I have had a lot of trouble writing this column due to my deep concern and sadness over all that has been going on in this country. The quadruple whammy of health and other social disparities, economic disasters, threats to democracy here and abroad, and the final blow - the decimation of a women’s’ right to control over her body has sent me spinning. It was only the joy of my daughter’s wedding that allowed me to get a break from the urgent press to get involved…but that is now back. The overturning of Roe v Wade, a fight I was very involved with decades earlier, makes it clear that whatever you believe in or have worked for, you need to stay vigilant since even hard-fought battles are never permanently guaranteed.
The focus on state level regulation for social issues has me recognizing the power of local activity - SPTA activity. To bring this down to the Division 31 level, it points out the importance of understanding where decisions are made and where power lies. For psychology this means not just at the national or congressional level, but also at the state level. Moreover, as I get more involved with local politics, I find that many decisions which impact psychological health begin there as well. I once again point out the importance of support for SPTAs. I have spent my whole professional life involved with, indebted to and trumpeting the importance of the SPTAs to the work of APA and psychology. It is only through supporting strong SPTAs alongside a strong APA that we can do the work necessary to develop and maintain the highest cutting-edge functions for psychologists and insure access to them.
I am asking for your help! Our division, like others, is impacted by the membership marketing forces that other divisions are facing: aging membership and the reluctance of younger generations to appreciate the value of association membership. PLEASE help me change that perception! How?
Here are five ways you can help:
- Look at your board and count the number who are members of Division 31. Encourage all of them all to join Division 31. Your talking points can include SPTA related benefits - our Division is the only division whose mission is to promote SPTAs and funding for SPTAs to APA, and personal benefits - it promotes members to leadership in APA as well as allowing for APA fellow status based on SPTA leadership activities.
- Get involved in the division. If you don’t know how, please contact me and I will help you personally. There are many exciting projects we are working on.
- The division is engaged in a strategic planning effort focused on your needs. We are sending out a survey to see what they are. Please fill it out- it is short and important. We are also surveying APA staff to get their feedback on what is important for our division to be doing into the future.
- I am a life member of APA, therefore dues exempt. Remember that I said our membership is aging? That means that APA life members remain our members (we are happy for this) but they pay no dues to the division. We are now able to take contributions to the division if you are a life member like me, I am going to be the first to make a contribution to Division 31 of $50 which would be my dues as a non-life member. Please join me in contributing to the division. It has been an important home for me and I want it to thrive which takes money and leadership (please reread point number 2 above!)
- Please share the statements, resources and projects your SPTA is proud of. We will share those and archive them so other SPTAs can benefit from your work and leadership.
These are 5 ways you can help us with our mission. I hope to see many of you at the APA convention this year. If I don’t know you (or don’t recognize you because you are wearing a mask), please introduce yourself to me and do come to the Division 31 social hour. At the social hour, besides socializing, we will be giving awards for the Outstanding Psychologist, Early Career and Excellence in Rural Psychology. The social hour will be in the Minneapolis Grand Ballroom G Third Floor on Friday August 5, from 5:00-6:00 PM.
Thank you for your continued support of Division 31.