An Overview of MSCP Psychopharmacology Programs
Panelists include Gerardo Rodriguez-Menendez, Judi Steinman, Ryan Ernst, George Kapalka,
Derek Phillips, Eric Silk, Steve Curtis, Casey McDougall, and Amy Wachholtz
Recorded on Friday, March 15th, 2024
Access provided upon registration on “My Courses” page
A robust research finding in regional and national studies is that at least 40% of persons with mental disorders cannot access mental health services, and pharmacotherapy, in particular. Nationally, about 60% of all counties, including 80%of all rural counties, do not have a psychiatrist and 40% of persons needing mental health care services go untreated. The APA’s designated Master of Science
in Clinical Psychopharmacology (MSCP) programs for the provision of education and training in clinical psychopharmacology can be of great help in alleviating this national need. As clinical psychopharmacology has been accepted as a specialty within clinical psychology, education and training has evolved, and a variety of choices are offered to prospective students.
In this symposium, a review of APA designated MSCP programs will be provided. Participants will be able to obtain information pertinent to admission requirements, program overview, financial costs, curricular delivery methods, and outcomes of the designated MSCP programs. Time will also be allocated to discuss applicable state statues for prescribing psychologist licensure in New Mexico, Louisiana, Illinois, Idaho and Iowa. Scholarship and career opportunities in clinical psychopharmacology with the Department of Defense, Indian Health Service, and National Health Service Corps will be also be presented.
When attended in full, this program offers 1.0 APA CEs for Psychologists.
A robust research finding in regional and national studies is that at least 40% of persons with mental disorders cannot access mental health services, and pharmacotherapy, in particular. Nationally, about 60% of all counties, including 80%of all rural counties, do not have a psychiatrist and 40% of persons needing mental health care services go untreated. The APA’s designated Master of Science
in Clinical Psychopharmacology (MSCP) programs for the provision of education and training in clinical psychopharmacology can be of great help in alleviating this national need. As clinical psychopharmacology has been accepted as a specialty within clinical psychology, education and training has evolved, and a variety of choices are offered to prospective students.
In this symposium, a review of APA designated MSCP programs will be provided. Participants will be able to obtain information pertinent to admission requirements, program overview, financial costs, curricular delivery methods, and outcomes of the designated MSCP programs. Time will also be allocated to discuss applicable state statues for prescribing psychologist licensure in New Mexico, Louisiana, Illinois, Idaho and Iowa. Scholarship and career opportunities in clinical psychopharmacology with the Department of Defense, Indian Health Service, and National Health Service Corps will be also be presented.
After attending this introductory-level program, participants will be able to:
- Discuss health care disparity issues impacting access to quality mental health services in the US.
- Summarize similarities and differences between various APA designated MSCP programs.
This program meets APA’s continuing education STANDARD 1.3: Program content focuses on topics related to psychological practice, education, or research other than application of psychological assessment and/or intervention methods that are supported by contemporary scholarship grounded in established research procedures.
This program meets APA’s continuing education GOAL 1: Program is relevant to psychological practice, education, and/or science.
Gerardo Rodriguez-Menendez, Ph.D., MSCP, ABPP; Professor & Chair, Clinical Psychopharmacology Department
Dr. Gerardo (Gery) Rodriguez-Menendez is a licensed psychologist in Florida, a Board Certified Psychologist with the American Board of Professional Psychology, and the President of the American Academy of Clinical Psychology. Dr. Rodriguez is Chair and Distinguished Professor of the Clinical Psychopharmacology Department at The Chicago School. Apart from clinical psychology, he also has specialties in psychopharmacology, neuropsychology and pediatric psychology. His career spans a broad spectrum of responsibilities in education, administration, research, and consulting. He maintains a private consulting practice, the R-A Pinnacle Group, assisting businesses and organizations in areas of strategic planning, leadership coaching, accreditation and licensing, academic governance and ethics, program development, and faculty development. Dr. Rodriguez received the 2020 Award Distinguished Research and Scholarship at The Chicago School. He is also the recipient of the Distinguished Contribution to the Advancement of Pharmacotherapy at the State Level Award from APA Division 55.
Judi Steinman, Ph.D., Professor, Alliant International University
Dr. Steinman served as Director of the CSPP-Alliant International University Master of Science in Clinical Psychopharmacology (MSCP) Program from 2017-2022. She currently is the chair of the APA Division 55 Training Director Council and the Legislative and Social Action Committee. She is a Past-President of Division 55 and a main author of the division’s Specialty Application to APA. She served as a faculty member at the College of Pharmacy at the University of Hawaii at Hilo and coordinated the MSCP program from 2010-2016. She received her PhD in Psychobiology from Rutgers University in 1982. Her research was in the field of neuroscience and her specialty was in spinal cord and brain control of behavior. Dr. Steinman conducted postdoctoral research at Dartmouth Medical School in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology as well as at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. She performed extensive research in the fields of behavioral reproduction, aging, analgesia processing and neural control of feeding. In the early 1990s, Dr. Steinman served as the Managing Editor of the journal, Restorative Neurology & Neuroscience.
