I am writing to you two weeks before I will be attending the February meeting for the APA Council of Representatives, which is scheduled for February 26 and 27. At this meeting, we will be focusing on several items which I have selectively itemized for you as well as the category/office that oversees it.
- Educational affairs: Standards of Accreditation for Health Service Psychology: Master’s Programs
- Professional affairs: Professional Practice Guidelines for Evidence-Based Practice in Health Care Psychology
- Public interest: Amendment to Association Rule 50-2: Equal Opportunity Representation, APA Resolution on Racism, Guidelines for the Evaluation of Dementia and Age-Related Cognitive Change, Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Sexual Minority Persons, Resolution on Sexual Identity Change Efforts, Resolution on Gender Identity Change Efforts
- International affairs: Report of the APA Task Force on Human Rights; Resolution on APA, Psychology and Human Rights
We will also be discussing the new report of the Council Effectiveness Work Group, which was just recently added as an item for review and discussion. I will share the results of the meeting via our listserv sometime in March/April and then again in our summer newsletter. As always, please contact me know if you have concerns or questions for me in my role as your APA Council Representative.
Below is a summary of the business items that were attended to at the APA Council Meeting on August 5 and 6, 2020:
APA’s Council of Representatives met virtually August 5-6, during which it adopted a policy/position regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and agreed to forward to the Membership for a vote bylaws changes that would offer voting seats on the Council of Representatives to members of the ethnic minority psychology associations and voting privileges and a new membership category for certain psychology graduate students.
The COVID-19 policy/position statement recognizes the multi-pronged calamities of a global pandemic, widespread anti-racism protests and a mental health crisis with a disproportionate impact on marginalized populations – and affirmed psychology’s role in addressing their myriad harms. It passed by an overwhelming 98.8% of the vote (164 to one, with one abstention).
Calling for a population health approach to address the pandemic, the resolution highlights the role of psychology, as the science of behavior, in efforts to help increase adherence to physical distancing, mask wearing and handwashing. Noting the devastating number of hospitalizations and deaths from the coronavirus, the resolution points to the contributions of psychologists in addressing widespread stress, anxiety, depression and hopelessness.
In introducing the business item calling for a bylaw change that would offer seats on council the five current ethnic minority psychological associations (EMPAs), Michael Hendricks, PhD, noted this was the fourth time since 2007 that the council has wrestled with this question. He cited the confluence of COVID-19, racial unrest and deep-rooted health disparities affecting people of color in the United States in urging its passage. “We think the time is right – maybe even more than right,” he said. The measure passed by a wide margin – 160 to one, with two abstentions.
The five EMPAs covered by the proposed bylaws amendment are the American Arab, Middle Eastern and North African Psychological Association; the Asian American Psychological Association; Association of Black Psychologists; National Latinx Psychological Association; and the Society of Indian Psychologists.
Because of the almost universal support for the proposed EMPA bylaws amendment, the council voted not to include pro and con statements when it goes to the membership. The Bylaw amendment will include an explanatory statement.
During its second day of meeting, the council voted unanimously to receive the Report of the Work Group on Enhancing Council’s Effectiveness as a Policymaking Body which is currently out for a 45-day comment period. The report outlines recommendations on how the council can more effectively carry out its role to direct and inform policy, and advance APA’s strategic priorities, through an inclusive and collaborative approach reflecting a wide range of perspectives.
The council also revisited the issue of changing the bylaws to allow graduate students in psychology to vote in APA elections. (A similar measure passed council in 2019 but fell 58 votes short of passing the full membership.) After much debate surrounding whether to place certain guardrails around which psychology master’s students would be covered, the council passed the measure by 115 to 38, with 5 abstentions. It would create a new membership category for master’s and doctoral students who, after a year as graduate student members, would have the right to vote in the APA president-elect and board member-at-large elections and the bylaw amendment and apportionment ballots. In the case of this proposed bylaw amendment, council agreed to include pro and con statements, along with an explanatory statement, when it is sent to the full membership on November 2.
An item calling for changing the name of Div. 42 (Psychologists in Independent Practice) was withdrawn by its sponsors, who asked to postpone the motion until the February 2021 meeting so that the division can collaborate with all stakeholders.