Public Interest Policy News

2012

• APA Advances Data Collection on Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation in Electronic Health Records

  Comments on the Electronic Health Records Incentive Program argued for collecting such data to address health disparities among sexual minority populations.

• APA hosts congressional briefing on findings of APA Presidential Task Force on Immigration

  APA past-president Melba Vasquez, PhD, ABPP, and other task force members spoke at the briefing and met with congressional offices

• What’s in the President’s Budget of Interest to Psychology

  A general analysis of some key priorities for APA’s Education, Public Interest and Science Government Relations Offices within the President’s Fiscal Year 2013 budget request

• January 2012 Policy Update

  APA’s Public Interest Government Relations Office (PI-GRO) worked on issues related to HIV/AIDS, child abuse, the mental health of military service members and veterans, and the Minority Fellowship Program. PI-GRO also released its inaugural annual report.

2011

• December 2011 Policy Update

  APA’s Public Interest Government Relations Office moderated a panel on domestic violence and children, supported the reintroduction of legislation to enhance the response of health systems to domestic violence, and signed-on to a coalition letter in support of federal funds to be used for syringe exchange program.

• November 2011 Policy Update

  APA’s Public Interest Government Relations Office recently met with NIH staff to discuss research priorities on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender concerns and held a briefing on the benefits of work and impact of unemployment.

• October 2011 Policy Update

  APA’s Public Interest Government Relations Office co-hosted a conference on military service member and veteran suicide prevention and have submitted a statement on socioeconomic status to a key United States Senate subcommittee.

• September 2011 Policy Update

  APA’s Public Interest Government Relations Office provided an advocacy training for attendees of the Psychology Summer Institute, organized by the Minority Fellowship Program; partnered with the Education GRO for the first ever PsycAdvocate™ Day at the 2011 APA Convention; and reported on an important federal rule about preventive health care that will provide women with access to domestic violence screening.

• August 2011 Policy Update

  APA’s Public Interest Government Relations Office and the Public Policy Advocacy Network have supported the Employment Nondiscrimination Act and protected funding for the National Child Traumatic Stress Network.

• Inaugural PsycAdvocate™ Training Brings Federal Advocacy Training to APA Convention
• July 2011 Policy Update

  PI-GRO submitted testimony to the National Council on Disability, co-sponsored a briefing for Older Adults Mental Health Week, and held the first follow-up meeting to continue the efforts started at the Advocacy Against Sexualization Summit.

• June 2011 Policy Update

  National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day legislative briefing, Testifying before Congress on American Indian mascots, and Providing background information to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.

• APA sends letter of support for U.S. Commission on Civil Rights bullying briefing

  APA members Greg Herek, Ph.D., and Ilan Meyer, Ph.D., provided testimony on LGBT bullying and discrimination at a May 13, 2011, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights briefing on enforcing civil rights laws to protect students from bullying, harassment, and violence.

• APA presents testimony on American Indian mascots

  PI-GRO worked with Dr. Stephanie Fryberg in preparation for her May 5, 2011 testimony before the Senate Indian Affairs Committee oversight hearing entitled "Stolen Identities: The Impact of Racist Stereotypes on Indigenous People.”

• APA testifies on American Indian/Alaska Native issues in the federal budget

  PI-GRO secured the testimony of APA Member Dr. Pamela Deters for a hearing before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies.

• APA advances children’s mental health and child trauma issues on Capitol Hill

  PI-GRO facilitated the participation of APA member Abigail Gewirtz, PhD, at a May 3, 2011 congressional briefing in honor of National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day.

• March 2011 Policy Update

  Policy activities at the National Multicultural Conference and Summit, Capitol Hill Day for the Division 27 Executive Committee, and comments to the Department of Health and Human Services on the sexualization of girls in media.

• February 2011 Policy Update

  112th Congress brings significant change to Washington, new challenges and opportunities for PI-GRO's agenda.

2010

• September 2010 Policy Update

  Public Interest Government Relations Office updates on federal policy issues, including immigration, Minority Fellowship Program, Juvenile Justice, convention activities, health reform, homelessness, marriage equality, Navy Psychology Day and PsycAdvocates Day 2011

• May 2010 Policy Update

  Public Interest Government Relations Office updates on federal policy issues, including leadership changes for APA's PI-GRO, the Healthy Media for Youth Act, the Department of Defense DADT policy change, the re-authorization of K-12 Education Law, and much more.

• PI-GRO Health Reform Overview — March 2010

  The landmark health care reform reflects over a year of tireless advocacy by the APA Public Interest, Education, and Science Government Relations Offices; Executive Office; and several coalitions. These efforts included drafting and reviewing legislative language; meetings and correspondence with key members of Congress and their staff, the White House, and the Executive Branch agencies; and grassroots advocacy by APA and coalition members.

• February 2010 Policy Update

  Public Interest Government Relations Office updates on federal policy issues, including juvenile justice priorities, mental health workforce needs, and the public interest policy internship.