On September 19, APA Services submitted comments to the Colorado Board of Psychologist Examiners (PDF, 131KB)opens in new window, urging the board to reconsider proposed rules that could impede effective collaboration between prescribing psychologists and physicians and disrupt patient care.
In 2023, Colorado became the sixth U.S. state to grant prescriptive authority to specially trained psychologists. Since then, prescribing psychologists have been unclear about how to implement the rules as initially written. Now, the board is considering whether to explicitly require prescribing psychologists to obtain written preapproval from physicians before all medication decisions, including when prescribing new prescriptions and making adjustments to existing medications. Requiring advance physician approval for all medication adjustments would create undue administrative burdens and disrupt patient care.
As noted in the APA Services letter, advance written physician approval for all medication decisions is inconsistent with state law, which only requires that prescribing psychologists obtain written approval from a physician prior to prescribing any new medications to patients. Otherwise, state law requires prescribing psychologists to document and notify physicians about dosage changes, test results, or adverse side effects.
The board will hold a hearing on the proposed rulemaking on October 3, 2025. Interested parties can register to attend virtuallyopens in new window.
