KEEP OUR LICENSING BOARD INDEPENDENT

Psychology is a doctoral level profession and the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists should continue to oversee licensing and practice. Clinicians who possess a Master's Degree should be under their own board. See MD/DO vs PA-C and MSNP.

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

TSBEP should remain an independent board. It would not be acceptable to have one board to cover all professions in the medical field--why not? Because there are many differences in the training, education, practice standards, and ethical principles of various medical professions. Similarly, there are major differences between the educational backgrounds, experience, training, and ethics of mental health/behavioral health professions. Please do not include the TSBEP in the BHEC.

Psychologists must have different kinds of training and experience to become licensed. It is inappropriate and confusing to combine their oversight with other mental health professionals.

TSBEP should remain an independent board. It would not be acceptable to have one board to cover all professions in the medical field--why not? Because there are many differences in the training, education, practice standards, and ethical principles of various medical professions. Similarly, there are major differences between the educational backgrounds, experience, training, and ethics of mental health/behavioral health professions. Please do not include the TSBEP in the BHEC.

Having supervised many psychology, MFT and LPC interns, I can attest to the significant differences in education, training, evidence-based practice and ethical standards among the three. TSBEP must remain an independent board in order to maintain this level of competence among psychologists and therefore protect the public's right to good care and informed choice.

Recently I heard about the initiative to consolidate the TSBEP within the BHEC model. This is a terrible recommendation and believe TSBEP should remain independent.

I am opposed to including TSBEP with the proposed new model.

I oppose HB1501. TSBEP should remain independent

Please exclude the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists (TSBEP) from the Behavioral Health Executive Committee (BHEC) proposed in HB-1501. TSBEP should be retained as an independent agency.

Please keep TSBEP!

Psychologists have significantly different training, ethics, and needs than other mental health professions. The public can be confused by different mental health providers already. Psychologists need a separate licensing board.

I oppose consolidating TSBEP under HSC.

An added layer of bureaucracy would not be efficient.

There are very important and distinctive differences between psychologists and other mental health providers. The consumer typically does not know nor understand the differences in training and education, which makes it difficult for them to choose an appropriate provider. If all providers are regulated by a common board, the ability of the psychologists and all other mental health boards to provide good oversight, licensing control, and assistance for consumers and providers will be severely diminished. Boards will be stretched thin to monitor all providers and are then more likely to begin to apply a common and often lower standard. Thank you for voting against consolidating the mental health boards.

There is a significant difference in training between Psychologists and other mental health professionals affecting quality of care that is best advocated by our own board, so that the public can choose care that is evidence-based and reliable.

Please do NOT include the Teas State Board o Examiners of Psychology in the Behavioral Health Executive Committee.

Please keep psychology out of the consolidated board. This is absolutely the most important way to protect the public.

I oppose the initiative to consolidate the TSBEP within the BHEC model and believe TSBEP should remain independent.

I am a former Board member and chair; the Board has always been a model of efficiency. Keep this Board efficient by leaving it alone.