Ryan Ernst, Psy.D., MSCP, Training Director, Drake University
Dr. Ernst is a Neuropsychologist/Conditional Prescribing Psychologist at Clarinda Regional Health Center in southwest Iowa where he continues his practice as well as serving as the inaugural Training Director for the MS in Clinical Psychopharmacology at Drake University.
Dr. Ernst completed his MSCP from Alliant International University and is the first psychologist in the state of Iowa to be certified to prescribe psychiatric medication. He earned his MS in Psychology and PsyD from Nova Southeastern after completing his BA in Psychology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a pre-doctoral internship at Nebraska Mental Health Centers, P.C.. He completed a postdoc residency in clinical neuropsychology at Nebraska Comprehensive Health Care. Dr. Ernst has been named a Diplomate for the American Board of Professional Neuropsychology and a Fellow of the American College of Professional Neuropsychology.
Dr. Ernst brings a wealth of practice experience to this position, having served in multi-disciplinary health care systems, rehabilitation hospitals, and as an independent contractor providing medical evaluations, forensic neuropsychology services, worker’s compensation evaluations, peer reviews and consulting for health-technology development. He has also served as an instructor and clinical supervisor for psychology students and residents.
George Kapalka, Ph.D., MS, ABPP; Distinguished Chair, Alliant International University
Dr. George M. Kapalka, a Distinguished Professor in the California School of Professional Psychology and the Program Director of its MS in Clinical Psychopharmacology, is a prescribing and clinical psychologist based in Albuquerque, NM. He is board certified in clinical psychology (ABPP) and is a Fellow of APA Divisions 53 and 55. He has been in practice for over 30 years and primarily treats children and adolescents. His research has focused on the psychological, pharmacological and combined treatments of pediatric disorders, collaborating with primary care (particularly pediatricians), and behavior management training for parents and teachers. He is an author of six books (one of which was translated into ten foreign languages) and dozens of journal articles and other publications. (Please refer to CV submitted separately.)
Derek Phillips, Psy.D., MSCP, ABMP; Executive Director, Fairleigh Dickinson University MSCP Program
Dr. Derek Phillips is a licensed clinical and prescribing psychologist in Illinois, a board-certified medical sychologist, and a clinical neuropsychologist and prescribing psychologist in the Department of Neurology at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center (SBLHC) in central Illinois since 2017. He became Executive Director of the APA-designated M.S. in clinical psychopharmacology program at Fairleigh Dickinson University in 2020, where he also teaches in the APA-accredited clinical PhD program.
Dr. Phillips was president of APA Division 55 (Society for Prescribing Psychology) in 2021. He is currently Immediate Past President of the Illinois Psychological Association, Secretary of APA Division 42 (Independent Practice), Treasurer of APA Division 44 (Sexual Orientation & Gender Diversity), member of the APA RxP Designation Committee, member of the APA CPT Advisory Committee, and member-at-large of the Illinois Association of Prescribing Psychologists Board of Directors. He is a fellow of the American Psychological Association and Illinois Psychological Association.
Eric Silk, Ph.D.
Dr. Silk is the Chair of the Clinical Psychopharmacology Department and a Clinical Associate Professor in the College of Pharmacy at Idaho State University. He is an Affiliate Lecturer with the Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Silk is a member of the Idaho Board of Psychologist Examiners. He is a licensed psychologist in Idaho and Wyoming. Dr. Silk earned a B.S. in psychology from Michigan State University. He completed a M.A. in forensic psychology from John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City. He then worked as a Research Coordinator at the Substance Use Research Center at the New York State Psychiatric Institute affiliated with the Columbia University Department of Psychiatry. His Ph.D. is in Clinical Psychology with a Specialization in Neuropsychology from Nova Southeastern University. He also completed a post-doc M.S. in psychopharmacology at Nova Southeastern.
Steve Curtis, Ph.D.
Dr. Curtis has worked for over 30 years with children presenting with neurodevelopmental, behavioral, emotional, and medical issues. He currently is a child clinical psychologist with Lifespan Psychological Services and focuses on helping children, and their families, who are presenting a variety of presenting issues. His particular expertise is in the area of assessment of children. He loves to help children who have very complex challenges (e.g., those with autism, dyslexia, mood disorders, etc.). He is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and frequently consults with physicians, school districts, and attorneys.
