APA Education Directorate Report: 1999

A Report to the APA Board of Educational Affairs

With Executive Summary

Paul D. Nelson, Ph.D., Acting Executive Director

Mission of the Education Directorate: to enhance access and quality of education and training at all levels in a societal context.

The mission requires sensitivity to the following:

Additional information is available on the Education Web site

1999 Annual Report to the Board of Educational Affairs

Report Overview

I. Education Directorate Organizational Chart

II. Reports from Program Areas

A. Education in Psychology

B. Program Consultation and Accreditation

C. Continuing Professional Education

D. Center for Psychology in Schools and Education

E. Governance and Public Affairs

III. Initiatives in Collaboration with Ancillary Offices

A. Office of Research

B. Public Policy Office

Board of Educational Affairs
1999

Leon D. VandeCreek, Ph.D., Chair..............................Norman Abeles, Ph.D.

Leona S. Aiken, Ph.D.....................................................Laura H. Barbanel, Ed.D.

Robert G. Frank, Ph.D...................................................E. Mavis Hetherington, Ph.D.

Virginia Andreoli Mathie, Ph.D.....................................Arthur L. McDonald, Ph.D.

Sharon A. Nelson-Le Gall, Ph.D...................................Reuben J. Silver, Ph.D.

Stanley Sue, Ph.D..........................................................Barbara H. Wasik, Ph.D.

Directorate Goals and Objectives

A broad array of products and activities, some introduced for the first time, some a continuation of initiatives from previous years, contributed to the Directorate's fulfillment of the mission, goals and objectives as directed by BEA.

The activities, organized by the functional areas with primary responsibility, are presented in the following section. A chart illustrating the activities completed as outlined by the goals and objectives is presented; many of the activities and services address multiple goals and objectives of the Directorate.

Education Directorate Program Areas Supporting Directorate Goals and Objectives

1999 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Introduction to psychology as a science and as a profession

Preparation of tomorrow's psychologists for science, practice, and teaching

Post-degree lifelong learning challenges and opportunities

Introduction to psychology as a science and as a profession

Application of psychology to schools, schooling, and education

Introduction to the Description of Psychology as a Science and a Profession

• The National Standards for High School Psychology document, developed by the Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools (TOPSS), received final approval by the APA Council of Representatives in August 1999. The document is available online and in print format.

• In addition to 10 published Unit Lesson Plans for psychology educators, the Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools (TOPSS) is currently developing 5 new innovative Unit Lesson Plans as tools for precollege and undergraduate level teachers of introductory psychology: Cross Cultural Psychology; Psychological Disorders; Treatment of Psychological Disorders; Social Psychology; States of Consciousness; and Stress: Coping and Health.

• More than 100 psychology teachers from all academic levels met at James Madison University, June 17-22, for the National Forum on Psychology Partnerships. The Education Directorate subsequently received a small grant award for the Carnegie Foundation for Teaching and Training to advance some of the initiatives that resulted from this forum.

• The Directorate provided resource information and participated in national teaching conferences, workshops, and regional psychological association conventions, thus expanding outreach initiatives in collaboration with other education groups and APA divisions.

• Events at the 1999 APA Convention included scholarships awarded by TOPSS and the American Psychological Foundation (APF) to outstanding high school students, teaching and technology symposia, and TOPSS programming for all teachers of introductory psychology.

Preparation of Tomorrow's Psychologists for Science and Practice

• The Committee on Accreditation (CoA) made targeted changes to the accreditation Guidelines and Principles and to the Operating Procedures to enable the Committee to come into full compliance with the U.S. Secretary of Education's regulations for recognition of accrediting agencies.

• CoA conducted full accreditation review of 191 programs and specially focused reviews of another 88 in 1999.

• The Education Directorate was asked to participate in a grant from the national initiative Preparing Future Faculty (PFF) that will focus on shaping the preparation of graduate students interested in becoming humanities and social sciences faculty.

• The Education Directorate served as a consultant to and held planning meetings for the first-ever combined meeting of the four doctoral psychology training councils: Council of Counseling Psychology Training Programs (CCPTP), Council of Directors of School Psychology Programs (CDSPP), Council of University Directors of Clinical Psychology (CUDCP), and National Council of Schools and Programs of Professional Psychology (NCSPP).

