychologist under the supervising physician’s supervision. D. A supervising physician shall not be liable for the acts of a psychologist under the supervising physician’s supervision unless the injury or loss arises from those acts under the directi on and control of the supervising physician. Req. No. 910 Page 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 SECTION 4. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1371.4 of Title 59, unless there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: A. A psychologist may apply to the State Board of Examiners of Psychologists for a prescription certificate. The application shall be made on a form approved by the Board and be accompanied by evidence satisfactory to the Board that the applicant: 1. Has been issued a conditional pre scription certificat e and has successfully completed two (2) years of prescribing psychotropic medication as certified by the supervising physician; 2. Has successfully undergone a process of independent peer review approved by th e State Board of Examiner s of Psychologists, the State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision, and the S tate Board of Osteopathic Examiners ; 3. Holds a current license to pra ctice psychology in this state; 4. Has malpractice insurance in place, suffi cient to satisfy the rules adopted by the State Board of Examiners of Psychologists , that will cover the applicant as a prescribing psyc hologist; and 5. Meets all other requirements, as determined by rule s of the State Board of Examiners of Psychologists , for obtaining a prescription certificate. Req. No. 910 Page 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 B. The State Board of Examiners of Psychologists shall issue a prescription certificate if it finds that the applicant has met the requirements of subsection A of this section. C. A psychologist with a prescript ion certificate may presc ribe psychotropic medication pursuant to the provisions of this act if the psychologist: 1. Continues to hold a current license to practice psychology in this state and continues to maintain malpractice insurance; and 2. Annually satisfies the continuing education requirements for prescribing psychologists, as set by the Board, which shall be no fewer than twenty (20) hours each year. SECTION 5. NEW LAW A n ew section of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1371.5 of Title 59, unless there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: A. The State Board of Examiners of Psychologists shall promulgate rules providing for the proced ures to be followed in obtaining a conditional pres cription certificate, a p rescription certificate, and renewals of a pr escription certificate. The Board may set reasonable application and renewal fees. B. The State Board of Examiners of Psychologists shall promulgate rules establishing the grounds for denial, suspension, or revocation of conditional prescription certificates and prescription certificates authorized to be issued pursuant to this act, including a provision for suspension or revocation of a license to practice Req. No. 910 Page 9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 psychology upon suspension or revocation of a certific ate. Actions of denial, suspension , or revocation of a certificate shall be in accordance with the Administrative Procedures Act . SECTION 6. This act shall become effective November 1, 2023. 59-1-910 DC 1/16/2023 12:26:09 PM