Science Government Relations Office

The APA Science Government Relations Office advocates in multiple areas to influence policy decisions that advance and preserve the infrastructure of psychological science. One of our primary goals is to educate and empower APA members and psychologists to advocate for the discipline.

Key Policy Areas

• Peer Review

  APA advocacy efforts related to the process of peer review, ensuring that only those research proposals with the highest scientific merit receive funding from federal agencies.

• Federal Research Spending

  APA advocacy efforts related to funding for federal agencies that support behavioral and psychological research — educating policymakers about its role in innovation and advances in public health.

• Substance Abuse

  APA advocacy efforts related to psychological research of the prevention, etiology and treatment of substance use disorders.

• Military Service Members, Veterans, and Their Families

  APA advocacy efforts related to service members, veterans and their families — access to mental and behavioral health care, PTSD, substance use and abuse, brain injuries and psychosocial rehabilitation.

• National Institutes of Health

  APA advocacy efforts related to NIH, the largest federal funder of psychological research — promoting research projects, influencing policy, and increasing federal funding for behavioral research.

News & Events

• Stand for Science
• APA Federal Budget Blog

  Read the latest post.

• APA launches Stand for Science District Campaign

  Psychologists to meet with members of Congress in their home districts and states.

• APA joins Tobacco Free Kids to recommend ban on menthol flavoring in tobacco products

  Menthol cigarette use is highest among adolescents and racial minorities and is likely associated with greater addiction.

• Director of National Institute on Drug Abuse gives update on priorities

  Friends of NIDA coalition convenes at APA for annual meeting.

• APA cosponsors report on adverse effects of sequester

  Coalition urges Congress to repeal automatic budget cuts.

• Scientific community gets first look at FIRST

  Bill mandates that NSF justify each grant as being in the “national interest.”

• Elizabeth Warren defends social sciences, pledges support for federal research funding

  Warren, former NSF grantee, spoke to COSSA Colloquium.

• Sharing effectiveness of Crisis Intervention Team training with policymakers

  APA helps advance Memphis Model for addressing mental health issues in criminal justice system.

• APA debuts online science advocacy training

  Web-based training proves to be effective.

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