APA/ABA Collaboration

Aging

The APA Office on Aging has had an ongoing relationship with the ABA Commission on Law and Aging since 2001. It was at that time that ongoing discussions between APA and ABA staff and governance began regarding issues of mutual concern to psychology and law and resulted in the idea to work together in the area of capacity assessment in older adults. Ongoing discussions between geropsychologist David Powers, PhD, Nancy Coleman, then Director of COLA, and Deborah DiGilio, Director of the APA Office regarding issues of mutual concern to psychology and law resulted in the idea to work together in the area of capacity assessment in older adults.

At a series of meetings convened by the APA Ad Hoc Committee on Legal Issues (COLI) Task Force on Facilitating APA/ABA Relations, these parties advocated for greater attention to issues related to older adults and generated a list of important capacity issues and potential collaborative projects. The Task Force expressed support for the proposed efforts and encouraged initiation of APA/ABA activities related to capacity assessment in older adults.

• Assessment of Older Adults with Diminished Capacity Handbook for Lawyers (PDF, 336 KB)

• Judicial Determination of Capacity of Older Adults in Guardianship Proceedings (PDF, 380 KB)

• Assessment of Older Adults with Diminished Capacity: A Handbook for Psychologists (PDF, 97 KB)

APA and ABA policy consensus that urges jurisdictions that impose capital punishment not to execute certain persons with mental disabilities under particular conditions was achieved.

• APA Policy Statement: Mental disability and the death penalty

• Report of the Task Force on Mental Disability and the Death Penalty (PDF, 224 KB)

APA and ABA has cosponsored four continuing educational conferences to date on various topics ranging from child custody to psychological expertise in criminal justice. Information about future conferences will be posted when available.

Under construction