The Illinois Psychological Association (IPA) is the largest professional association of psychologists in Illinois,[1] with approximately 1,200 licensed, non-licensed, associate, organizational, and student members.
IPA's mission statement: The purpose of the IPA shall be to advance psychology as a science and a profession and as a means of promoting human welfare by the encouragement of psychology in all its branches; by the continual improvement of the qualifications of psychologists through high standards of ethics, conduct, education and achievement; by expanding roles and opportunities for psychologists to serve the public within the field’s emerging scope of scholarship and expertise; and by the increase and dissemination of psychological knowledge through meetings, professional contacts, reports, papers, discussion, publications, electronic media, and current methods of communication.[1]
IPA has 10 Sections – interest groups for various specialties and subspecialties of psychology or topical areas. It is also one of the largest state psychological associations in the United States and is affiliated with the American Psychological Association. The organization has its headquarters in downtown Chicago, Illinois. The IPA hosts an annual convention in the fall. IPA also publishes a quarterly newsletter, the Illinois Psychologist.[2]
Prescribing Psychologists in Illinois
In 2014, under the leadership of President Beth Rom-Rymer and IPA's Legislative Committee, Illinois was the third state to pass legislation enabling clinical psychologists to prescribe psychotropic medication with additional education and training, also known as the Prescriptive authority for psychologists movement (RxP).[1] Illinois' RxP law requires that, in order to become a prescribing psychologist, one must complete undergraduate biomedical coursework (medical terminology, biology, chemistry, microbiology, anatomy & physiology), obtain a master's degree in clinical psychopharmacology, pass a national examination (Psychopharmacology Examination for Psychologists; PEP), and complete a prescribing psychology residency.[3] The residency must include nine medical rotations (family medicine, internal medicine, psychiatry, pediatrics, geriatrics, obstetrics/gynecology, surgery, emergency medicine, elective) that span no fewer than 14 months and no more than 28 months.[4] One must also engage in these rotations for at least 20 hours per week. After one is licensed as a prescribing psychologist, there are several restrictions.[5] For example, a prescribing psychologist in Illinois must have a collaborating physician that reviews their orders at least monthly.[6] Additionally, they may not be delegated the authority to prescribe Schedule II controlled substances, may not treat pregnant patients, those with serious medical conditions, or individuals under 17 years or above 65 years old. They may also not prescribe controlled substances to be delivered by injection or any Schedule III benzodiazepines. As of 2024, there is legislation in the Illinois General Assembly that, if passed, would remove the restrictions based on age and the restriction on Schedule II controlled substances. It would also ensure that prescribing psychologists are recognized and reimbursed by Illinois Medicaid.
As of January 2024, there are 20 licensed prescribing psychologists in Illinois, with approximately 50 more in the training pipeline.
Profile
Governance
IPA is a non-profit corporation in the State of Illinois. IPA's bylaws describe structural components that provide for checks and balances to ensure a democratic process. The organizational entities include:
IPA President: The IPA's president is elected by the membership and serves a three-year term as part of the presidential trio (e.g., President-Elect, President, Past President). The president chairs the Council of Representatives and Executive Committee. During their term in office, the president performs such duties as prescribed in the bylaws.
IPA Executive Committee: The Executive Committee (EC) is composed of the officers of the Association (President, President-Elect, Past President, Secretary, Treasurer) and the IPA Representative to the APA Council of Representatives. The EC handles the day-to-day business of the organization and is empowered to act on behalf of the Association between IPA Council of Representative meetings. The EC meets monthly.
IPA Council of Representatives:[7] The Council has sole authority to set policy and make decisions regarding IPA's assets. It is composed of 24 elected members: the officers, representatives from various regions across the state (e.g., North, Metropolitan, North Central, South Central, South), as well as section chairs of the association. The Council of Representatives meets quarterly.
IPA Committee Structure: Members of committees conduct much of the Association's work on a volunteer basis. They carry out a wide variety of tasks suggested by their names.
IPA has 10 Sections that represent specialties or subspecialties in psychology or topical areas. IPA also has seven Regional Representatives that represent all geographic regions of Illinois. Each Section Chair and Region Representative is a voting member of the IPA Council of Representatives. Each Section Chair and Region Representative serves a renewable, two-year term.
In June 2022, under the leadership of President Dr. Abigail Brown, the IPA Council of Representatives endorsed the American Psychological Association's call for gun reform[9] in the wake of the mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas in May 2022.
Endorsement of Statement on Restricting Access to Abortion
In May 2022, under the leadership of President Dr. Abigail Brown, the IPA Council of Representatives endorsed the American Psychological Association's statement[10] on the likely mental health harms associated with denying access to abortion in light of the possibility of the overturning of Roe v. Wade by the United States Supreme Court.
Statement Against Police Brutality
In June 2020, under the leadership of President Dr. Kalyani Gopal, the IPA Council of Representatives approved and released a "Statement Against Police Brutality"[11] in light of the race-related events around the United States in the summer of 2020.[12]
Statement on the Separation of Families at the Border
In July 2018, under the leadership of President Dr. Lynda Behrendt, the IPA Council of Representatives approved and released a "Statement Against the Separation of Families at the Border"[13] in response to the federal government's policy to separate families who arrived at the U.S.-Mexico border.[14]
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