Michele D. Ribeiro, EdD, ABPP, CGP, AGPA-F, APA-F
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As I enter my final year serving as your Council Representative for Division 49, I want to take a moment to reflect on what an honor it has been to hold this role. Soon, the results of the election will be announced, and we will learn who will carry this work forward starting in January 2026. I look forward to mentoring them into the process.
Throughout my term, it has been a privilege to represent our division and to share updates on how I and other delegates have contributed to shaping APA policy. I am proud of the work we’ve accomplished together.
I’ll save my final reflections and thoughts on passing the torch for our fall newsletter, which will be my last column. Until then, thank you for the opportunity to serve.
On to my overview… In late February, I shared a summary of the APA Council of Representatives meeting—held on February 21st and 22nd—via our Division 49 listserv. As I typically do, I’m reposting that summary here to ensure broader access for those who may have missed it.
Leading up to the Council meeting, I also had the opportunity to participate in the second annual APA Capitol Hill Advocacy Day, joining fellow Council Representatives in lobbying efforts. As an Oregon resident, I was part of the Oregon delegation and met with six staffers representing our state’s U.S. Senators and House Representatives.
During these meetings, we advocated for the following legislative priorities:
Finalize FY25 appropriations and support $30 million in FY26 for the Graduate Psychology Education (GPE) Program. Increasing funding for GPE would train more psychologists to work in integrated care settings and expand access to mental and behavioral health services in underserved and rural communities. Mental health services are needed now more than ever, especially given the shortage of psychologists in OR.
Finalize FY25 NIH appropriations at no less than the Senate level of $50.3 billion and support robust, sustained funding for NIH in FY26. Protecting and supporting robust funding for NIH is critical as NIH investment takes place in every state and nearly every congressional district. This investment leads to longer, healthier lives by supporting critical research which serves as the foundation for nearly every preventive intervention, diagnostic, treatment, and cure in practice today.
Protect access to behavioral health services in Medicaid. Medicaid is the single largest source of coverage for behavioral health services. Without Medicaid, many low-income children, adults, and families would lose access to life-saving mental, behavioral, and substance use disorder treatment. A reduction in coverage for behavioral health services would also result in overall higher costs to the state, as many people experiencing a behavioral health crisis would instead rely on obtaining care in inappropriate settings like emergency rooms or jails/prisons.
I have included these remarks here so you can see some of the language we used in case you would like to consider lobbying at your state capital. APA has a strong advocacy arm that can assist psychologists in lobbying for the needs of our states / country. If interested, please check out https://www.apaservices.org/advocacy and read more about the 2025 priorities and how you can get involved.
There were many opportunities to engage during the meeting. Below is a condensed summary of the highlights and outcomes of the work we achieved.
February 2025 Council Meeting Highlights
APA’s Council of Representatives held a hybrid meeting Feb. 21-22, with in-person Council members
convening in Washington, D.C.
Watched the APA Video: We are psychologists. We create meaningful change.
APA’s Continued Commitment to Justice, Human Rights, Fairness and Dignity
Acknowledging concern raised by recent policy changes, the Council voted (156-4 with 1 abstention) to
adopt a statement reaffirming APA’s commitment to justice, human rights, fairness, and dignity for all,
recognizing these values as central to psychology.
The statement recognizes that research shows that discrimination and systemic barriers contribute to
health disparities and harm mental health among marginalized populations. It also notes that
psychologists are integral to addressing systemic inequities and creating inclusive systems and that
“psychologists engaged in these efforts are at the forefront of combating disparities and advocating for
historically disadvantaged racial and ethnic groups, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people with disabilities.”
It also calls on legislators to support programs promoting fairness and inclusion; to promote culturally
responsive mental health services; to prioritize grants and research initiatives that focus on addressing
mental health disparities faced by underserved and marginalized communities; to safeguard the role of
psychology in public policy; and increase public awareness and education on inclusivity in psychology.
Protecting psychological test data
The Council passed (150-14 with 1 abstention) a resolution calling for securing psychological test data.
