American Psychological Association
Recommendations for the Reauthorization of
The Health Professions Programs:
The Graduate Psychology Education (GPE) Program

The following recommendations simply clarify that the Graduate Psychology Education (GPE) Program, administered by the Bureau of Health Professions, is authorized. In FY 2002 the GPE Program was funded for the first time at $2 million for 18 grants nation wide, and at $4.5 million for over 30 grants in FY2003, FY 2004 and FY 2005.

Suggested Statutory Language

• Recommendation #1: Add Psychology to Part C, Section 747,Training in Family Medicine, General Internal Medicine, General Pediatrics, Physician Assistants, General Dentistry and Pediatric Dentistry.
  
  ADD: PART C-TRAINING IN FAMILY MEDICINE, GENERAL INTERNAL MEDICINE, GENERAL PEDIATRICS, PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS, GENERAL DENTISTRY, PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY AND PSYCHOLOGY
  
  The Administration moved the Graduate Psychology Education (GPE) Program to the Medicine/Dental Section to improve the implementation of the program. Therefore, we are recommending a similar change in statutory language.
  
  
• Recommendation #2: Add specific language to Part C, Section 747(a) Training for training in psychology [e.g., Graduate Psychology Education (GPE) Program].
  
  ADD: (7) to meet the costs of planning, developing, or operating programs, and to provide financial assistance to students in the Graduate Psychology Education Programs. For purpose of paragraph (7), entities eligible for such grants or contracts shall include accredited psychology doctoral, internship, and postdoctoral education and training programs, including geropsychology.
  
  This language would allow for the implementation of the GPE Program.
  
  
• Recommendation #3: Add an authorization for appropriations to Part C, Section 747(e) Funding, for the Graduate Psychology Education (GPE) Program.
  
  ADD: (v) not less than $5,000,000 for awards of grants and contracts under subsection (a) to the Graduate Psychology Education Program.
  
  The Graduate Psychology Education Program was funded at $4.5 million for FY 2003 and FY 2004.
  
  
• Recommendation #4: Add a technical change to Part F – General Provisions, Section 799B, Definitions
  
  CHANGE: Section 599B Definitions (1)(B) by changing the term “graduate program in clinical psychology” to “ graduate programs for health service psychologists”
  
  The term “health service psychologist” more adequately reflects today's psychologist providing health care services. This term was added to the Public Health Service Act through the Health Care Safety Net Legislation of 2002. A health Service Psychologist is one who is duly trained and experienced in the delivery of preventive, assessment, diagnostic and therapeutic intervention services relative to the psychological and physical health of consumers based on: 1) having completed scientific and professional training resulting in a doctoral degree in psychology; 2) having completed an internship and supervised experience in health care settings; and 3) having been licensed as a psychologist at the independent practice level.
  
  
• Recommendation #5: Add Psychologists to Part D, Interdisciplinary Community Based Linkages, Section 753(b) Geriatric Training Regarding Physicians and Dentists.
  
  ADD: GERIATRIC TRAINING REGARDING PHYSICIANS, DENTISTS AND PSYCHOLOGISTS
  
  Add doctoral and postdoctoral programs of psychology to Section 753 (b)(1)
  
  ADD: The Secretary may make grants to and enter into contracts with schools of medicine, schools of osteopathic medicine, teaching hospitals, graduate medical education and graduate (doctoral and postdoctoral) programs of psychology.
  
  Add psychologists to Section 753(b)(2)(A)
  
  ADD: …be staffed by full time physicians or psychologists
  
  Allowing grants to be award to graduate (doctoral and postdoctoral) programs of psychology is consistent wit the intent of the section (753(b) that mandates the training of mental and behavioral health professionals (i.e., psychologists).
  

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