Urgent Hawaii Legislative Alert

Dear Hawaii AACAP Members:

HB 1456 is going to be heard and debated on the floor of the Hawaii Senate tomorrow, April 10th, 2007. HB 1456 would grant prescriptive authority to psychologists.

AACAP, HCCAP and our coalition partners are concerned that allowing psychologists to prescribe medications will expose children and adolescents to inadequate care. Medical training is necessary to prescribe appropriate medications at a safe dosage level and avoid potentially fatal drug interactions. This is especially true when prescribing for children and adolescents.

We encourage you to contact your state legislators to educate them on this issue.

Click here if you do not know who your state legislator is. The site will help you locate your legislator.

Instructions
Ask for your legislator by name. Once you are connected, leave your name and address, along with our suggested message. If your legislator has an email address listed, and you would rather email, please leave our suggested message, along with your name, address and contact information.

Suggested Message
“I am calling to ask Senator ______________ to vote “NO” on HB 1456. Prescribing psychoactive medications for children and adolescents requires the judgment of a physician, with training and qualifications in the use of these medications psychologists do not have the medical and clinical training to prescribe these medications safely.”

Suggested Message (Email)
Dear Senator ______________:
I am a child and adolescent psychiatrist living in your district. I am asking you to please vote “NO” on HB 1456. Prescribing psychoactive medications for children and adolescents requires the judgment of a physician, with training and qualifications in the use of these medications psychologists do not have the medical and clinical training to prescribe these medications safely. If you need any more information, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Thank you,

Defeat of these bills depends on you taking action today! Once you have made contact with your legislator please contact Ramon Gardenhire, AACAP Assistant Director, State Advocacy at 202.966.7300 Ext. 107 or by e-mail at rgardenhire@aacap.org 

Thank you for your action!

Department of Government Affairs
Kristin K. Ptakowski, Director
Elizabeth Rorick, Assistant Director
Ramon Gardenhire, Assistant Director for State Advocacy
Abby Schopick, Legislative Assistant