NPA NEWS ALERT: Critical Concerns about Compromised Clinical Validity of Assessment Instruments

In a statement released by Manson Western, Inc. (“WPS”) is the owner and publisher of various copyrighted psychological, neuropsychological, behavioral, and educational assessment instruments, emphasizing that releasing test materials compromises clinical validity. This addresses the 2023 Nevada legislative amendment AB244 (NRS 629, sections 1B, D, E), which permits examinees to have observers present, take notes, and record their own psychological examinations. Read the full position statement below, and read the Nevada Board of Psychological Examiners' 2018 public comment regarding previously proposed changes to Rule 35 of Nevada Civil Procedure.

Nevada Fined $858K for Mental Health Treatment Delays

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Per a recently published article by the Nevada Independent, Nevada has been fined an additional $858,000 for its ongoing failure to provide timely mental health treatment to criminal defendants deemed incompetent to stand trial. This sanction, approved recently, raises the state’s total court-ordered fines over the last two years to more than $2 million.1 State law mandates that defendants be transferred to a treatment facility within seven days of a court order. However, persistent mental health facility shortages and an "unprecedented growth in commitments" have caused substantial, rights-violating delays that often worsen defendants' mental illness.

While the state is increasing treatment beds and broke ground on a new facility slated for 2029, immediate action is required to address this systemic crisis. The $858,000 will be directed to Mojave Mental Health. This recurring failure demands urgent, effective solutions.

The Nevada Psychological Association (NPA) is making mental health parity enforcement its top priority in the interim period, actively preparing for the upcoming 2027 Legislative Session. Building on its success with the 2025 passage of AB 207, which requires greater transparency from insurers, NPA is now engaging policymakers to explore further enforcement strategies and potential legislative solutions. NPA is also collaborating with the Behavioral Health Alliance of Nevada (BHAN) and other stakeholders to present a unified front to legislators, ensuring that all Nevadans can access mental health care equitable to medical care.

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Newly Launched Mental Health Parity Index Shows Disparities Across the Nation

A new national tool is shedding light on a longstanding problem in American healthcare: unequal access to mental health and substance use disorder treatment.

The Kennedy Forum recently launched the Mental Health Parity Index (MHPI), a first-of-its-kind, data-driven resource that measures how access to mental health care compares to access to physical health care across the United States. Built using real-time data from the nation’s largest commercial insurers, the index provides an unprecedented look at where parity laws are falling short.

NPA Statement on the Supreme Court Decision in Chiles v. Salazar

April 10, 2026

We feel that it is necessary and our obligation as providers and supporters of mental health to recognize and differentiate between the First Amendment rights afforded to all citizens and the Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct. At their core, these principles guide us to offer scientifically-grounded care that does not cause harm to those we treat.

Along with the American Psychological Association and other State, Provincial, and Territorial Associations, NPA firmly believes that identifying as LGBTQ+ is not a mental illness, and efforts to challenge or change one’s sexual orientation or gender identity are not ethical. Furthermore, efforts, such as conversion therapies, to forcibly change one’s sexual orientation have been scientifically shown to be harmful and cause significant distress, including depression, anxiety, and increased risk of suicide. Nevada became the 8th state to ban conversion therapies in 2017 for these reasons.