Colleagues,
Forwarded to the list on request from Dr. Rubin:
I am writing to inform the Division 55 membership that a lawsuit was filed
in Federal court in Los Angeles on February 9, 2006, alleging that patients
in California are having their constitutional rights violated by not
receiving constitutionally adequate treatment because of the state's and
county's inability to provide competent psychiatric care to patients who are
in custody, in the state mental hospitals, in county jails, and county
mental health facilities. The three plaintiffs allegedly harmed by the State
of California contend that the necessary numbers of competent psychiatrists
are not available and never will be due to the declining numbers of
practicing psychiatrists and the continued unattractiveness of psychiatry as
a specialty to American medical school graduates.
In addition to the State of California, the complaint names a number of
people as defendants
including Governor. Schwarzenegger, the Secretary of the Department of
Corrections, and the Sheriff of Los Angeles County. Of specific importance
to Division 55 and psychologists in general, is that the lawsuit asks the
court to amend the statute prohibiting psychologists to prescribe
medication. The plaintiffs are asking the State of California to afford
appropriately trained psychologists prescriptive authority as a remedy to
California's access to care problem. Allowing appropriately trained
psychologists to prescribe medication is the least restrictive way that
California can provide constitutionally adequate treatment. For further
information, please contact Dr. Howard Rubin [email protected], or Dr. John
Caccavale at [email protected].
Dr. Howard Rubin
Chair, Legal Committee, CSCP
Forwarded to the list on request from Dr. Rubin:
I am writing to inform the Division 55 membership that a lawsuit was filed
in Federal court in Los Angeles on February 9, 2006, alleging that patients
in California are having their constitutional rights violated by not
receiving constitutionally adequate treatment because of the state's and
county's inability to provide competent psychiatric care to patients who are
in custody, in the state mental hospitals, in county jails, and county
mental health facilities. The three plaintiffs allegedly harmed by the State
of California contend that the necessary numbers of competent psychiatrists
are not available and never will be due to the declining numbers of
practicing psychiatrists and the continued unattractiveness of psychiatry as
a specialty to American medical school graduates.
In addition to the State of California, the complaint names a number of
people as defendants
including Governor. Schwarzenegger, the Secretary of the Department of
Corrections, and the Sheriff of Los Angeles County. Of specific importance
to Division 55 and psychologists in general, is that the lawsuit asks the
court to amend the statute prohibiting psychologists to prescribe
medication. The plaintiffs are asking the State of California to afford
appropriately trained psychologists prescriptive authority as a remedy to
California's access to care problem. Allowing appropriately trained
psychologists to prescribe medication is the least restrictive way that
California can provide constitutionally adequate treatment. For further
information, please contact Dr. Howard Rubin [email protected], or Dr. John
Caccavale at [email protected].
Dr. Howard Rubin
Chair, Legal Committee, CSCP
