2019 President's Message

And so it starts, my year as president of Div. 31. This should be a great adventure for all of us. I’m looking forward to this awesome responsibility with eagerness and with a strong sense of awe. I feel that Div. 31 is at the core of issues for APA, especially in this time of upheaval and reorganization.

In the not-too-distant future are significant changes for psychology and psychologists. As psychologists, we are well into a transition from old ways to new ways including electronic record keeping, telepsychology and interjurisdictional practice. Laws and regulations governing the practice of psychology are housed within each state, territory, and province. But as our field moves toward new practice models that include interjurisdictional telehealth, new regulatory models need to be developed and implemented. I see this as a prime area for Div. 31 to serve as a driving and organizing force. States, territories and provinces need to work together in developing these new models; such as how to promote such initiatives as PsyPact. Ethical practices need to be stated and best practices developed for this new telehealth world.

But Div. 31 is so much more than these developing practice models. The long history of Div. 31’s involvement in early career psychologists, diversity initiatives, advocacy training will be continued and, hopefully, expanded.

In the months to come, please feel free to share your thoughts and suggestions with me along with the remainder of the division through our listserv. New ideas are always welcomed along with suggestions on how to do things better.

Looking forward to a rewarding year.

Bruce Nystrom