About Div. 55

The American Society for the Advancement of Pharmacotherapy (ASAP), Div. 55 of the American Psychological Association, was created to enhance psychological treatments combined with psychopharmacological medications.

• The division promotes the public interest by working for the establishment of high quality statutory and regulatory standards for psychological care.
• Div. 55 encourages the collaborative practice of psychological and pharmacological treatments with other health professions.
• The division seeks funding for training in psychopharmacology and pharmacotherapy from private and public sources such as federal Graduate Medical Education programs.
• Div. 55 facilitates increased access to improved mental health services in federal and state demonstration projects using psychologists trained in psychopharmacology.

Specialty of Clinical Psychopharmacology: Clinical psychopharmacology is a professionally recognized specialty field within clinical psychology dedicated to the study and therapeutic use of psychotropic medication, in addition to traditional psychological interventions, for the treatment of mental disorders and promotion of overall patient health and well-being. 

• Model Legislation for Prescriptive Authority (PDF, 68KB)
• Progress Notes: Earning the Right to Prescribe
• State Opinions RxP and Consultation (PDF, 658KB), provided by James Underhill, PsyD, MP
• State Opinions with References (PDF, 387KB), provided by James Underhill, PsyD, MP