Personally, I have experienced the barriers, the implicit bias, the marginalization, and uneven playing field that members of the SPSOGD experience, and I am committed to advancing the value of equitable treatment of all members in APA and society. Because of my commitment to social justice, every year of my term on the APA Board of Directors and as Recording Secretary, I requested that my liaison assignment be to the Board for the Advancement of Psychology in the Public Interest (BAPPI). After my first term I became the liaison to BAPPI and its committees, which included the Committee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity (CSOGD) and served in that role the remainder of my term on the BOD. While in this role, I attended and actively advocated for the issues of not only BAPPI, but for CSOGD and the other Public Interest committees. As you know, BAPPI assures that psychology serves the public interest and advances social justice, health and well-being for all people. My liaison work with BAPPI was harmonious with commitment to diversity and my belief that it is critical if we are to solve concerns facing society.
In 2004, while serving as the Federal Advocacy Coordinator and Treasurer of the Political Action Committee with the Georgia Psychological Association, the Georgia Marriage Amendment was proposed. This Amendment proposed that Georgia recognize marriage as only a union between a man and woman. If passed, same-sex couples in Georgia would have not only been denied marriage but also access to over 1,000 federal and approximately 300 state rights and protections. I actively fought against passage of the amendment, including being part of an extensive media campaign in which I played an active role being featured in a PowerPoint video advocating against this Marriage Amendment. My work to fight against state law that would sanction and legitimize discrimination attests to my long-standing commitment to end discrimination against LGBTQ individuals as well as discrimination more broadly (I will send a file of the PP/Video).
My commitment to social justice also is evidenced in my community involvement. Specifically, I consistently work to ensure that Boards on which I serve equally benefit all members of society, including LGBTQ individuals. With that in mind, I made the decision to serve on the Board of Chris 180 (formerly known as ChrisKids) and served from 2008-2013. I joined this particular Board because of its commitment to the way they treat ALL youth in the program. Chris 180 is known for being one of the first organizations to openly serve LGBTQ youth in the late 80’s. In 2001 they opened the first program in the Southeast to serve homeless youth with targeted outreach to Lesbian, Gay, Transgender, and Questioning (LGBTQ) youth. From its inception, Chris 180 has always helped ALL homeless youth, communicating acceptance and love, and specifically welcoming inclusion to LGBTQ youth. Close to 65% of their adoptions are to LGBTQ parents. They are proud of the fact that they were first to place transgendered children in the group homes of their identified gender and have been a key partner in advocacy on behalf of LGBTQ youth.
The 4-pillars of my APA presidential campaign are: Advocacy, Inclusion, Leadership, and Experience. I believe all of these are necessary if we are to make a difference in APA, our profession and society. As a person who is board certified in clinical health psychology, I remain committed to addressing the health and well-being of all patients, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and gender nonconforming and queer individuals. Although I am still fleshing out details, I am committed to two areas as Presidential initiatives:
1) Integrated care for the underserved and marginalized populations. Because of classism, lower socio-economic conditions, logistical challenges and stigma, the barriers to health care can seem insurmountable for some populations. As noted by APA’s Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic and Sexual Minority Boys and Men report, sexual minority boys and men have higher rates of suicide and are more likely to experience mental health problems than heterosexual men. My integrated care initiative will incorporate my model of education, training, and practice, to bring social justice, reduce health disparities, and offer a way to bring health care to marginalized populations.
2) Serious mental illness (SMI). This population is among the most marginalized and underserved. I believe that we have much to offer in working with this population, and that all of psychology can make a difference. Psychology has not found a way to include these individuals in the mainstream access to health care. The fee structure for practice has significantly impeded access. A new model of care is past due, one that will involve community practitioners in breaking down the barriers for this population. In APA, I would work with the Task Force on Serious Mental Illness and Severe Emotional Disturbance (TFSMI/SED). From 1996-2012, I served on the Board of 3Keys (formerly Project Interconnections), whose mission is to provide permanent housing for homeless individuals while treating their mental illness. This has been met with great success, and I hope we can be even more successful with our initiative.
With both initiatives there is much work to be done to have desired impact, and I would welcome collaboration with APA members.