CoR Corner
Michele D. Ribeiro, EdD, ABPP, CGP, AGPA-F
As I write this column, I am beginning to prepare for the upcoming Council of Representatives meeting that will be happening on February 22nd through 24th. Caucus meetings to prepare for CoR will be on the 15th and 16th and I plan to attend as many as my schedule will allow as they will be occurring via Zoom from 7am to 2pm PT. Additionally, Dr. Cynthia de las Fuentes, our 2024 APA President has set up a day on Capital Hill where we will be meeting with our state legislators to discuss more advocacy related opportunities. We will have a meeting via Zoom on February 13 followed by a networking dinner on Feb 21st and then all-day meetings on February 22nd. As your representative, I have signed up to attend all the meetings and learn how to be a better advocate for important matters related to group and equity and inclusion.
Although the agenda is still being put together, there are a few things that I know will be presented and voted upon in the next two weeks. These items include the following:
- Council is asked to adopt as APA policy the 2024 Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Older Adults and approve December 31, 2024 as its expiration date.
- Council is asked to approve an extension for the Clinical Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Depression Across Three Age Cohorts to December31, 2029. The Guideline is currently set to expire on December 31, 2024.
- Council is asked to receive a 2019 Report entitled “Uses of Individual Isolation of Youth in Juvenile Justice” and to adopt as APA policy a more recently developed “Resolution Opposing Involuntary Individual Isolation of Youth in Juvenile Justice Settings.”
- Council is asked to adopt as APA policy the Resolution to Support Parents with Disabilities.
- Council is asked to adopt as APA policy the Resolution on the Secure Storage of Firearms and Lethal Means Safety Strategies to Prevent Suicides.
- Council is asked to adopt as APA policy the Policy Statement on Affirming Evidence-Based Inclusive Care for Transgender, Gender Diverse, and Nonbinary Individuals, Addressing Misinformation, and the Role of Psychological Practice and Science.
- Council Leadership Task Force Update on CETF Recommendations for Effectiveness on Council
- Update on PUBLICATIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS (P&C) BOARD ACTIVITIES
- Update on the DEVELOPMENT OF CLINICAL PRACTICE GUIDELINES BY APA
- APA Governance will be presenting the 2024 proposed APA/APASI Strategic Plan (see below for overview):
2024 proposed APA/APASI Strategic Plan
Notes
1. Throughout the plan, the term “psychologist” is used. When an area of psychology is not specified, the intention is that all areas of psychology are included—science, professional practice, education and training, applied, and in the public interest.
2. The order of the goals and objectives within the plan is not meant to indicate order of priority or hierarchy.
3. Throughout the plan, the term “health” is inclusive of, but not limited to, such terms as holistic wellness, mental, physical
and behavioral health.
VISION
A strong, diverse, and unified psychology that enhances knowledge and improves the human condition.
MISSION
To promote the advancement, communication, and application of psychological science and knowledge to benefit society and improve lives.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
The beliefs that guide and inform all that APA does. They apply equally across all areas of psychology including science, professional practice, education and training, applied, and in the public interest.
• Engage, connect, and serve members. Provide tools, resources, support, and networks that address member needs while creating an inclusive environment that fosters a sense of community and belonging.
• Build on a foundation of science. Advance research and efforts to translate, disseminate, and apply research findings in a range of settings while ensuring that the organization’s policies, advocacy, and offerings are informed by the best available psychological science and knowledge.
• Champion equity, diversity, and inclusion. Infuse the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) into all aspects of APA and its work to create systemic, structural, and institutional change within APA, across the field of
psychology, and throughout broader society.
• Respect and promote human rights. Focus on human rights, equity, and nondiscrimination for all peoples.
• Advance psychology and support psychologists. Demonstrate a steadfast commitment to promoting the discipline of psychology while advocating on behalf of APA’s members and all psychologists.
OPERATING PRINCIPLES
How all parts of APA will work together to execute the plan.
• Increase organizational effectiveness. Collaborate across APA to align resources, decision-making, and the contributions of elected and appointed leaders, staff, and the broader membership in service of advancing the strategic
plan. Focus on the future, make evidence-informed decisions, and create capacity for new strategic initiatives.
• Focus on outcomes. Identify and pursue meaningful and measurable outcomes to significantly advance the interests of the public, the field, and psychologists.
• Embrace cultural humility and reflexivity. Commit to organizational self-reflection while partnering with and learning from the people, communities, and systems the APA seeks to serve.
• Embrace a global perspective. Advance psychology through global engagement, association programs, and meaningful collaborations with psychological associations and other relevant groups from around the world.
• Build meaningful partnerships. Collaborate with psychology partners, including APA Divisions, state, territorial and provincial psychology associations, ethnic psychology associations, and other relevant groups.
JANUARY 2024 PROPOSED APA/APASI STRATEGIC PLANS STRATEGIC GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Goals are the high-level descriptions of what APA must achieve to be successful. They are aspirational in that they are wide-ranging, complex, and ongoing.
Objectives are more specific and address the component pieces of each goal.
Utilize psychological science and knowledge to make a positive impact on critical societal issues.
1. Increase access to care and focus on reducing disparities in health outcomes by advancing a population health approach.
2. Promote the application of psychology to improve the functioning of public and private institutions, organizations, systems, and communities.
3. Advocate for evidence-informed policy decisions at the global, national, state, and local levels.
4. Establish psychology as a key contributor in the development, evaluation, and application of technology.
5. Foster the advancement of human rights through the application of psychological science to human rights systems and mechanisms, and the utilization of human rights-based approaches.
Prepare the field of psychology for current and future opportunities and challenges.
1. Grow, diversify, develop, and support the next generation of psychologists.
2. Facilitate the continued professional development of experienced psychologists.
3. Advocate for increased federal and state level funding for psychology research, education, training, and service delivery.
4. Promote the use of new and established research findings, technologies, and methodologies in all settings.
Elevate the public’s understanding, appreciation, and utilization of psychology.
1. Expand the public’s understanding of psychology and psychologists to accurately reflect the full breadth of the field.
2. Engage and support educational systems to foster lifelong appreciation and application of psychology.
3. Make psychological science accessible and understandable to the public and key decision makers.
4. Promote psychology’s unique contributions in health, health care, and human wellbeing.
5. Educate the public about the quality and effectiveness of psychology-related products, services, and technologies.
Strengthen APA’s role as a leading voice for psychology.
1. Contribute to the advancement of psychological science and practice through the continued development and enhancement of publishing programs, products, and services.
2. Partner with state, provincial and territorial associations, APA Divisions, and other external groups to increase the effectiveness of federal, state, and local level advocacy operations.
3. Serve as a leading resource for standards and evidence-informed guidelines for the field.
4. Apply an ethical framework to guide behavior of psychologists within the discipline and profession, APA as an organization, and the broader society.
5. Expand and enhance APA’s role as a developer and distributor of science, practice, education, and career resources for psychology.
Hopefully this gives you an overview of what we will be covering for now. Be on the lookout for the summary which will be published in the next newsletter as well as sent out to Division 49 membership, via our Divison 49 listserv, when they are posted and provided for me to share. As always reach out as needed regarding CoR questions/concerns through my email: michele.ribeiro@oregonstate.edu
Thank you!
