Another KPA Advocacy Victory!

Under the leadership of KPA Federal Advocacy Coordinator and Legislative Liaison, Sheila A. Schuster, Ph.D., KPA spearheaded advocacy efforts for our Master’s level psychological providers, and the federal government listened!!  This is a huge win for psychological practice in the Commonwealth. 

A very brief bit of background: In late April of 2013, the KPA office was contacted by a number of Certified Psychologists with Autonomous Functioning (CPAFs) and Licensed Psychological Practitioners (LPPs) about a letter they had just received from the Kentucky Social Security Office of Disability Determination Services telling them that, despite “exemplary work,” they would no longer be able to provide examination services as they had been doing for nearly thirty years.  The full story is complicated and intricate with many twists and turns of the plot!  Please see Dr. Schuster’s full report here.  By way of a summary, we skip ahead (spoiler alert!) to the happy ending for KPA and for all Kentucky Master’s level providers of psychological services, as well as those who benefit from those services. Thanks to ongoing advocacy by Dr. Schuster and KPA members, and the support and assistance from Kentucky’s Congressional delegation, particularly Sen. Mitch McConnell’s staff, the Social Security Administration Program Operations Manual System has been revised to make policy change at the Federal level, effective immediately!  CPAFs and LPPs have now received a letter from the KY SSA-DDS office, notifying them that the contract cancellation has been rescinded.  These providers are now recognized officially as “acceptable medical sources,” and they may continue to provide the excellent services in Kentucky as they have for decades.  This is good news, not only for our Master’s level providers, but has also knocked down what would have been significant barriers for Kentuckians, particularly in rural communities, to access these examination services.

Read the full story here!

The status of the LPAs as examiners has also now been clarified by Atlanta and by the Kentucky SSA-DDS office.  LPAs may administer the testing instruments as part of the consultative examinations, with the licensed provider conducting the interview, observation and diagnostic assessment and taking responsibility for the report.  This maintains a role for the LPAs as part of the assessment team…and perhaps gives additional incentive for them to move on to LPP status when their five years of supervised experience are completed and the appropriate examinations passed.  [NOTE: It was KPA’s leadership and advocacy that created this path to autonomous functioning for Master’s-level psychological providers by revising the statute in 2001.]

Now a bit of disheartening news.  Of Master’s level providers licensed under KBEP, only 23% are members of KPA!  This enormous advocacy success led by KPA benefits all Master’s level providers.  We hope that you will share the good news, and encourage your colleagues practicing at the Master’s level to support their state association with their membership and participation so that KPA can continue to support their important work. 

A final thought from Dr. Schuster:  “Advocacy does work, especially advocacy with a consistent message and coordinated voices.  We have collectively moved the federal ship of state to do the right thing.  And that is a victory to be savored!”  Congratulations to Dr. Schuster for this enormous victory.  See the link above to read the whole story.