You have a therapist you trust. You also have a four-month wait for a psychiatrist who has never met you, and you wonder why the person who knows you can't just write the prescription.
If you're thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988 (the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline) at any hour, even while you wait for an appointment. In an emergency, call 911.
In 2002, New Mexico became the first state to let psychologists prescribe psychiatric medication. In the 24 years since, only seven more have followed, and one of those does not start until 2029. So in most of the country the answer to your question is no. But the better question turns out to be a different one, and we will get there.
Which states let psychologists prescribe?
Seven states let specially trained psychologists prescribe today. They are New Mexico, Louisiana, Illinois, Iowa, Idaho, Colorado and Utah. Vermont has passed a law too, but its prescribing rules do not start until July 1, 2029 (Vermont Act 84, 2026).
The list moves, and many pages online disagree about it. Some count Arizona or New Jersey, which only ever had bills. Some miss Colorado, Utah or Vermont. The count here follows the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards, which lists exactly these eight (ASPPB, 2026), and the laws themselves.
Hawaii sits in between. In 2026 it passed a three-year pilot, on Kauai and Hawaii island, where specially trained psychologists prescribe under a psychiatrist or physician. The head of the state's psychological association called it "not a blanket authorization" (Hawaii Public Radio, 2026). A few federal systems also allow it, including the military, the Public Health Service and the Indian Health Service (ASPPB, 2026).
I studied clinical psychology. I'm not a psychologist or a prescriber, and this is information, not advice. For medicine questions, the person who prescribes it is the one to ask. Never stop or change a medicine on your own.
Can my psychologist prescribe in my state?
Find your state below. Where we have a guide to finding care in that state, the name links to it. "Not applicable" in the Since column means there is no such law. If your row says no, ask your state licensing board to confirm, because laws change.
| State | Can psychologists prescribe? | Since | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | No | Not applicable | ASPPB list, 2026 |
| Alaska | No | Not applicable | ASPPB list, 2026 |
| Arizona | No. A 2025 bill passed the Senate but stalled in the House and did not become law | Not applicable | Ariz. SB 1125 (2025); ASPPB list, 2026 |
| Arkansas | No | Not applicable | ASPPB list, 2026 |
| California | No | Not applicable | ASPPB list, 2026 |
| Colorado | Yes | 2023 | C.R.S. 12-245-309 (HB23-1071) |
| Connecticut | No | Not applicable | ASPPB list, 2026 |
| Delaware | No | Not applicable | ASPPB list, 2026 |
| District of Columbia | No | Not applicable | ASPPB list, 2026 |
| Florida | No | Not applicable | ASPPB list, 2026 |
| Georgia | No | Not applicable | ASPPB list, 2026 |
| Hawaii | Only in a three-year pilot on Kauai and Hawaii island | 2026 | Hawaii SB 847 (2026) |
| Idaho | Yes | 2017 | Idaho Code 54-2316 to 54-2319 |
| Illinois | Yes | 2014 | 225 ILCS 15/4.2 (P.A. 98-668) |
| Indiana | No | Not applicable | ASPPB list, 2026 |
| Iowa | Yes | 2016 | Iowa Code ch. 154B, section 154B.1 |
| Kansas | No | Not applicable | ASPPB list, 2026 |
| Kentucky | No | Not applicable | ASPPB list, 2026 |
| Louisiana | Yes, as "medical psychologists" | 2004 | La. R.S. 37:1360.51 and following |
| Maine | No | Not applicable | ASPPB list, 2026 |
| Maryland | No | Not applicable | ASPPB list, 2026 |
| Massachusetts | No | Not applicable | ASPPB list, 2026 |
| Michigan | No | Not applicable | ASPPB list, 2026 |
| Minnesota | No | Not applicable | ASPPB list, 2026 |
| Mississippi | No | Not applicable | ASPPB list, 2026 |
| Missouri | No | Not applicable | ASPPB list, 2026 |
| Montana | No | Not applicable | ASPPB list, 2026 |
| Nebraska | No | Not applicable | ASPPB list, 2026 |
| Nevada | No | Not applicable | ASPPB list, 2026 |
| New Hampshire | No | Not applicable | ASPPB list, 2026 |
| New Jersey | No | Not applicable | ASPPB list, 2026 |
| New Mexico | Yes | 2002 | NMSA 61-9-17.1 (Laws 2002, ch. 100) |
| New York | No | Not applicable | ASPPB list, 2026 |
| North Carolina | No | Not applicable | ASPPB list, 2026 |
| North Dakota | No | Not applicable | ASPPB list, 2026 |
| Ohio | No | Not applicable | ASPPB list, 2026 |
