Alberta
This has been an impressive time of change and growth as we have targeted new and better ways to serve our members and to realize our mission to advance the science-based practice of psychology for the benefit of all Albertans. We are developing membership recruitment & retention plan and now also offer webinars as part of our CPD. Our newsletter went online, we are revamping our entire online presence and we launched an annual member satisfaction survey.
Key advocacy messages are:
- Access to psychologists is essential for the psychological health & wellness of Albertans.
- Psychology is integral to health.
- Psychology is a lead profession.
Most significant provincial impacts:
- Regulation of counselors.
- Cannabis Legislation Opioid Crisis Response.
- Harassment & medical assistance in dying legislation.
- Disaster intervention.
Minnesota
Minnesota is off to a great year. In addition to preparing for our annual conference coming up on April 11-12 with the theme of “New Ideas That Will Change Your Clinical Practice” we have already conducted four in-person continuing education (CE) events, offering CE to nearly 200 individuals. On March 14, we have over 50 individuals signed up to learn about legislative issues in our state followed by Hill visits for our annual Mental Health Day on the Hill. We are having some successes legislatively as we recently learned that the House of Representatives Commerce Committee passed the conversion therapy ban bill (Bill HF12) on to the next level. We are continuing to educate our members about the provider tax through videos and emails as well as House File 1387 (which would require payers to allow into their networks “Any Willing Provider” who meets credentialing and agrees to the contract) and asking them to contact their appropriate representatives. We would like to thank our legislative committee and amazing federal advocacy coordinator, Trisha Stark, PhD, for all of their work on these issues.
Ohio
The Ohio Psychological Association (OPA) is holding its annual convention in Columbus on April 24-26, 2019. The convention actually kicks off with the President’s Club dinner on April 23.
President’s Club members are invited to be guests of OPA at the dinner to talk with OPA leaders and our two special guests: Jared Skillings, PhD, chief of professional Practice, who is the convention keynote speaker; and Jennifer Kelly, PhD, co-chair of the APA Advocacy Coordinating Committee.
Members of the President’s Club are major supporters of the association and join at the $750 level. There are 12 members of the President’s Club this year. Information about the OPA conventionopens in new window is available online.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma legislative session is in full swing and the Oklahoma Psychological Association requested two bills: PsyPACT legislation and a bill which will add Psychologists to the professional definition of physician for parity purposes. Additionally, it is the year of our licensing act sunset so we are working to monitor changes to the act to further clarify who can use the term psychology, (SB 160 and SB 144) Here is our legislative agenda and a handout we developed last year at the request of legislators.
Virginia
The Virginia Academy of Clinical Psychologists now features a very well received, biweekly email consisting of no more than two paragraphs which provide reminders to those in private practice. “VACP Vitals” focuses on laws and regulations which practitioners may forget (such as required record retention, mandatory reporting of suspected child or adult abuse, etc.) Key is no ads or other information are contained in this email.
This fall we will start a program in which members may provide reduced fees for graduate students in Virginia doctoral psychology programs who may be looking for professional mental health services “from one who may understand the rigors of the doctoral program.” Member participation will be voluntary, and reimbursement determined between the member and graduate student.
Though awaiting approval by our governor, Virginia’s budget includes $2.6 million from the Commonwealth’s general fund and $4.3 million from federal Medicaid matching funds to increase Medicaid rates for mental health practitioners. By creating a “separate service category for psychiatric services,” mental health providers participating in Medicaid will be reimbursed at 100% of the 2018 Medicare rates. Program is subject to federal approval and slated to go into effect July 1, 2019.
It is noted that the Virginia Academy of Clinical Psychologists’ membership is limited to Virginia-licensed clinical psychologists, and graduate students in a doctoral program leading to such license. (Virginia does not license a general psychology license.)