KEEP OUR LICENSING BOARD INDEPENDENT

Please exclude psychologists from HB 1501. Psychology has managed its affairs effectively for many years, and it is not in the best interest of the profession or the public to bring psychologists under the umbrella of a consolidated agency.

Please let thios board continue being overseen by those wo best understand how we should be working, consistent with our education , Thank you for your support

I am opposed to item 4 of the Sunset Advisory Commission staff report. We urge the Sunset Advisory Commission to remove the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists (TSBEP) from the proposed licensing board consolidation in [Senate Bill 611]. TSBEP is currently a well-run agency. In consolidating the board into BHEC, psychologists will no longer have authority to regulate the field of psychology, the cost for licensing is expected to increase, the timeline for licensing and resolution of board complaints is estimated to increase up to five years, and no long-term savings can be estimated.

Please do not combine the TSBEP with other agencies. Psychologists' training far outstrips training provided for master's level counselors, and lumping psychogists with other counselors discounts the depth and breadth of our training. Only psychologists should oversee other psychologists.

I oppose HB 1501 and ask that TSBEP not be included in the consolidated agency. As a psychologist, I have trained for an extended period of time to gain the competence to practice independently. As such, I believe that psychologists alone should be responsible for the management of our licensing board. Our field is distinct in its training and practice. We should have the purview as a field to maintain our standards and practice separate from other behavioral health providers.

I oppose HB 1501 and respectfully ask that TSBEP not be part of that consolidated agency.

I oppose this bill. Only psychologists should be involved with regulating the practice of psychology. Just like physicians, we are at the highest level of our profession, and to have anyone at a different level regulate us would be totally inappropriate.

Please consider supporting our effort to keep the Texas State Board Of Examiners an independent Board. Our profession, much like physicians, is complex and multifaceted and with nuances of expertise and competence that reqires matching expertise and competence from those who supervise and license the profession. I greatly appreciate your careful consideration in this matter. Thank you.

I am opposed to including psychologist licensing in the consolidated board.

I oppose HB1501 I do not want psychology licensing board merged with other boards!!

TSBEP must remain separate. The public is in jeopardy if this consolidation takes place.

I strongly oppose HB 1501 and ask that TSBEP not be included in the consolidated agency.

Please keep Psychology separate.

Mar 16, 2019 I oppose HB 1501 and ask that TSBEP not be included in the consolidated agency. TSBEP maintained a record of much higher efficiency than the LPC Board has been in processing licenses and complaints. Psychologists do not wish to be bogged down in the larger bureaucratic organization. Nor do we desire our required doctoral-level training to be diluted by being combined with Master's-level trained professionals. It would make no sense to combine the licensing boards for nursing, P.A.'s, and M.D.'s. Similarly, it makes no sense to combine the licensing boards of Social Workers, Drug Counselors, Marriage Therapists, and Psychologists. We are trained differently and must main the integrity of our professional standards and practice. Please vote NO!

Respectfully, would you all have physicians overseen by physician assistants and nurse practitioners (all medical groups have in common that they prescribe). This combination of boards of most mental health professionals, psychiatrists excluded with no surprise, is exactly what is happening when you have doctors overseen by social workers and other honerable but non-doctor fields. Proposal wreaks of the discrimination psychologists face on a daily basis of not being seen as ‘real doctors.’

The licensing of psychologists needs to remain independent so they can be strictly and separately be regulated to the highest levels to provide the public the integrity they deserve.

Do the right thing!

I oppose HB 1501 and ask that TSBEP not be included in the consolidated agency.

I am opposed to item 4 of the Sunset Advisory Commission staff report. We urge the Sunset Advisory Commission to remove the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists (TSBEP) from the proposed licensing board consolidation in [Senate Bill 611].

I oppose HB 1501 and ask that TSBEP not be included in the consolidated agency.