Psychiatrists, who have a guild interest in preventing psychologists from obtaining prescription privileges, are not the only ones opposed to this change. Many psychologists have indicated that they do not want the added burden and risk associated with prescribing psychotropic medication. Others argue that obtaining prescription privileges is capitulating to the medical model. They see this as an indication that psychologists are not confident about the treatments they currently provide. Although this paradigm clash is debated passionately in academia, practitioners tend to be more concerned about the increased risk of liability that accompanies prescribing psychotropic medication.
Psychologists are liable for practicing below generally acceptable standards of care.
Adding medication to the practice of psychology would, of course, increase the tools that psychologists can use to treat their patients. It also gives rise to increased potential liability, as prescribing psychologists will held to the same standard as other prescribing professionals. The current proposals to grant psychologists prescription privileges would require currently practicing psychologists to undergo substantial additional training to have their scope of practice augmented to include prescriptive authority. Psychologists who do not wish to prescribe may choose not to seek this authority. As it now stands, psychologists are expected to be knowledgeable about psychotropic medication.