Dr. Curtis completed his Postdoctoral Master Degree in Clinical Psychopharmacology. He is now a Licensed Psychologist and Prescribing Psychologist in the State of New Mexico. He has reduced his private practice and is now flying once per month to work as a Prescribing Psychologist at Memorial Medical Center in Las Cruces, NM. He became interested in prescription privileges for psychologists after being less-than-satisfied with the prescribers he was referring to for his patients. He is now helping with the quest to bring psychologist prescription privileges to our State of Washington. He is the President of the APA Society for Prescribing Psychology (Division 55) in 2024.
Casey McDougall, Ph.D., LC, MSCP
Dr. Casey McDougall is the Training Director and Academic Advisor for the postdoctoral M.S. Program in Clinical Psychopharmacology. This Program is only one of five APA Designated programs in the nation.
Dr. Casey McDougall is a licensed clinical psychologist and prescribing medical psychologist in New Mexico. He earned his Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the University of North Dakota and Postdoctoral Masters in Clinical Psychopharmacology from Alliant International University. He completed his Pre-Doctoral Internship through the UNM Health Sciences Center; followed by his Post-Doctoral training with the Pueblo of Acoma. He is now the fulltime Training Director for the RXPP Program and Full Professor within the CEP Dept. Moreover, he is a Consultant for the Rehabilitation Hospital for Southern New Mexico here in Las Cruces, NM. Previously he worked for Indian Health Service as the Behavioral Health Director at the Red Lake Hospital (Red Lake Nation; Red Lake, MN). He is a Veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom III and Direct Descendant of the White Earth (Nation) Band of Chippewa where his father is enrolled.
Amy Wachholtz, PhD, MDiv, MSCP, ABPP, FACHP
Amy Wachholtz, PhD, MDiv, MSCP, ABPP, FACHP is an Associate Professor of Psychology and Program Director of Clinical Health Psychology at the University of Colorado Denver. She is developing the Masters of Science in Clinical Psychopharmacology program for University of Colorado Denver. She is an Associate Professor in the Hematology Department at the CU Medical Center (Hematology Oncology Division), an affiliate faculty with the Addiction Treatment and Research Service in the Psychiatry Department of University of Colorado Medical School, adjunct Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, and a licensed clinical health psychologist. Dr. Wachholtz graduated with a Master of Divinity degree from Boston University and a specialized graduate degree in Bioethics from a joint Harvard University and Boston University program. She continued her education to earn her MA and PhD in Clinical Psychology from Bowling Green State University where she had a dual specialization in Behavioral Medicine and Psychology of Religion. She completed her internship through fellowship training at Duke University Medical Center where she focused on medical psychology and pain management. She completed a post-doctoral Master’s degree in Psychopharmacology in 2014. Her research and clinical interests focus on 1) the complexities of treating of co-morbid pain and opioid addiction in both acute pain and chronic pain situations and 2) the bio-psycho-social model for chronic pain disorders and palliative care. Her research encompasses bench to bedside methodology from psycho-physiological basic research to testing patient treatments and has resulted in over 100 publications and presentations. She enjoys teaching trainees of all levels in classroom, laboratory, and clinical settings.
American Psychological Association. (2019, February). Designation criteria for education and training programs in psychopharmacology for prescriptive authority. https://www.apa.org/education/grad/rxp-designation-criteria.pdf
Rodriguez-Menendez, G., Shelton,S., Steinman, J., Barr, M., Cunningham, A., Glaser, D., Masson, T., McGrath, B., Nealon, M., Bray, J., DeLeon, P., Moore, B. A., and Rom-Ryer, B. N. (2022). Toward a new predoctoral model: Education and training in clinical psychopharmacology. Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology, 30 (1), 90 –105. https://doi.org/10.1037/pha0000514
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2020). Key substance use and mental health indicators in the United States: Results from the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
Target Audience: Psychologists and Doctoral Psychology Students.
Psychologists. This program, when attended in its entirety, is available for 1.0 continuing education credits. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is committed to accessibility and non-discrimination in its continuing education activities. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is also committed to conducting all activities in conformity with the American Psychological Association’s Ethical Principles for Psychologists. Participants are asked to be aware of the need for privacy and confidentiality throughout the program. If program content becomes stressful, participants are encouraged to process these feelings during discussion periods.
Non Psychologists. Most licensing boards accept Continuing Education Credits sponsored by the American Psychological Association but non-psychologists are recommended to consult with their specific state-licensing board to ensure that APA-sponsored CE is acceptable.
*Participants must attend 100% of the program in order to obtain a Certificate of Attendance.
If participants have special needs, we will attempt to accommodate them. Please address questions, concerns and any complaints to [email protected]. There is no commercial support for this program nor are there any relationships between the CE Sponsor, presenting organization, presenter, program content, research, grants, or other funding that could reasonably be construed as conflicts of interest.