| Oklahoma | No | Not applicable | ASPPB list, 2026 |
| Oregon | No | Not applicable | ASPPB list, 2026 |
| Pennsylvania | No | Not applicable | ASPPB list, 2026 |
| Rhode Island | No | Not applicable | ASPPB list, 2026 |
| South Carolina | No | Not applicable | ASPPB list, 2026 |
| South Dakota | No | Not applicable | ASPPB list, 2026 |
| Tennessee | No | Not applicable | ASPPB list, 2026 |
| Texas | No | Not applicable | ASPPB list, 2026 |
| Utah | Yes | 2024 | Utah Code 58-61-301 and 58-61-304 |
| Vermont | Not yet. Law passed in 2026, prescribing starts July 1, 2029 | 2029 | Vermont Act 84 of 2026 (H.237) |
| Virginia | No | Not applicable | ASPPB list, 2026 |
| Washington | No | Not applicable | ASPPB list, 2026 |
| West Virginia | No | Not applicable | ASPPB list, 2026 |
| Wisconsin | No | Not applicable | ASPPB list, 2026 |
| Wyoming | No | Not applicable | ASPPB list, 2026 |
Illinois's licensing act, which holds the prescribing psychologist sections, carries a scheduled repeal date of January 1, 2027 in the current statute text, so confirm with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation that the license is still in place before you book (225 ILCS 15/4.2).
Louisiana calls its prescribers "medical psychologists", and since 2009 the state medical board, not the psychology board, regulates them (La. R.S. 37:1360.51 and following). Utah's prescribing certificates date from the 2024 session (S.B. 26). If Utah matters to you, check with the state licensing division before you book.
What extra training does a prescribing psychologist need?
A lot more than a psychology degree, and the exact path differs by state. The common core is a doctorate in psychology, a state license, a postdoctoral master's degree in clinical psychopharmacology (the study of how psychiatric drugs work in the body) and a national exam on the subject.
Here is how that looks in practice. Colorado asks for at least 450 classroom hours in subjects like neuroscience and pharmacology, then supervised prescribing experience, and a prescribing psychologist must keep a working relationship with the patient's general medical provider (Colorado HB23-1071, 2023). Vermont asks for at least 14 months of rotations across five kinds of settings, including psychiatry, emergency medicine and neurology, plus a written agreement with a psychiatrist (Vermont Act 84, 2026).
New prescribers do not start alone. Idaho gives a two-year provisional certificate that requires a supervising physician. Iowa's conditional certificate works the same way (Iowa Code 154B.1). Louisiana's advanced certificate asks for three years of practice and at least 100 patients (Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners, 2026).
There are limits on what they can prescribe, too. Vermont's law covers only conditions listed in the diagnostic manual, and it excludes patients under 18, over 80 and anyone pregnant. Iowa's definition leaves out narcotics. Illinois has kept patients under 17 and over 65 out of reach, though bills to change that have been filed.
Who else can prescribe medication?
In every state, a medical doctor can. A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who specializes in mental health. Many states also let psychiatric nurses with advanced training prescribe, and the rules differ by state. Massachusetts, for example, names psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse clinical specialists (Mass.gov).
Notice what is missing from that list. Licensed counselors and social workers do not prescribe. If your therapist is one of them, the answer was never going to be yes, whatever the state. And if the real problem is that nobody can see you at all, start with the steps for when every therapist is full, then come back to medication. If a prescriber is out of network, the options when your insurance won't cover them apply to psychiatrists as well. Your state's nursing board can tell you which nurses can prescribe where you live.
How long is the wait for a psychiatrist?
It depends heavily on where you live, and I did not find a national figure I could stand behind, so I won't give you a number. What I can say is that waiting is common, which is why it helps to work more than one door at once. The article on what to do when no therapist is taking new patients walks through that.
Two moves work for medication in particular. Ask the psychiatrist's office to put you on a cancellation list. And ask your own therapist whether they refer to any prescriber they trust, because a referral often moves faster than a cold call.
