1) What are your views regarding training models in professional psychology (e.g., scholar-practitioner, scientist-practitioner)? What are the most pressing issues in the education of professional psychologists?
The Education and Training Community has worked collaboratively for years on many projects and issues focused on updates and enhancements while at the same time highlighting collaboration as more important than any single training model. Accreditation supports this same philosophy – meeting accreditation standards is most important, and there is no hierarchy or tension related to the type of training model for each program. I agree with these views. I served on the Board of Professional Affairs and the Board of Directors when APA addressed this issue that is so critical to psychology. It will be important to continue to accredit all doctoral and internship programs that meet a unified quality standard and stay ahead of the curve with training in vital areas important to the future of our profession (e.g., workforce development, telehealth, mobility, integrated care, etc.).
2) As affirmed at our 1994 NCSPP Mid-Winter conference, NCSPP is committed to developing psychology as a socially responsible science that has a “central role in improving our society.” What do you think should be the focus of APA’s advocacy efforts in education and practice that are in alignment with NCSPP’s commitment?
APA’s recent modification of the c3/c6 structure is completely in line with NCSPP’s commitment to socially responsible science and to support advocacy efforts as One APA, joining together across education, science, practice, and public interest. The new Advocacy Coordinating Committee (for which I serve as co-chair) has primary responsibility to help structure decisions about ongoing Advocacy priorities consistent with the c3/c6 structure and the new APA Strategic Plan.
Advocacy priorities in education and practice should include efforts to increase the diversity of our workforce. This can best be accomplished through effective recruitment and support of the students throughout their studies. Specific policy to achieve this priority would be funding for fellowships for graduate education and adequate funding of internships. Although funding for graduate education in psychology for all should be a priority, special funding for students of diverse backgrounds should be sought. Students need to be incentivized to practice in underserved areas (e.g., rural and high poverty urban areas), such as through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. APA needs to continue its advocacy for such programs. APA needs to continue to advocate for access to adequate mental health care for ALL individuals, including our underserved populations, those who rely on Medicare and Medicaid for treatment. We must be vigilant in making sure that mental health is covered at the same level as physical health. Finally, there needs to be increased funding for psychological research that addresses the problems in our society, e.g., homelessness, the opioid epidemic, violence and the impact of concentrated poverty.
3) What actions are needed to address the changing employment market for professional psychologists?
Although the employment market is continuously changing, there have been more changes with the Affordable Care Act, the shifting demographics of the country, the aging of the population, and the increasing number of people living with chronic diseases. It will be important for the Education and Training programs to keep up with the evolving healthcare demands of our society. We need to maintain data on the changing workforce, develop and sustain our readiness to meet the needs of the changing healthcare system, and prepare doctoral level psychologists with the necessary skills to meet the changing demands of our field.
One key movement in progress to address the changing employment market is the plan to foster science-based Psychology master’s degree programs and establish an accreditation system so that we expand the workforce while staying true to our scientific foundation. This well-trained group of clinical providers will enhance our ability to serve the underserved through many venues, while still holding true to our current policy of the “psychologist” title reserved for doctoral level graduates.
Another notable evolution is more psychologists moving into integrative care and inter-and multi-disciplinary team settings. It will be important that our trainees learn how to function in these settings with treatment teams focused on the overall care of patients. Telepsychology will be another important area for trainees to embrace this changing healthcare world. Many training programs already provide these training opportunities. It will be important for psychologists and trainees to know how to effectively evaluate, treat and bill for their work in these settings. APA should continue to work with The Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB) in advocating for widespread adoption of the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact (PSYPACT), which was created to facilitate telehealth and temporary in-person, face-to-face practice of psychology across jurisdictional boundaries.
4) What should be APA’s next steps in addressing diversity issues in psychology education and practice?
During my service on the APA Board of Directors, we deliberately focused on increasing the diversity of the Association and the profession through initiatives and programs such as the Commission on Ethnic Minority Recruitment, Retention and Training, the diversity initiative of the Practice Leadership Conference, the bi-annual Diversity Leadership Development Workshop which I established 10 years ago and continue to organize, addressing health disparities, and encouraging membership and leadership by students through APAGS and early career psychologists at all levels of governance.
It is essential for us to remain vigilant and make sure that we continue to address the needs of all the members of our association. NCSPP has played an important role in addressing diversity issues in education and practice. The organization needs to continue its strong focus and help model this for the profession. We must continue to improve our course training models, as increasing the numbers of diverse students and faculty is insufficient if we continue to use course and training models that fail to require understanding the important role discrimination and poverty play in the lives of our students and clients.
5) How might APA ensure that there are adequate internship and postdoctoral opportunities for students?
The Education and Training Community has worked collaboratively for years to address the imbalance with huge success. This required a re-balancing of student enrollment while expanding accredited internship opportunities. In addition, a number of states have moved to eliminate the postdoctoral requirement for licensure. In fact, in 2005, I was a member of the Task Force that directly addressed this issue, “Education and training leading to licensure in Psychology”. Efforts continue to address building the foundation needed for accredited programs while maintaining quality standards through a requirement for accreditation at each of these levels.
6) While student loan debt is a higher education problem, not just one for psychology, what ideas/actions might APA have to address this issue?
APA Education Government Relations Staff (and now APA’s Advocacy staff across all directorates) have worked tirelessly and with others involved in a coalition, to promote the importance of debt reduction and graduate student access to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program – with several recent trips to Capitol Hill to lobby for the continuation of this program. This is just one aspect of addressing student loan debt, which remains a challenge for students and early career psychologists. APA has been successful in securing and increasing funding for The Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Graduate Psychology Education (GPE) Program. APA should continue advocacy for sustained HRSA funding and other funding.
Many of my responses mention actions APA has done or is currently doing. This is because for nine years I served on the APA Board of Directors and actually participated in strategizing with, working with, and/or approving the proposals brought to the BOD by the Education, Practice, or other directorates.