Fellowship in Psychologists in Public Service

Fellowship in Psychologists in Public Service is intended for psychologists with substantial and respected careers in science, teaching, and/or practice who are members of the Division of Psychologists in Public Service and who also have made unusual and outstanding contributions in one or more of the following areas: Distinguished service, achievement of excellence, extraordinary recognition, and significant contributions.

It is recognized that the nominee must be a significant contributor to Public Service Psychology as evidenced by unusual and outstanding contributions or performance. This requires evidence and documentation that the person nominated has enriched and advanced Public Service Psychology on a scale well beyond that of being a good practitioner, teacher, researcher, administrator, or scholar. The nominee's contributions must have an unusual and innovative nature, and must involve achievement of excellence in more than one of these professional roles.

Election to Fellowship must meet the minimum standards required by the American Psychological Association, and in addition have demonstrated unusual and special recognition to the Division of Psychologists in Public Service as evidenced by outstanding, sustained involvement at the national level, or significant contributions to national policy development and/or political action efforts in at least one of the sections of the Division (e.g. the VA, police psychology, etc.). Criteria that are used by the Fellowship Committee members in the evaluation of candidates are characterized in two interrelated ways: understanding the nature of the contributions, and understanding the impact of the contribution to Public Service Psychology. Election to Fellowship status in the Division of Psychologists in Public Service constitutes recognition of psychologists who have dedicated themselves to the furtherance of higher quality psychological service and Public Service Psychology at the national level, and who are known to their professional colleagues as persons who have made significant and lasting contributions to the practice of psychology. Fellows are selected by peers on the basis of evidence of sustained superior performance that is recognizable at the national (rather than local or regional) level.