Millions of Texans are Waiting
Prescribing psychologists can help close the gap
Prescribing psychologists are rigorously trained and already practice safely in nine states, all branches of the U.S. military, the Indian Health Service, and the U.S. Public Health Service.
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“We have all these doctoral providers who are experts in evaluation and diagnosis, and who are willing to get the extra training to prescribe... why aren't we using them?”
— Dr. Blaise Aguirre, M.D., Harvard University
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“[With a] shortage of 45,000 psychiatrists... PCPs are dealing with longer waitlists than psychiatrists... Let's give medically-trained psychologists prescriptive authority.”
— Dr. Daniel Carlat, M.D., Tufts University
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“Who do you want to have a prescription pad...? Somebody who understands the condition, has diagnosed the condition, and works with those patients? Or somebody whose training has not given them that level of depth and understanding?”
— Dr. Donald Fineberg, M.D., Private Practice
3.1M
Texans with no access to a psychiatrist
248/254
Texas counties with mental health prescriber shortages
24,698
Texan lives lost to suicide since 2017
30+
Years of psychologists safely prescribing in the U.S. military and other states
What is Prescriptive Authority for Psychologists?
Prescriptive authority for psychologists, known as RxP, allows licensed psychologists who complete a postdoctoral master’s degree in clinical psychopharmacology, pass a national board exam, and complete supervised clinical practice to prescribe psychotropic medications.
Prescribing psychologists complete a doctoral degree, internship, and licensure before beginning psychopharmacology training, a sequence that spans more than a decade after college. Psychopharmacology-trained psychologists receive more classroom instruction in psychopharmacology than physicians receive in medical school or psychiatric nurse practitioners receive in their programs (Muse & McGrath, 2010).
Nine states, Guam, the Indian Health Service, the U.S. Public Health Service, and all branches of the U.S. military authorize prescribing psychologists. Outcome studies from these jurisdictions show that prescribing psychologists practice safely and effectively.
What the Research Shows
24% fewer adverse drug events
Patients of prescribing psychologists experienced significantly fewer adverse drug events and 20% less polypharmacy compared to those treated by psychiatrists. Based on over 307,000 patient records.
5–7% fewer suicide deaths
Deaths from self-inflicted injury fell 5 to 7 percent in New Mexico and Louisiana after psychologists gained prescriptive authority. A separate analysis found declines in deaths attributed to mental illness in New Mexico.
38% of practices in rural areas
A 2024 survey of New Mexico’s prescribing psychologists found that 38% practice in rural areas and 97% accept Medicaid.
How You Can Support RxP in Texas
Legislators or Staffers
Access bill summaries, cost estimates, safety data, and other states’ results.
Physicians
See how prescribing psychologists compare in training, collaborate in practice, and what physicians who've worked alongside them have to say.
I'm a psychologist, patient, or supporter
Find out what RxP means for your community, read patient stories, and take action to bring RxP to Texas.
A Proven Model, Growing Nationwide
Prescribing psychologists are already authorized in New Mexico (2002), Louisiana (2004), Illinois (2014), Iowa (2016), Idaho (2017), Colorado (2023), Utah (2024), Vermont (2026), and Hawaii (2026) — plus all branches of the U.S. military, the Indian Health Service, and the U.S. Public Health Service. Hawaii enacted a three-year pilot program in 2026 that allows psychologists to prescribe under physician supervision at federally qualified health centers on Kauai and Hawaii Island.
New Mexico and Louisiana, two of the four states bordering Texas, have authorized prescribing psychologists for more than two decades.
No state that has passed RxP has repealed it.
The Cost of Waiting