My Let’s Talk Series is for me to listen, learn and co-create an agenda for change as I run for APA president. Three important issues emerged about practice toward an agenda for change.
Changes in our health care system continue with rising costs and more restrictive guidelines. The new APA Advocacy structure merging our c3 and c6 entities intends to enable APA to advocate for all of psychology. Yet, practitioners worry that resources to advocate for and support practice will diminish. Clinical guidelines are being developed at an increased pace for psychology to compete effectively in an integrated health care environment. Yet, many practitioners feel they are narrow and restricted in defining evidence-based treatment and create an arbitrary dichotomy between clinical and professional guidelines. To address practice concerns, APA should:
address stagnant reimbursement rates and widespread parity discrepancies and violations,
reexamine the development of clinical guidelines with broad base input guided by APA’s tripartite definition of EBPP as the integration of the best available research with clinical expertise in the context of patient characteristics, culture, and preferences, and
ensure that the new APA Advocacy structure prioritizes practice issues.
Practitioners are becoming increasingly specialized (e.g., neuropsychology, forensic psychology, health psychology, prescriptive authority). The growth of telepsychology has increased access to care (e.g., rural areas, home bound elderly, language needs), but we are only beginning to address barriers through such initiatives as PsyPact—an interstate compact designed to facilitate the practice of telepsychology and the temporary in-person, face-to-face practice of psychology across state boundaries. Mobile apps and digital technologies are now offering psychotherapy, personal growth, and risk prevention services with little oversight by psychologists. As our practice becomes increasingly complex, we need to address how practitioners can maintain the viability of effective and accessible clinical treatment, and to ensure quality and culturally competent services in these new areas of growth.
Our teaching and education to prepare students for careers in psychology have historically emphasized research and practice. Accreditation of Master's programs in psychology is on the horizon. We need to address scope and quality of services that continue to recognize the value of doctoral level practitioners. General applied psychology is being recognized as a long overlooked area of how psychology impacts many areas of everyday life. We must use a lens that recognizes all bodies of knowledge. Sometimes this means unlearning our privileged views that prevent us from progressing forward. We must considers new career pathways for training our students to serve and practice in a global and diverse world—that includes MA level practitioners, and psychology in the high schools. We must ensure the quality of training and skills for practitioners in today global and diverse society
PsychologistsLEAD – Lead-Empower-Advocate and make a Difference
Let’s LEAD Together with psychologists as Leaders for Change to Engage all in Advancing psychology toward solutions that make a Difference
Jean Lau Chin for APA President https://www.jeanlauchinforapapresident.com/