• Education Advocacy staff garnered support for National Health Service Corps from House and Senate appropriators to award $1 million to place psychologists and other mental health professionals into under-served areas in exchange for loan repayment.

• Advocacy workshops held at 5 sites throughout the nation educated APA members and students on issues of education advocacy.

Post-degree Lifelong Learning Challenges and Opportunities

• The Continuing Professional Education Committee (CPEC) was formed from a merger of the Continuing Education Committee (CEC) and the Committee for the Approval of Continuing Education Sponsors (CACES).

• The CPE Office sponsored the first annual CPE weekend, held in San Diego, CA in January. The theme of the meeting was Psychology and Medicine: Emerging Research and New Applications for Practice.

• APA and the American Bar Association (ABA) cosponsored an interdisciplinary conference, Psychological Expertise and Criminal Justice, in October 1999.

• The CPE Office added 7 Independent Study Programs to APA's current offerings, with 4 online examinations available.

• The CPEC approved 649 organizations as sponsors in 1999.

• CPE sponsored a Mediterranean cruise in June for 40 participants. The key speaker was Shane Murphy who spoke on the topic of Executive Coaching.

• Education gained inclusion of a provision in both the U.S. House and Senate bills to reauthorize the Older Americans Act to train psychologists.

• The CoA worked with the Council on Specialties (CoS) to advance plans for the accreditation of postdoctoral residency programs in recognized advanced specialty areas of practice.

Application of Psychology to Schools, Schooling, and Education

• Funded by a 5-year cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Healthy Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Students Project began development of information for school health professionals to strengthen their capacity to prevent risky behaviors in lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth.

• The Multi-Division School to Work Initiative Task Force submitted its final report to the Council of Representatives at the August 1999 meeting. The report is available on line and will be printed in 2000.

• The CPSE Preschool Project included a series of interviews conducted with leading experts in the field. These interviews will be synthesized into a 'white paper' to be used to guide the development of other projects in this area.

• The Gifted/Talented Students Project, developed in collaboration with APA President-elect Martin D. Seligman's Task Force on Prevention and funded through the APF, will create a set of resource materials for parents, educators and the general public.

• A wingspread conference based on the Learner-Centered Psychological Principles (LCPs) is being planned; the LCPs document is available online and in hardcopy upon request.

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II.Reports From Education Directorate
Program Areas


A. Education in Psychology

Pre-college and Undergraduate Education in Psychology

Standards for the Teaching of High School Psychology (Standards). Council approved the Standards in August 1999. The final document is available on the Internet and in hard copy, available upon request.

TOPSS: "Excellence in Psychology" Student Recognition Program. Annually, each member of TOPSS receives a student award certificate, which is presented to that teacher's outstanding student for the year. In addition, congratulatory letters and press releases are sent to the principal or superintendent and to local newspapers.

American Psychological Foundation (APF) TOPSS Awards. This is an annual award in which the APF, TOPSS and the Science Directorate identify and judge psychology based research projects submitted to the Intel Talent Search Competition. Cash awards as well as honorable mentions are provided to winning students as judged by the TOPSS Awards Committee. All semifinalists of the Intel Competition whose work is considered psychologically based receive a certificate congratulating them on their work.

Psychology Teacher Network (PTN). The bimonthly newsletter is published for teachers of introductory psychology. It focuses on enhancing teaching skills and visibility of the critical needs of psychology educators at all levels as they relate to new and emerging technologies.

TOPSS: Unit Lesson Plans. Five new units began production in 1999. Ten units for teachers of introductory psychology are now available: "Stats Pack: Statistics without Fear," "Learning," "Memory," "Development," "Introduction to Psychology," "Personality," "Sensation and Perception," "Motivation & Emotion," "Psychological Disorders," and "Biological Basis of Behavior."

TOPSS Programming at APA Annual Convention. 1999 saw another line-up of outstanding speakers with 8 hours of programming by TOPSS at an APA convention. Aimed at encouraging the attendance of teachers of introductory and general psychology and at promoting networking within the psychology community, these presentations received some of the highest attendance of any programs offered at the Convention.

