KEEP OUR LICENSING BOARD INDEPENDENT

I am in opposition to HB 1501 knowing that it would undermine the clear distinction of mental health practitioners' training to the public

This compromises public health and safety.

I oppose HB 1501 & do not want TSBEP in a consolidated agency. TSBEP should remain independent.

There is danger in replacing a system that works (TSBEP) with a system (BHEC) that has been tried and repealed in 2 states and is failing in the only state that still has a consolidated board, resulting in a crisis shortage of mental health practitioners.

Keep TSBEP independent!

Please allow Psychologists to maintain their independent board. We are in favor of the other mental health boards being consolidated under the behavioral health executive council but we wish to remain separate. We have a well functioning board already and have a complex profession. The antitrust concerns are now being addressed by another bill and BHEC wouldn’t really provide protection anyway.

I oppose HB 1501 & do not want TSBEP in a consolidated agency

I am against consolidation

Please do not include the TSBEP in the Behavioral Health Executive committee proposed in HB-1501. Psychology is a doctoral level profession and should continued to be overseen by a separated board. The training and scope of practice is very different for psychologists versus other mental health practitioners. To assume doctoral level practitioners and masters' level practitioners could be served under one governing body is erroneous and would make it difficult for lay-individuals to understand the differences between the professions. Just as physicians and nurse practitioners have some similarities in the services they provide, their differences are significant enough for them to have different governing boards.

I strongly recommend against consolidating the psychology board with those of other mental health professionals. As described to the Texas Legislature by the Texas Psychological Association, the professional needs and qualifications of licensed psychologists differ from those of other mental health providers. An independent psychology board will be more effective and efficient in addressing issues related to professionals practicing with this level of training and expertise. I believe that ultimately this will better serve the public's need for mental health care.

Please do not include the TSBEP in the Behavioral Health Executive committee proposed in HB-1501. Psychology is a doctoral level profession and the TSBEP should continue to oversee licensing and practice. The length of education, pre and post-doctoral internship hours, degree of advanced training, and the scope of allowed practice is very different for psychologists versus other mental health practitioners. To collapse them under one governing body would make it difficult for individuals seeking help to understand the differences. Just as physicians and nurse practitioners have some similarities in the services they provide, their differences are significant enough for them to have different governing boards. This is no different.

Please do not collapse TSBEP into Masters level qualifications like LPC or LMFT or other programs. Being a psychologist requires a PhD and a one year postdoc supervised internship and over twice as many educational hours of study. Do you really want to see only. A nurse practitioners or a real doctor for you or your family. The TSBEP is efficient and the masters level exam and licensing takes up to 18 months after credentials have.

Please vote to keep Texas Psychology Board Independent

It is not in the public's best interest to consolidate the psychology board with those of other mental health professions. Psychology offers distinct services to the public and has higher standards for licensing that ensure a higher level of care to patients.

Psychology is a doctoral level profession and should be monitored as such. Masters-level clinicians should be under their own board, just like MD/DO and PA-C and MSNP. We have extended education and different experience that is unique and should be valued in healthcare.

Please heed our voices and keep the public safe by keeping TSBEP separate.

I am strongly in favor of having a separate licensing board for doctoral psychologists.

Request TBSEP be exluded from BHEC consolidation model.

I am opposed to including TSBEP with the proposed new model (hb 1501). As a doctoral level profession, TSBEP needs to remain independent to best serve the public and protect them. We should not have our ethics and standards watered down by those who do not have our professionalism.

Please do not include the Texas State Board of Psychological Examiners in the Behavioral Health Executive committee proposed in HB-1501. Psychologists learn specialties in their many years of school and practice, that are outside the scope of other mental health professionals. As such, psychologists need to be overseen by an independent agency.