News & Events

• Society for Child and Family Policy and Practice (Div. 37) stands in solidarity with the Asian American Psychological Association. We affirm the humanity of all Asian and Asian American communities, while also committing ourselves to anti-racist policies and practices. We endorse their statement denouncing xenophobia, discrimination and racism that have been amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic. 
• The Resolution on Physical Discipline of Children by Parents was adopted by APA Council of Representatives following a vote in February, 2019. This resolution provides extensive empirical evidence on the adverse effects of physical discipline and encourages parents to use alternative forms of discipline. This resolution was forwarded by APA’s Committee on Children, Youth, and Families as a consequence of the task force report on parental discipline, a joint effort between Div. 37 and Div. 7. For more information on the resolution, please see APA's press release.
• The division recently endorsed the Coalition for the Advancement and Application of Psychological Science’s consensus statement on evidence-based practice decision-making for mental and behavioral health care. 
• Div. 37 was one of the sponsors for a congressional briefing, "School Violence, Safety and Well-being," convened by the National Prevention Science Coalition (NPSC). The briefing covered a full range of science-based strategies to substantially reduce and respond to all forms of school-based aggression and violence, as well as a specific talk on the data-driven strategies to reduce rates of gun-related homicides, suicides and rampage assaults. More information is available online.
• Div. 37 co-sponsored a bipartisan congressional briefing on homelessness delivered by contributors to the 2017 Advances in Child and Family Policy Practice, Children and Family Well-Being and Homelessness. Videos of the presentations are available online.
• Div. 37 Co-Sponsors Congressional Briefing: The division recently co-sponsored a congressional briefing on preventing human trafficking. More information and access to videos from the briefing is available online.
• Div. 37 Sponsors Workshop
  The division co-sponsored a free workshop on strategies that research-oriented professionals can use to support the use of research in policy in Washington, D.C., on June 5, 2017. This full-day workshop covered:
    1. Research on barriers and facilitators of the use of empirical evidence in public policy (e.g., trusting relationships).
    2. Ways researchers can seek to engage in the legislative process while avoiding the “slippery slope” of lobbying regulations.
    3. Involve participants in a mock-response practice session with legislative staff.
• Div. 37 Is Now an Affiliate of NPSC
  The Div. 37 board recently voted to become an affiliate of the National Prevention Science Coalition. NPSC promotes "the application of validated, science-based findings to wide-scale, effective implementation of prevention practices and policies" across various areas of concern. The coalition is composed of scientists and professionals across various disciplines, policy makers, community stakeholders, and funders. NPSC works, in a bipartisan manner, with Congress and various federal agencies to incorporate prevention science into their work.
• Statement Regarding Hitting Children 
  The Div. 7 and 37 Task Force on Physical Punishment of Children released a statement on its views against the hitting children. 
  
• Div. 37-sponsored Publication Seeks Board Members
  Advances in Child and Family Policy and Practice, a SpringerBriefs publication sponsored by Div. 37, seeks additional members for its editorial board.
  

128th APA Annual Convention
Aug. 6-9, 2020
Washington, D.C.