It is an honor to serve as the 2026 president of Division 31. As important legislation and legal cases that significantly impact mental health and the practice of psychology are playing out in states across the country, Division 31 is an integral hub for sharing and disseminating information.
Annually, each of our State, Provincial and Territorial Psychological Association (SPTAs) watchdogs monitor over 100 bills per year, striving to protect mental health care and the work of psychologists across our country. Just this past year, the Illinois Psychological Association tracked HB 1806 Therapy Resources Oversight, which was adopted in August 2025. Their work helped ensure protections for consumers from unlicensed providers, including unregulated artificial intelligence systems. Meanwhile, in Colorado, Chiles vs Salazaar is challenging the constitutionality of the Colorado law that bans licensed mental health professionals from practicing conversion therapy with minors. Kaley Chiles, a licensed professional counselor is challenging the law arguing that it infringes on her First Amendment rights to free speech and religious exercise. The US District Court for the District of Colorado and the US Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit upheld the Colorado law, ruling that it regulates professional conduct designed to protect minors from harm, and not speech itself. The case is now before the US Supreme Court which heard oral arguments in October and a decision is expected in 2026. The implications extend well beyond Colorado and could limit the ability of state licensing boards across the country to enforce standards of care for licensed mental health professionals when the treatment is delivered through speech. The ruling could create a precedent that challenges how we practice and could open the door to new litigation contesting regulations on other controversial health topics such as end of life counseling, reproductive health, and gender affirming care. During this critical time for health care policy, Division 31 will continue to provide forums for sharing of knowledge and information.
As SPTAs work hard to track legislation and keep their members informed, they also work diligently to recruit and retain members. When I was president of the Connecticut Psychological Association, I served during a time when we were losing members at a rate of 10% each year, so my main priority was to rebuild our membership. With some of the best practices for recruitment and retention shared by other SPTAs, we were able to implement a few key recruitment initiatives and increase our numbers. Division 31 will continue to provide opportunities for SPTAs to share their best management practices with one another—as well as the examples of what didn’t work—so we can all learn and grow together.
Division 31 is actively preparing for the upcoming APA Practice State Leadership Conference (PSLC) scheduled for February 6-8, 2026 in Washington DC. We submitted ten proposals to APA and most were accepted and/or incorporated into the program. Division 31 also continues to support the Diversity Leadership Program held at PSLC under the direction of Jennifer Kelly, PhD, as dean of the program and Mayra Zoe Ortiz, PhD, as program taskforce chair. This year due to a tight APA budget, SPTAs and divisions are contributing $2000 per delegation of four. There is fear that PSLC will be too costly for APA to maintain over time. For my SPTA, PSLC has been a lifeline over the years. It’s where we learned critical advocacy skills, kept up with legislation happening across the country, and networked with other SPTAs around best management practices. Annually, it’s also an opportunity for our state delegation to spend quality time together and workshop ideas for trainings and events. Division 31 is designing a survey that will be out in the new year seeking your perspectives on PSLC.
Under the leadership of program chairs Peter Mikoski and Chris Townsend, Division 31 is preparing for the APA Convention August 6-8, 2026 in Washington DC. Our division’s theme this year is “Advocacy in Action: Leading Change in State Policy, Practice, and Leadership.” The APA Portal is openopens in new window for presentation proposals through Wednesday, January 14, 2026 at 5 p.m. Eastern time. There is so much collective wisdom among our members; please consider submitting a proposal!
Thank you to Ray Folen, PhD, for his leadership and dedication to Division 31 as our 2025 president. Folen is one of our biggest champions always teaching us to think about ways to support and grow our SPTAs. As 2025 ends, I also want to thank Mayra Zoe Ortiz, PhD, Michelle McKinnie, PhD, and Kymbriona Taylor, M ED, whose board terms will finish at the end of December. Ortiz’s leadership these past few years has been outstanding. A mentor and friend to so many of us, Ortiz skillfully and repeatedly finds and connects talented SPTA members to Division 31. We will miss McKinnie’s practical nature and steadfast commitment and service to Division 31 but are grateful for her continued voice for SPTAs in her many roles in APA. A special thank you to Kymbriona Taylor for taking an active role as our student representative and for sharing her important perspectives. We welcome new board members president-elect Peter Oppenheimer, PhD, member-at-large Diana Prescott, PhD, and student representative Christopher Townsend.
Thank you to our executive director Connie Paul, PhD, our board members, committees and taskforces for your work to support Division 31 and SPTAs. Calling all Division 31 members, please consider getting more involved and joining a committee or taskforce–we need your voice and support!
- Communications committee chaired by Terrence Koller, PhD
- Diversity committee chaired by Roxanne Ramirez, PhD
- Fellows committee chaired by Bruce Bobbitt, PhD
- Membership committee chaired by Dinelia Rosa, PhD
- Rural Health Section chaired by Emily Selby-Nelson, PhD
- Integrated Care Taskforce chaired by Stella Nelms, PhD, and Natalie Pilipenko, PhD
- Regulatory Taskforce chaired by Peter Oppenheimer, PhD
- Please check out the Division 31 website for more information about the division and for resources for SPTAs!
Please reach out with your thoughts and ideas. We are all in this work together!
Anne Klee, PhD
President 2026, Division 31
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