225 ILCS 15/4.3

(225 ILCS 15/4.3)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2027)

Sec. 4.3. Written collaborative agreements.

(a) A written collaborative agreement is required for all prescribing psychologists practicing under a prescribing psychologist license issued pursuant to Section 4.2 of this Act.

(b) A written delegation of prescriptive authority by a collaborating physician may only include medications for the treatment of mental health disease or illness the collaborating physician generally provides to his or her patients in the normal course of his or her clinical practice with the exception of the following:

(1) patients who are less than 17 years of age or over 65 years of age;

(2) patients during pregnancy;

(3) patients with serious medical conditions, such as heart disease, cancer, stroke, or seizures, and with developmental disabilities and intellectual disabilities; and

(4) prescriptive authority for benzodiazepine Schedule III controlled substances.

(c) The collaborating physician shall file with the Department notice of delegation of prescriptive authority and termination of the delegation, in accordance with rules of the Department. Upon receipt of this notice delegating authority to prescribe any nonnarcotic Schedule III through V controlled substances, the licensed clinical psychologist shall be eligible to register for a mid-level practitioner controlled substance license under Section 303.05 of the Illinois Controlled Substances Act.

(d) All of the following shall apply to delegation of prescriptive authority:

(1) Any delegation of Schedule III through V controlled substances shall identify the specific controlled substance by brand name or generic name. No controlled substance to be delivered by injection may be delegated. No Schedule II controlled substance shall be delegated.

(2) A prescribing psychologist shall not prescribe narcotic drugs, as defined in Section 102 of the Illinois Controlled Substances Act.

Any prescribing psychologist who writes a prescription for a controlled substance without having valid and appropriate authority may be fined by the Department not more than $50 per prescription and the Department may take any other disciplinary action provided for in this Act.

All prescriptions written by a prescribing psychologist must contain the name of the prescribing psychologist and his or her signature. The prescribing psychologist shall sign his or her own name.

(e) The written collaborative agreement shall describe the working relationship of the prescribing psychologist with the collaborating physician and shall delegate prescriptive authority as provided in this Act. Collaboration does not require an employment relationship between the collaborating physician and prescribing psychologist. Absent an employment relationship, an agreement may not restrict third-party payment sources accepted by the prescribing psychologist. For the purposes of this Section, "collaboration" means the relationship between a prescribing psychologist and a collaborating physician with respect to the delivery of prescribing services in accordance with (1) the prescribing psychologist's training, education, and experience and (2) collaboration and consultation as documented in a jointly developed written collaborative agreement.

(f) The agreement shall promote the exercise of professional judgment by the prescribing psychologist corresponding to his or her education and experience.

(g) The collaborative agreement shall not be construed to require the personal presence of a physician at the place where services are rendered. Methods of communication shall be available for consultation with the collaborating physician in person or by telecommunications in accordance with established written guidelines as set forth in the written agreement.

(h) Collaboration and consultation pursuant to all collaboration agreements shall be adequate if a collaborating physician does each of the following:

(1) participates in the joint formulation and joint approval of orders or guidelines with the prescribing psychologist and he or she periodically reviews the prescribing psychologist's orders and the services provided patients under the orders in accordance with accepted standards of medical practice and prescribing psychologist practice;

(2) provides collaboration and consultation with the prescribing psychologist in person at least once a month for review of safety and quality clinical care or treatment;

(3) is available through telecommunications for consultation on medical problems, complications, emergencies, or patient referral; and

(4) reviews medication orders of the prescribing psychologist no less than monthly, including review of laboratory tests and other tests as available.

(i) The written collaborative agreement shall contain provisions detailing notice for termination or change of status involving a written collaborative agreement, except when the notice is given for just cause.

(j) A copy of the signed written collaborative agreement shall be available to the Department upon request to either the prescribing psychologist or the collaborating physician.

(k) Nothing in this Section shall be construed to limit the authority of a prescribing psychologist to perform all duties authorized under this Act.

(l) A prescribing psychologist shall inform each collaborating physician of all collaborative agreements he or she has signed and provide a copy of these to any collaborating physician.

(m) No collaborating physician shall enter into more than 3 collaborative agreements with prescribing psychologists.

(Source: P.A. 101-84, eff. 7-19-19.)