Illinois Implements New Regulations That Allow Psychologists to Prescribe

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

Illinois clinical psychologists can now obtain licenses to prescribe medications for mental conditions under new regulations passed by the state.  The new regulations issued by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) took effect in October 2017.

Psychologists traditionally have not had the authority to write prescriptions for medications, except in a very few states.  Therefore, their patients have been unable to obtain psychotropic medications to treat their mental illnesses without seeing a physician, or in some cases a nurse practitioner or physician assistant with prescribing authority.  This makes such treatment of mental illness more cumbersome and more expensive for the patient, and creates another obstacle for needed mental health services.   Also, it is questioned whether nurse practitioners and physician assistants have any […]