In the new future, I will be introducing legislation to expand the utilization of PAs in behavioral health utilizing tele-psych in Pennsylvania. This legislation would modify the Outpatient Psychiatric Oversight Act by adding the option for the PA to have an active written agreement with a psychiatrist to be able to participate in tele-psych.
Act 76 of 2022 amended the Outpatient Psychiatric Oversight Act to allow PAs to perform tele-psych encounters after the COVID waivers ended. During the COVID-19 pandemic, PAs and many other behavioral health providers moved to an entirely virtual model. Tele-psych made mental health services more accessible for patients to get treatment from the privacy of their own home, particularly for patients in challenging geographic areas or who may be facing transportation barriers.
Per House Bill 2419, PAs were required to obtain a mental health certification within two years of being hired by an outpatient psychiatric clinic to conduct tele-psych visits or within two years of the effective date of the bill, whichever is later. This Act became effective July 11, 2022. This stipulation will expire July 11, 2024. PAs are trained in the medical model with a primary care focus. As part of a PA’s education, training and national certification, behavioral health education is incorporated. Obtaining an additional certification in a specialty is optional and not common. Even nationally, only 782 of nearly 170,000 PAs have obtained an optional CAQ.
If we do not pass this common-sense legislation, the following is at risk: Please join me in cosponsoring this important legislation.