High School Teacher Workshops. In 1999, workshops were held in Ft. Collins, CO (in conjunction with the Rocky Mountain Psychological Association Meeting), in Boston, MA prior to the APA Annual Convention and in Hartford, CT in collaboration with the Ithaca Teaching Conference and the Northeastern Psychological Association (NEPA) conference. The workshops encourage networking and communication among two and four year college faculty and high school teachers.

Friends of TOPSS. This distribution list was established primarily for 2-year college faculty. This group receives The Psychology Teacher Network, a series of science of psychology articles, and reprinted articles including effective classroom demonstrations and briefings.

TOPSS Members Web site. Late in 1998 the Education Directorate became responsible for the development and maintenance of the TOPSS web site. During 1999 the TOPSS "Members Only" site was created to allow TOPSS members to access and download Unit Lesson Plans and the bimonthly newsletter Psychology Teachers Network.

Block Grants for Teaching Institutes. These scholarships provide financial support for faculty and graduate students to attend teaching institutes. Awards are made twice a year on a competitive basis, with the decisions being made by TOPSS and BEA.

Teaching and Learning Roundtable. The Roundtable together education groups and APA divisions around common interests in teaching, learning and education. The Roundtable meets annually during APA conventions. All APA Divisions are invited to appoint representatives to participate.

G. Stanley Hall Lectures. In 1999 a high profile feature of both the APA Convention and regional psychological association meetings, the G. Stanley Hall lecture series was presented by scholars who achieved prominence both within their field and as educators. Conducted in cooperation with Division 2, lecture topics selected represent areas commonly covered in introductory psychology courses.

2-Year CollegeWorking Group. The group has identified important issues facing 2-year college faculty these include: student internships/mentoring, academic partnerships, meeting the needs of a diverse student population, and standards/guidelines for the discipline of psychology, and the impact of technology on teaching and learning. The group is working in partnership with Psi Beta to sponsor events for community college faculty and students

Psychology Partnerships Project (P3). The National Forum on Psychology Partnerships was held June 17th-22nd, 1999 at James Madison University to bring together teachers of psychology across academic levels to discuss ways to identify, establish, and nurture partnerships. A follow-up meeting was held at the APA convention in August.

Psychology: Careers for the Twenty-first Century. The publication was revised in 1999 and will be available in early 2000. The previous edition is available on line.

The Undergraduate Consulting Service. This service was established to help undergraduate departments identify professionals available for consultation. Expertise includes curriculum evaluation, departmental self-assessment, planning of laboratory and teaching facilities, advising issues, and general personnel issues such as promoting faculty development. The service is provided in collaboration with Division 2.

Preparing Future Faculty in Psychology. APA was awarded a 3-year grant to participate in an expanded effort based on the Preparing Future Faculty program established in 1993 by the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) and the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U). Interested institutions may submit an application by Marc h 24, 2000 to be considered as participants.

Miscellaneous resources for teachers. Resources for teachers of introductory psychology include: Exploring the Psychology Curriculum: An Annotated Bibliography, 1998, a directory of information on diversity issues; a directory of animal laboratories across the U.S. and Canada (in consultation with CARE); and a publication highlighting APA Monitor articles relevant to high school teachers. In addition, a number of organizations agreed to provide, free of charge, high quality teaching materials which in turn can be distributed to any teacher of introductory psychology upon request. Examples include reprints from Scientific American, The Society for Neuroscience and the Social Studies Resource Center.

Outreach activities. The pre-college and undergraduate office of the Education Directorate works to carry out the mandate of BEA to work with groups and Divisions interested in teaching and education. During the past year, outreach included Division 2 (teaching), 7 (developmental psychology) and 15 (educational psychology); TOPSS; the 2-year College Working Group; the Council of Teachers of Undergraduate Psychology; the Council of Undergraduate Psychology Programs; Psi Alpha; Psi Beta; Psi Chi; the Council of Applied Master's Programs in Psychology (CAMPP); and the Council of Graduate Departments of Psychology (COGDOP). Special TOPSS projects include working with state psychological associations; symposia about academic partnerships were presented at regional associations and staff participated in the National Institute of the teaching of Psychology (NITOP). In addition, the Education Directorate partners with related groups outside of psychology, including the American Association of Colleges and Universities, the American Association for Higher Education, the American Council on Education, the American Council of Learned Societies, the American Educational Research Association, Educause, the Council of Graduate Schools, the National Academy of Science, the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the Office for Educational Research and Improvement, and related offices in the United States Department of Education.

