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Advocacy


WSPA has a long history advocating for mental health, the field of psychology, and social issues that affect Washingtonians.

The historic priorities WSPA has always supported in regard to policy and regulatory issues are:

  1. Maintaining the integrity and strength of psychology licensing laws
  2. Address any bills that affect disciplinary process (e.g. sentencing guidelines of unprofessional conduct)
  3. Address any bills that affect how we practice (e.g. changes to mental health parity or insurance)
  4. Social justice legislation (e.g. conversion therapy)
Our Legislative Advocacy Committee (LAC) develops WSPA's annual legislative considerations which are presented to the Board of Trustees for approval or to set policy from. Legislative issues often involve the Office of the Insurance Commission (OIC) because insurance questions are the most asked from our members. Insurance issues also appear in legislation such as Volk vs DeMeerleer (Duty to Warn). 

WSPA will also comment on social issues such as racism, gun violence, women's and LGBTQ issues

Our Legislative Agenda 


  • Support for legislation to expand psychologists’ scope of practice to include prescription privileges with appropriate training.
  • Support for legislation to establish a new Psychology Associate credential to increase Examining Board of Psychology (EBOP) oversight of psychology trainees and allow insurance reimbursement for the work performed by trainees.
  • Support for legislation aimed at expanding access and safeguarding reimbursement for telehealth services performed by psychologists.
  • Support for legislation requiring health carriers to annually adjust the compensation offered to health care providers not employed by hospitals or affiliates of hospitals in an amount that reflects inflationary cost increases.
  •  Support for legislation impacting licensure for psychologists in Washington State, including proposals and allocating funding to reduce credentialing delays and upgrade the current online licensing and enforcement system.

 


WSPA is actively reviewing all legislation for 2024


Want to Talk about Legislation?

WSPA encourages members to advocate on behalf of our profession and in other domains that impact psychologists and our clients. Should you become aware of legislation and think WSPA needs to review it for consideration, please send all relevant information to our Director of Professional Affairs at DPA@WSPApsych.org.