Prescribing Psychologists: DOD Demonstration Participants Perform Well but Have Little Effect on Readiness or Costs
Abstract
The Military Health System (MHS) provides for the mental health care needs of the approximately 8 million active-duty members, retirees, and their dependents. To meet these needs, MHS employed 431 psychiatrists and 430 clinical psychologists in fiscal year 1999. Some functions of psychiatrists and clinical psychologists overlap. As physicians, however, psychiatrists are trained in and licensed to practice medicine and are permitted to prescribe medication for the treatment of both mental and physical conditions. Because no medical training is required to practice clinical psychology, clinical psychologistswhether in the military or the civilian sectorhistorically have not been permitted to prescribe drugs. In1991, however, MHS instituted the Psychopharmacology Demonstration Project (PDP), which was designed to train and use military psychologists to prescribe psychotropic medications.1 By June 1997, when the project was terminated, 10 psychologists had completed the training and were subsequently assigned to various Air Force, Army, and Navy military medical facilities across the country.2 At the time of our review, 9 of the 10 program graduates were still treating patients and prescribing medication sat military hospitals and clinics.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1999
- Accession Number
- AD1167507
Entities
People
- Stephen P. Backhus
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office