Can my family doctor prescribe antidepressants?
Yes. Any licensed doctor can prescribe, and many people get their first mental health medicine from their family doctor. The National Institute of Mental Health says that health care providers may prescribe medication and that a treatment plan is best built with a provider or a mental health professional (NIMH).
That makes your family doctor a real option while you wait, not a lesser one. Book a visit, say plainly what you have been feeling and for how long, and ask what they can start and what they would send on to a specialist. If the visit helps you see the picture more clearly, the check-in on this site can help you put the last few weeks into words before you go.
Does insurance cover a prescribing psychologist?
I could not find a rule that answers this for every state, and plans differ, so ask your insurer before the visit. Ask whether prescribing psychologists are in network, whether a medication visit is billed differently from therapy, and what you would pay for each. Write down the name of the person you spoke to and the date.
If you are in one of the eight states, the full guide to finding care where you live may help with cost as well. Our guides for Colorado, Illinois and Louisiana cover fees, Medicaid and free options.
The question was never really whether your psychologist can prescribe. It was who can write the prescription this month, and for most people the answer is a list of several people, not one. You are allowed to work down it.
Sources17
- American Psychological Association (2004). Louisiana becomes second state to authorize psychologist prescribing. https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2004/05/louisiana-rx. Checked 2026.
- American Psychological Association (2017). Idaho psychologists medications. https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2017/04/idaho-psychologists-medications. Checked 2026.
- Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (2026). Vermont becomes the eighth jurisdiction to pave the way for licensure of psychologists for prescriptive privileges. https://asppb.net/news/vermont-pep-asppb-prescriptive-privileges-psychopharmacology/. Checked 2026.
- Colorado General Assembly (2023). HB23-1071, Licensed Psychologist Prescriptive Authority. https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb23-1071. Checked 2026.
- Colorado Revised Statutes 12-245-301 and 12-245-309. https://colorado.public.law/statutes/crs_12-245-309. Checked 2026.
- Hawaii Public Radio (2026). Pilot program for prescribing psychologists launches on Kauai and Hawaii island. https://www.hawaiipublicradio.org/the-conversation/2026-08-03/pilot-program-for-prescribing-psychologists-launches-in-kauai-and-hawaii-island. Checked 2026.
- Idaho Code, Title 54, Chapter 23, sections 54-2316 to 54-2319 (section 54-2316 added by 2017 Session Laws, ch. 238). Text as published by Justia. https://law.justia.com/codes/idaho/title-54/chapter-23/. Checked 2026.
- Illinois Compiled Statutes, 225 ILCS 15/4.2 and 4.3 (Clinical Psychologist Licensing Act, P.A. 98-668). Text as published by Justia. https://law.justia.com/codes/illinois/chapter-225/act-225-ilcs-15/. Checked 2026.
- Iowa Code (2026), section 154B.1 and section 148.13A. https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/154B.1.pdf. Checked 2026.
- Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners. Medical Psychology Practice Act, R.S. 37:1360.51 to 37:1360.72. https://www.lsbme.la.gov/content/medical-psychology-practice-act. Checked 2026.
- Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services. Finding mental health support in Massachusetts. https://www.mass.gov/guides/finding-mental-health-support-in-massachusetts. Checked 2026.
- National Institute of Mental Health. Mental health medications. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/mental-health-medications. Checked 2026.
- New Mexico Statutes Annotated 61-9-17.1 (Laws 2002, ch. 100) and the New Mexico Psychology Rule Book. https://www.rld.nm.gov/uploads/files/Psychology%20Rule%20Book%20-%20Revised%202020_02.pdf. Checked 2026.
- Utah Code 58-61-301 and 58-61-304, and S.B. 26 (2024). Text as published by Justia. https://law.justia.com/codes/utah/title-58/chapter-61/part-3/. Checked 2026.
- Vermont General Assembly (2026). Act 84, H.237, An act relating to prescribing by doctoral-level psychologists. https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/ACTS/ACT084/ACT084%20As%20Enacted.pdf. Checked 2026.
- Hawaii State Legislature (2026). SB 847, Relating to Psychologists, measure status (enrolled to the governor May 8, 2026). https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=847&year=2026. Checked 2026.
- Arizona Legislature (2025). SB 1125, psychologists; prescribing authority. https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/57leg/1R/bills/SB1125S.htm. Checked 2026.