Building the Future of Psychology

Proposed APA Presidential Initiative

Task Force on "Public Health and Health Policy: Opportunities For Psychologists in Practice, Research, Advocacy, and Public Service:"

I believe that it is important that Psychology and psychologists understand that there is an opportunity for our field to impact society on a broad scale, and healthcare specifically, if we pay greater attention to the fields of public health and health policy. There is an opportunity to advocate for research funding for community based research as well as to assure that psychologists receive training opportunities to work in the public health sector and influence communities as well as individuals via reimbursable practice activities. This would clearly broaden our scope of practice and assure that psychologist move into leadership roles in public health. This is truly psychology in the public interest. Further, many psychologists already are involved in not only advocating for public health care but are in positions to carry out the research and even prepare the legislation that drives health care services and research.

I will appoint a task force to develop a position paper on Psychology and public health and public policy and to prepare recommendations for the APA Council on these topics. This Task Force would focus on further acquainting our field with these opportunities and preparing information to be incorporated into APA's Strategic Plan for the Future of Psychology. It may be time for a "Division of Public Health and Public Policy" in APA to assure that this mission is truly a future role for Psychology; I would ask the Task Force to address this issue.

Muehrer, P, Afifi, A. Coyne, J., Kring, A., Merson, M., Prohaska, T., and Rozensky, R. (2002). Research on Mental Disorders: Overcoming Barriers to Collaborations Between Basic Behavioral Scientists and Public Health Scientists. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings, 9, 252-262.

Schneiderman, N., Speers, M.A., Silva, J.M., Tomes, H., and Gentry, J.H. (2001). Integrating Behavioral and Social Sciences with Public Health. Washington, DC: The American Psychological Association.

An additional "future-oriented" initiative --- Keeping Psychologists in the Family of Psychology:
I would ask the APA Membership Board to look at two specific issues. (1) Neuroscience: The future of brain, mind, behavior, and Psychology and (2) “Hyphenated Psychologists”: Keeping everyone in the family.

Many psychologist move into fields of economics, business, public policy, neuroscience, and clinical trials, to name just a few, and no longer identify themselves as a "psychologist" or use the term "psychology" to define themselves or their work. They often leave APA and identify with other professional societies and thus Psychology is missing out on their expertise and their help in making certain that the public understands the broad scientific and professional roles in which we are involved. I would ask the Membership Board to look at the numbers of these individuals and how APA can reach out to assure they remain as "hypenated" psychologists such as "psychologist-neuroscientist", "economist-psychologist" etc. and to help re-engage them in APA and in building our future.