SB 53 — PRESCRIBING PSYCHOLOGIST PSYCHOTROPICS

SENATEAN BILLACT 53RELATING 57THTO LEGISLATUREPROFESSIONAL -STATEOFNEWMEXICO-PSYCHOLOGISTS; FIRST SESSION, 2025 INTRODUCED BY William P.

Soules 6 8 10 AN ACT RELATING TO PROFESSIONAL PSYCHOLOGISTS;

e8 t 17 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

w l n d 18 SECTION 1.

Section 61-9-3 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1963, = = 19 a l Chapter 92, Section 3, as amended) is amended to read:

i a e r 20 "61-9-3.

DEFINITIONS.--As used in the Professional a t m m 21 Psychologist Act:

d r e 22 A.

"board" means the New Mexico state board of c e s k 23 psychologist examiners;

e a n b 24 B.

"conditional prescription certificate" means a u [ document issued by the board to a licensed psychologist that .229304.1 permits the holder to prescribe psychotropic medication under the supervision of a supervising clinician pursuant to the Professional Psychologist Act;

"independently licensed prescribing clinician" means a licensed physician, osteopathic physician, prescribing psychologist who has at least four years of independent experience in prescribing psychotropic medication to treat behavioral and emotional conditions and mental illness, nurse practitioner, psychiatric nurse practitioner SB 53 Page 1 or clinical nurse specialist;

"prescription certificate" means a document issued by the board to a licensed psychologist that permits the e t 17 holder to prescribe psychotropic medication pursuant to the w l n d 18 Professional Psychologist Act;

= = 19 a l G.

"psychotropic medication" means a controlled i a e r 20 substance or dangerous drug that may not be dispensed or a t m m 21 administered without a prescription but is limited to only d r e 22 those agents related to the diagnosis and treatment or c e s k 23 management of mental, nervous, emotional, behavioral, substance e a n b 24 use or cognitive disorders, including the management of or u [ protection from side effects that are a direct result from the .229304.1 - 2 - use of those agents, whose use is consistent with the standards of practice for clinical psychopharmacology;

"psychologist" means a person who engages in the practice of psychology or holds the person's self out to the public by any title or description of services representing the person as a psychologist, which incorporates the words "psychological", "psychologist", "psychology", or when a person describes the person's self as above and, under SB 53 Page 2 such title or description, offers to render or renders services involving the application of principles, methods and procedures of the science and profession of psychology to persons for compensation or other personal gain;

"practice of psychology" means the observation, description, evaluation, interpretation and modification of human behavior by the application of psychological principles, methods and procedures for the purpose of preventing or e t 17 eliminating symptomatic, maladaptive or undesired behavior and w l n d 18 of enhancing interpersonal relationships, work and life = = 19 a l adjustment, personal effectiveness, behavioral health and i a e r 20 mental health, and further means the rendering of such a t m m 21 psychological services to individuals, families or groups d r e 22 regardless of whether payment is received for services c e s k 23 rendered.

The practice of psychology includes psychological e a n b 24 testing or neuropsychological testing and the evaluation or u [ assessment of personal characteristics such as intelligence, .229304.1 - 3 - personality, abilities, interests, aptitudes and neuropsychological functioning;

and SB 53 Page 3 psychoeducational evaluation, therapy, remediation and consultation;

"supervising clinician" means a licensed physician, osteopathic physician, prescribing psychologist who e t 17 has at least four years of independent experience prescribing w l n d 18 psychotropic medication to treat behavioral and emotional = = 19 a l conditions and mental illness, nurse practitioner, psychiatric i a e r 20 nurse practitioner or clinical nurse specialist who is a t m m 21 supervising a psychologist in the prescribing of psychotropic d r e 22 medication." cSB e53 sPage k 23 - 4 -25 e a n b 24 u [ .229304.1