Such data includes tests used in psychological assessments, evaluations in child custody disputes and
competency to stand trial, identification of educational disabilities or qualification for educational
programs, fitness for duty and presurgical evaluations.
“The focus of this resolution is to establish policy on APA’s position and role in protecting the validity of
psychological testing so that public safety is upheld and access to services for marginalized communities
is bolstered,” the resolution states. It was developed to address legal proceedings in which psychologists
have been pressured to divulge test materials and data, at times contrary to the policies of APA and state laws that protect test security.
Calling for Stronger Privacy Protections for Neural and Cognitive Data
Recognizing the increasing use of devices that collect and analyze personal biometric data, the Council
adopted a policy aimed at safeguarding the privacy of people’s neural and cognitive data.
The Resolution on the Protection of Neural and Cognitive Data, which was approved unanimously,
addresses the need for ethical collection, storage and use of data gathered from direct-to-consumer
software and wearable devices. These technologies, ranging from smartwatches to virtual reality systems
and eye gaze technology, are capable of collecting biometric and neurophysiological data that can
provide insights into an individual’s mental state, cognitive processes, and even attitudes and thoughts.
Though this technology has enormous potential to benefit humanity, the resolution highlights the 2
sensitive nature of such data, which could be used as markers for mental health diagnoses or workplace
performance.
The resolution reaffirms people’s right to mental privacy, including protection against uninformed
collection and potential misuse of biometric and neural information. It also calls for the development of
comprehensive mental privacy legislation.
Council Policy Manual: Revisions to Doctoral and Master’s Degrees
The Council passed two motions to approve revisions to policies to better align APA’s efforts to support
and integrate master’s degree psychology professionals into the profession. These revisions aim to
protect the title “psychologist” and who can use it (doctoral-trained professionals) while creating
opportunities for master’s-trained psychology professionals to provide psychological services.
The Council voted 133-24 with 5 abstentions to accept revisions to “Doctorate as the Minimum Entry
into the Professional Practice of Psychology” (2006) and voted 126-34 with 7 abstentions to accept
revisions to “Policy on Challenges to the Doctoral Standard for Psychology” (2002).
Council voted to reject the following motion:
That Council adopts as APA policy Guidelines for a Competency Framework for Master’s and Doctoral Degree Education and Training in Health Service Psychology and approves December 31, 2035 as the expiration date for the competencies.
Advancing Population Health and Health Equity
The Council unanimously adopted as APA policy a statement elevating APA’s ongoing work to advance
population health and health equity. The policy statement, entitled “Advancing Evidence-Based
Prevention Across the Lifespan,” acknowledges the social determinants of health and urges support for
prevention and early intervention, as well as training and research in health promotion and the
promotion of community-based and community-led programs. It also calls on payors to allow
reimbursement of health care practitioners for addressing social and structural determinants of health
and implementing interventions to advance population health.
Guidelines Adopted on PTSD, Measurement-Based Care and Practice in Health Care Delivery Systems
The Council adopted three sets of guidelines:
• The Council voted 142-12 with 4 abstentions to adopt revised Clinical Practice Guideline for the
Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Adults, with an expiration date of December 2035.
The guideline addresses the efficacy of treatments, as well as the comparative effectiveness of
approaches for treatment of PTSD and complex PTSD in adults. It is an update to the original
clinical practice guideline for PTSD in adults issued in 2017.
• The Council unanimously adopted the first ever Professional Practice Guidelines on
Measurement-Based Care. These guidelines aim to educate psychologists on competencies for
conducting measurement-based care, “a clinical process in which data are used to monitor
treatment progress and processes to enhance communication and inform treatment planning
during the provision of psychological intervention.” MBS is an evidence-based practice that has
been shown to improve symptom outcomes and reduce treatment dropout.
• The Council unanimously adopted revised Guidelines for Psychological Practice in Health Care
Delivery Systems, with an expiration date of December 2035. These guidelines note the
expanding role of psychologists as an integral part of interdisciplinary teams in health care
systems in the U.S. and offer recommendations on how to practice psychology in evolving health
care delivery systems.