Spring 2000 Newsletter Section 7

Section VII was pleased and honored to present two Achievement Awards and its first Graduate Student Research Award at the 2001 APA Convention. Receiving the Third Annual Lifetime Achievement Award was Norman L. Farberow, Ph.D. Dr. Farberow, who with Edwin Shneidman, Ph.D., was a founder of the Los Angeles Suicide Prevention Center and the American Association of Suicidology, was given a plaque by Dr. Yufit which cited him "For his outstanding work in developing the field of suicidology and for his seminal contributions to working with survivors of suicide."

John Monahan, Ph.D., received a Career Achievement Award for his research. One of the foremost researchers in the U.S. on violence risk assessment and founder of APA Division 41 (The American Psychology-Law Society), Dr. Monahan was given a plaque by Dr. McNiel which stated "For his groundbreaking and major contributions to the field of violence risk assessment and for his outstanding and enduring contributions to the science and practice of Psychology."

The Section also presented its first Graduate Student Research Award to Matthew K. Nock, M.S., "For his outstanding research project on factors associated with suicide-related outcomes in children." Mr. Nock is a doctoral student in Clinical Psychology at Yale University, and his award was accompanied by a $150 check.

The Section VII Board of Directors further presented Past President, Phillip M. Kleespies, Ph.D., with a Certificate of Appreciation which read as follows: "For his dedication and passion in making Section VII a reality; for his leadership as its first President; for his unswerving commitment to excellence in education; and for his wisdom and humanity in advancing our knowledge of clinical emergencies and crises."

The Section also sponsored a symposium on Behavioral Emergencies in the Community: Mental Health and Police Perspectives, in which each of the two main presenters had backgrounds as both police officers and as psychologists. Randy Borum, Psy.D. of the University of South Florida presented the findings of a large-scale research project designed to improve the outcome of high risk citizen-police encounters, such as when mentally ill individuals are suicidal or violent in the community. Sgt. Forrest Fulton, Ph.D., of the San Francisco Police Department, described some of the practical considerations for psychologists when collaborating with the police around management of patients’ behavioral emergencies in the community. Discussants included Bruce Bongar, Ph.D., President-Elect Designate, and Dale McNiel, Ph.D., President-Elect.

Thank you to all of the Section VII members who made this year’s program such a success. Any members who have ideas or suggestions for the 2002 APA Convention in Chicago should contact the Section VII Program Committee, Drs. Bruce Bongar (bongar@stanford.edu) and Dale McNiel (dalem@lppi.ucsf.edu). The theme of next year’s program will be Integrating Science and Practice in responding to behavioral emergencies.