Council Policy Manual
About APA Policies
The Council Policy Manual is a collection of policy actions taken by the APA Council of Representatives from 1960* to the present.
The "By Section" tab follows the same major subject headings and sequence that is used in the agenda books of the Council of Representatives.
The "By Topic" tab lists policies in alphabetical order by formal title or a descriptive name in cases where there was no formal title.
The "By Year" tab lists the policies by the year Council approved them.
*In 1960, Council voted that "All previous actions of Council that are of a continuing nature be repealed except for those statements of policy that are contained by reference in the proposed Rules of Council." Because of this, no Council policy decisions dated prior to 1960 are included in the Manual.
For past policies that are no longer active, visit the Council Policy Manual Archive.
Board of Directors
Adoption, support, or endorsement of documents, resolutions, or policies of another organization
Doctorate as minimum entry into the professional practice of psychology
Psychological needs of our troops, veterans, and their families
Psychologists and Unlawful Detention Settings with a Focus on National Security
Resolution to endorse a comprehensive mission of the National Institute of Mental Health
The psychological needs of U.S. military service members and their families: A preliminary report
Central Office
Convention Affairs
Policy on business meetings and presidential addresses for organizations not an integral part of APA
Policy on reimbursement of non-APA guest speakers at convention
Policy that all convention programming must be submitted through a division
Policy that the Board of Directors determines the site of the APA annual convention
Divisions and State, Provincial, and Territorial Associations
Principles for quality undergraduate education in psychology
Principles for the validation and use of personnel selection procedures, 4th edition
Psychologists should be encouraged to join at least one division of their choice
Educational Affairs
Biofeedback: Applied psychophysiology as a proficiency in professional psychology
Clinical child psychology as a specialty in professional psychology
Clinical geropsychology as a proficiency in professional psychology
Clinical Health psychology as a specialty in professional psychology
Counseling psychology as a specialty in professional psychology
Guidelines for assessment of and intervention with persons with disabilities
Guidelines and principles for accreditation of programs in professional psychology
Guidelines for psychological practice with ethnic and culturally diverse populations
Guidelines for psychological practice with lesbian, gay and bisexual clients
Guidelines for the evaluation of dementia and age-related cognitive change
Industrial and organizational psychology as a specialty in professional psychology
Policy on encouraging doctoral programs that will build on the masters degree
Policy on improving the teaching of psychology at the precollege level
Policy on needed education and training to teach psychology at the postsecondary level
Policy that provides membership status in TOPPS to all high school teacher affiliates
Principles for the recognition of specialties in professional psychology
Procedures for recognition of specialties and proficiencies in professional psychology
Proficiency in professional psychology: Assessment and treatment of serious mental illness
Proficiency in professional psychology: Personality Assessment
Psychoanalysis in psychology as a specialty in professional psychology
Recommended Postdoctoral Education and Training Program in Psychopharmacology RXP Model Curriculum
Resolution in support of education for sustainable development
Resolution on attracting ethnic minority students to the study of psychology
Resolution on quality assurance in international education and training: APA as a learning partner
Resolution on teaching enhancement programs for graduate students
Specialty in professional psychology: Behavioral and Cognitive Psychology
Specialty in professional psychology: Clinical Neuropsychology
Specialty in professional psychology: Professional Geropsychology
Taxonomy for post doctoral and continuing education and training in psychology
Use of the term "clinical" in specialty and proficiency titles
Elections
Policy regarding Council representatives seeking positions on APA boards and committees
Policy that Central Office conducts the ballot for electing SPTA Council Representatives
Policy urging boards and committees to develop strategies to get new people involved in governance
Ethics
Report of the Presidential Task Force on Psychological Ethics and National Security
Resolution against torture and other cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment or punishment
Ethnic Minority Affairs
Racial and ethnic bias/profiling in law enforcement and security activities
Resolution to enhance ethnic minority recruitment, retention and training in psychology
Three-year trial of having four ethnic minority associations as observers to Council
Financial Affairs
Human Resources
International Affairs
APA resolution on UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the convention's optional protocols
Resolution on culture and gender awareness in international psychology
Membership
A candidate for initial Fellow status should select one nominating division
Guidelines for divisions to follow with regard to Fellows nominations
Required application fee dropped and expanded dues phase-in goes from 3 to 4 years
Required endorsement dropped from the student application process
Required endorsements dropped from membership application process
The Membership Board's charge was extended to include recruitment and retention activities
Organization of APA
Policy on indemnification of officers, governance members and staff
Policy on periodic review of committees by their parent board
Policy prohibiting smoking in the Council room when Council is in session
Professional Affairs
APA position statement on managed care (MC) and utilization review (UR)
Comprehensive and coordinated psychological services for children: A call for service integration
Criteria for the evaluation of quality improvement programs and the use of quality improvement data
Determination and documentation of the need for practice guidelines
Guidelines for assessment of and intervention with persons with disabilities
Guidelines for child custody evaluations in family law proceedings
Guidelines for engaging in the contractual provision of psychological services in schools
Guidelines for psychological evaluations in child protection matters
Guidelines for psychological practice in health care delivery systems
Guidelines for psychological practice with ethnic and culturally diverse populations
Guidelines for psychological practice with lesbian, gay and bisexual clients
Guidelines for the evaluation of dementia and age-related cognitive change
Health service psychologists as primary health care providers
On drug and alcohol treatment as sub-issues of "substance abuse"
Policy on challenges to the doctoral standard for psychology
Practice Guidelines Regarding Psychologists' Involvement in Pharmacological Issues
Psychological treatment as part of the professional preparation of a psychologist
Removal of licensure exemptions for psychologists in public health care programs
Resolution on APA Endorsement of the Concept of Recovery for People with Serious Mental Illness
Resolution concerning "Mental Health Consumer Protection Acts"
Strategies to promote increased public understanding of the independent practice of psychology
Publications and Communications
Public Interest
APA resolution on emancipating and assisting victims of human trafficking
Drug abuse treatment to prevent HIV among injecting drug users
Empirically supported sex education and HIV prevention programs for adolescents
Guidelines for assessment of and intervention with persons with disabilities
Guidelines for psychological practice with ethnic and culturally diverse populations
Guidelines for psychological practice with lesbian, gay and bisexual clients
- Guidelines for the evaluation of dementia and age-related cognitive change
- Guidelines on multicultural education, training, research, practice and organizational change for psychologists
HIV prevention strategies involving legal access to sterile injection equipment
Legal liability related to confidentiality and the prevention of HIV transmission
Report of the Task Force on the Implementation of the Multicultural Guidelines
Report of the Working Group on Psychotropic Medications for Children and Adolescents
Resolution in support of ethnic mcinority training in psychology
Resolution on appropriate affirmative responses to sexual orientation distress and change efforts
Resolution on lesbian, gay and bisexual youths in the schools
Resolution on priorities for persons with serious and persistent mental illness
Resolution on religious, religion-based and/or religion-derived prejudice
Resolution on the use of psychology to market tobacco products
Resolution on transgender and gender identity and gender expression non-discrimination
Special education and related services for children with conduct disorders
U.S. Department of Defense policy on sexual orientation and advertising in APA publications
Scientific Affairs
Academic boycotts as violations of academic freedom and disruption of scientific exchange
Guidelines for the use of animals in behavioral projects in schools (K-12)
Impact of selective reduction of support for "social research"
- Resolution on affirming psychologists' role in addressing global climate change