Graduate Education and Training in Psychology

Graduate Study in Psychology. This publication provides comprehensive information on graduate programs in psychology, describing more than 550 departments. Annually, the Education Directorate works with graduate departments across the nation and Canada to update the information for this publication. The next edition will be in print April 2000.

Directorate Initiatives with the APA Graduate Students (APAGS). The Education Directorate and BEA collaborate with APAGS to promote careers in academia. At the 1999 convention, APAGS and BEA co-sponsored an well-attended symposium on preparing for future academic careers. The APAGS-BEA Working Group on Teaching and Education Issues continues to address questions and issues students may have in preparing for careers in academia. The working group serves interested graduate students by providing resources such as EDTEACH-a listserv that is a forum for discussions on teaching related issues.

Postgraduate Education and Training in Psychology

Re-specialization programs list. Annually, a survey is conducted of programs listed in the Graduate Study in Psychology publication to identify those departments offering the opportunity for psychologists to re-specialize in another field. The list is compiled, printed and distributed, and is made available online as a free service to members.

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B. Program Consultation and Accreditation

Accreditation program review operations. Three meetings of the CoA were held in 1999. The CoA reviews programs according to three site visit cycles (fall, spring, and winter) with concomitant review meetings. Thus far, preliminary arrangements have been made for the 188 accreditation site visits scheduled for calendar year 2000. Due dates for program self-study reports are set several months prior to the site visit, allowing the CoA time for preliminary review of the site visit material. On average, the CoA reviewed 69 programs during each of its program review sessions in 1999. Public notice of accredited programs and changes in status continues to be published annually in the American Psychologist, along with acknowledgment of APA members who served during the past year in the accreditation process. A listing of accredited programs appears on the CoA's web site. Notification of accreditation decisions also is furnished to the U.S. Secretary of Education. The CoA currently prints an annual report that contains information on accreditation decisions, and data on accredited programs, as well as other types of information of interest to the accrediting community.

Accreditation site visitor workshops. In order to prepare accreditation site visitors to conduct evaluation visits to programs undergoing review for initial or continued recognition under the new guidelines and procedures, the CoA conducted 6 site visitor-training workshops in 1999. The workshops were held at various locations across the country and at the 1999 APA Convention. To date, more than 1000 visitors have undergone this training.

Targeted Changes to the Accreditation Guidelines and Procedures. In 1999 the CoA proposed targeted changes to its Guidelines and Principles for Accreditation of Programs in Professional Psychology (G&P) and the Accreditation Operating Procedures. The changes were made to enable the CoA to come into full compliance with U.S. Secretary of Education's regulations for recognition of accrediting agencies by December 1999, the date of the CoA's next review for continued recognition. The CoA made the proposed changes available for a 60-day period of public review and comment. Following the public comment period, the CoA considered all comments received, made whatever revisions were considered appropriate, and formally accepted the G&P and Procedure changes. The APA Board of Directors subsequently approved the changes in August 1999. The CoA currently is in the process of determining implementation strategies for the amended G&P and Procedures.

Accreditation Outreach. The Program Consultation and Accreditation Office interacts on a regular basis with various education and training groups so that the psychology communities with an interest in the accreditation process can be informed of CoA activities, and to encourage participation and feedback from those communities. These groups include the Council of Chairs of Training Councils, the Academy of Psychological Clinical Science, the Association of Counseling Center Training Agents, the Association of Directors of Psychology Training Clinics, the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers, the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards, the Council of University Directors of Clinical Psychology, the Council of Community Psychology Program Directors, the Council of Counseling Psychology Training Programs, the Council of Directors of School Psychology Programs, the Council of Graduate Departments of Psychology, the National Council of Schools and Programs of Professional Psychology, the Association of University Counseling Center Directors, the Association of Veterans Affairs Chief Psychologists, and the Association of Medical School Professors of Psychology.

