Master's Committee

Mission:
To represent Limited Licensed Psychologists within the scope of the Michigan Psychological Association in order to maintain quality of psychological services and care for residents living in Michigan.



Committee Members:
Jeff Toepler, MA, LLP
Mary Clark, EdD, LLP
Ross Beckley, PhD, LLP
Timothy Strauss, MA, LLP
Mary Beth Child
Tammy McCrory, LLP, BCBA
Dr. Joy Wolf Ensor
Kristy Mollitor MA, LLP, CAADC
Michael Thompson MA, LLP, CAADC
Teresa Goscicki, MA, LLP
Rebecca Cowell, MS, LLP, BCBA, LBA

The Limited Licensed Psychologist Committee fulfills the MPA Mission by:

  1. Giving LLP licensed clinicians an avenue to address their licensure concerns
  2. Advocating that LLPs have a fair playing field with other master-level mental health professionals, and equal access in the market place for Michigan citizens
  3. Maintain high standards of practice and care
  4. To have a unified voice to advocate for legislation that would promote and benefit all LLPs and LPs in Michigan


The Limited Licensed Psychologist Committee aligns with MPA Vision by:

  1. Help educate the public and insurance providers on the strength and quality of clinical training and programs of the Master-level psychology professional
  2. Present a unified position to the Michigan legislature on all issues that promote the professional level, quality, and scope of services of LLPs and LPs in Michigan and nationally
  3. To increase the number of members of MPA among LLPs in Michigan to support legislative efforts, conferences, and educational opportunities
  4. To increase the visibility and voice of LLPs within MPA and APA

Membership:
In order to meet our goals, the committee membership will include:

  1. Limited Licensed Psychologists with permanent licenses
  2. Licensed Psychologists per the bylaws of MPA
  3. The Chair of the committee will be an LLP licensed professional
  4. The members of the committee will serve terms according the the bylaws of MPA
  5. New members for the committee in the future will be recruited by LLPs or LPs

 

Advocacy for LLPs: Supporting HB 5785 to Remove Career-Long Supervision

The Michigan Psychological Association (MPA) stands firmly in support of House Bill 5785, a pivotal piece of legislation introduced in the Michigan House of Representatives. This bill seeks to address the growing mental health professional shortage by removing the career-long supervision requirement for Limited License Psychologists (LLPs). This change would empower close to 4,000 LLPs in Michigan to practice independently within their scope of established professional experience, expanding access to essential mental health services across the state, particularly in underserved rural areas.

As previously communicated in MPA’s member newsletters, our leadership has consistently advocated for the removal of outdated barriers that hinder LLPs from fully utilizing their skills and training. HB 5785 aligns with our mission to enhance mental health service accessibility and support the professional growth of our members. The bill also proposes an increase in post-degree supervision to 4,000 hours, ensuring that LLPs are thoroughly prepared for independent practice while maintaining high standards of care.

We encourage all LLPs and mental health professionals to voice their support for HB 5785. By doing so, we can ensure that Michigan’s mental health services meet the growing demand, without additional cost to the state. Your participation is crucial; please consider adding your name to the “card of support” to help secure the passage of this important legislation.

 

 

2022 Updates:

Most recent update from LARA regarding license and title verbiage: 

“To clarify, Limited Licensed Psychologist (or LLP) has never been printed on the license.  However, when the Bureau of Professional Licensing (BPL) converted to the new MiPLUS system, they changed what was printed on the license:

FROM: Psychologist Limited License – Masters

TO: Masters Limited Psychologist License

This change was implemented to maintain consistency through license types in the MiPLUS system.  However, in the Public Health Code, the protected title is “Limited Licensed Psychologist” per MCL 333.18211.  As such, LLP is still the protected title and has not changed.”

Strategic Plans for 2019-2020:

  1. Form a functioning committee that represents the interests of TLLPs and LLPs in Michigan:
    1. Identify initial committee members, qualifications
    2. Communicate to LLPs the purpose and role of the LLP Committee
  2. Increase the number of LLPs who become members of MPA
    1. Recruit LLPs from various expertise areas, to collaborate, network, share perspectives and resources to promote professional practice
  3. Increase the connectiveness of LPs and LLPs within MPA and APA
  4. Increase the visibility of LLPs within MPA/APA and the public in Michigan
    1. Create a referral network
    2. Design a visibility within the MPA communication systems to create awareness of the committee and its purposes
  5. Promote legislation that allows LLPs a negotiated title, independent licensure, and any other issues pertaining to the practice of psychology in Michigan
  6. To promote and assist with professional conferences and educational opportunities for CE credits in coordination with MPA

This is a NEW day for LLPs in MPA - December 2019 

Committee Report to Membership - February 2020

Master's Degree Level Licensing in other States - Summary 2020

Committee Report to Membership - May 2020

Committee Update - Check out what MPA is doing for Michigan's LLPs - November 2021

Fall 2021 Program Participation: The APA Summit on the Future of Education and Practice Implications for the Master’s Issue in Michigan 

Fall 2022:  MLP Special Meeting Results 

Connect with us!
To make suggestions or get involved, contact chairperson, Rachel Hagerty, MA, LLP.