The New Mexico legislature is tackling mental health services with SB127 and amended. In the vast majority of cases, psychologists cannot prescribe medications to their patients. However, there has been a recent push in several states to grant psychologists prescribing privileges, and there are actually already a few places where psychologists do have prescribing privileges.
This bill is a reworking of SB117, which passed unanimously by the house and senate in 2023 and contained the elements of SB 127 proposed to move licensure and regulation of prescribing psychologists from RLD and the psychology board to the medical board. This was driven by the prescribing psychologist professional association, which felt that their profession would be better served by a board that understands the practice of using medications to treat illness. SB117 from 2023 was pocket vetoed by the governor.
Psychologists are able to prescribe medications anywhere in the military and the Indian Health Service if they are credentialed in Louisiana or New Mexico. Psychologists can prescribe in five states: Louisiana, New Mexico, Illinois, Iowa, and Idaho.