The August Council of Representatives meeting focused on several key issues, two of which may be of interest to Div. 20 members. The Tuesday night plenary session, which typically focuses on major items coming before council as well as statements from president-elect candidates, provided Council members with a very compelling presentation on the psychological costs of immigrants and deportees being held in U.S. border detention centers. This presentation was intended to provide Council with important background information to prepare for the deliberations during the next day’s meeting regarding APA’s Policy Statement on Immigration and Refugee Issues.
In the following day’s discussion of the policy statement, Council agreed that it is extremely important to make this statement public in a timely manner, and after deliberation on several wording issues, the revised policy statement was approved by a large margin. This statement highlights the psychological stresses faced by immigrants, refugees and their families and supports the need for policies and practices that consider their well-being, including medical, psychological and social services. It encourages psychologists to use their training to treat and advocate on behalf of immigrants, refugees and people seeking asylum in the United States.
Council also voted overwhelmingly in favor of the Guidelines for Psychological Practice for People with Low-Income and Economic Marginalization. In addition, the Council approved the Race and Ethnicity Guidelines in Psychology: Promoting Responsiveness and Equity. The guidelines are the first to specifically focus on race and ethnicity since APA’s 2002 Multicultural Guidelines.
Another major issue that will be coming to the membership for a by-laws amendment in November is the proposal to give graduate student members voting privileges in Presidential, Board of Directors (members-at-large), and Bylaws elections. Votes in favor of these changes received support of approximately 75% of Council. In addition, Council voted to change associate members’ waiting period for voting privileges from five years to one year. The wording of the amendment will state that Graduate Student members shall be persons who are pursuing graduate studies in the field of psychology and who have met the requirements described below. Graduate Student members shall achieve voting privileges after one year in the status of Graduate Student membership. The minimum requirement for acceptance to Graduate Student member status shall be enrollment in good standing within the past twelve months in a regionally accredited graduate or professional school for graduate work in the field of psychology. The issue of including pro-con statements along with the item description generated a great deal of debate; in the end, Council voted to include pro-con statements with the ballot going out to membership.
Council also received updates on the Trial Delegation of Authority, the change in the fiduciary responsibility of Council, and on the activities of the Ethics Code Task Force, which has been very actively and very carefully developing comprehensive guidelines. APA President Rosie Davis provided a report on her presidential initiative challenging deep poverty. The initiative has resulted in production of a video that is available for viewing as well as for instructional purposes. The CEO update, provided by Arthur Evans, included a report on the implementation of APA’s Strategic Plan. Membership has shown modest growth for the second year in a row. A request to add to the agenda an item requesting that APA approach Congress about developing a national-level position of Psychologist General was defeated. The initiative was deferred until February.
Council also acted on the following business items:
- Reconfiguration of membership of the Board of Professional Affairs: adding three elected seats plus ex officio representative from Council of Executives of State, Provincial and Territorial Associations (passed).
- Adding Chair of Committee on Early Career Psychologists as member of Agenda Planning Group (passed).
- Changing eligibility for Chair-Elect of Council Leadership Team (CLT) to include persons whose terms on COR are expiring, i.e., persons could remain on CLT after rotating off Council (passed).
- Motion to adopt 2019 Resolution on Legal Liability Related to Confidentiality and Prevention of HIV Transmission, replacing an earlier version. After some discussion, the older version was sunsetted, and the 2019 resolution passed.
- A motion to compose a task force/workgroup on Race, Discrimination and Inequality (passed unanimously).
- A request to add to the agenda an item requesting that APA approach Congress about developing a national-level position of Psychologist General (defeated). The initiative was deferred until February.
Please feel free to contact either of us with questions or concerns, particularly if you would like to hear more details on any of Council’s actions. We are also hoping that you will continue to vote “10 for 20” so that Div. 20 can retain our two Council seats. Finally, please consider self-nominating or nominating your colleagues for the 2020 Board and Committee elections. We will be happy to work with you if you would like support in this process.