CHEA UPDATE. Established in 1996 for the advancement of self-regulation through accreditation, CHEA has assumed the responsibility for non-governmental recognition of accrediting agencies following the dissolution of the Commission on Recognition of Post-secondary Accreditation (CORPA). In accordance with its policy on recognition of accreditors previously recognized by CORPA, CHEA has extended that recognition until it reviews the CoA under new recognition provisions, which became effective in January 1999. CHEA appointed its Committee on Accreditation effective February 1999 and is scheduled to begin the recognition process in 2000. Under the preliminary review schedule developed by CHEA, the CoA presently is scheduled for review in calendar year 2003.

U.S. Secretary of Education (USDE) Update. The CoA's most recent petition for continued recognition of its accrediting activities by the U.S. Secretary of Education was submitted on April 30, 1999. In the context of the Secretary's review, a staff member of the U.S. Department of Education attended the CoA's July 1999 meeting and will observe a site visit to a program being reviewed for continued accreditation by the CoA. The CoA is scheduled to be reviewed by the Secretary's National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI) at that group's December 6-8, 1999 meeting.

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C. Continuing Professional Education

Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Programs. The CPE staff worked closely with the Continuing Professional Education Committee (CPEC) in the development and direct delivery of programs and products to meet the continuing professional education needs of psychologists. CPEC reviewed more than 120 proposals from which they selected 62 CE workshops to be offered at the 1999 APA Convention in Boston. There were a total of 1,972 enrollments in the CPE workshops. Sales from independent studies have constant this year and 10 new independent studies will be available for release in Spring/Summer 2000.

1999 projects included the first annual CPE Weekend in San Diego in January, a Mediterranean Cruise in June, and an interdisciplinary conference with APA/ABA on psychology and criminal law in October.

Sponsor Approval System. During 1999 the Continuing Professional Education Committee granted approval to 64 new organizations as approved sponsors of continuing professional education for psychologists. CPEC, with the support of the SAS staff in the CE Office, reviewed, approved, and maintained records on the approval status of the 649 APA-approved sponsoring organizations.

Continuing Education Outreach. During the past year, the CE Office has continued its efforts to promote the exchange of information and resources relevant to continuing professional education with a variety of groups. The CE Office has been represented at the Mid-winter meetings of the practice divisions, the Practice Division Executive Roundtable, the State Leadership Conference, the Committee on Divisions and APA Relations, the Committee on Legal Issues, The Board of Directors (B/D) Task Force on New Professional Roles, and the B/D Task Force on Telepsychology. The office also maintains communication with state licensing bodies to monitor changes in the continuing education requirements for the licensure of psychologists. Additionally, the CE Office serves as a liaison from the Education Directorate to related continuing professional education organizations such as the International Association of Continuing Education and Training and the University Continuing Education Association.

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D. Center for Psychology in Schools and Education (CPSE)

Healthy Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Students Project. CPSE staff continues work in collaboration with APA's Office of Lesbian & Gay Concerns on a project to develop materials on the topic of gay/lesbian/bisexual youth. The target audience is school psychologists and other school personnel. This project is funded by a 5-year cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control's Division of Adolescent and School Health.

School to Work Initiative. The APA Board of Directors and Council of Representatives approved the final report of the Multi-Division School-to-Work Task Force in August 1999. A two-hour program to present the findings of the Task Force's report on psychology's role in the School to Work effort was held at the 1999 APA convention. A second program was held for staff of the Boston Public Schools and other local school districts during the 1999 APA Convention.

Learner-Centered Psychological Principles: Guidelines in School Redesign and Reform (LCP). Nearly 13,000 copies of the LCPs poster have been distributed. The LCPs are available for downloading from the CPSE web site in both text and graphic format. The CPSE sponsored a 2 hour session on the link between technology and the Learner Centered Psychological Principles, as a part of the BEA Miniconvention on Education and Technology.

Proposed Wingspread Conference. A project relating to the continuing dissemination of the LCPs is a proposed conference to build upon the principles. CPSE staff is working with Barbara McCombs, Ph.D. and Nadine Lambert, Ph.D. on a proposal to bring together researchers, policymakers, and school staff to discuss strategies for creating a focus in schools on academic competence and motivational factors. A planning meeting to help draft a grant proposal for funding the conference was held in January 1999.

Preschool Project. Members were appointed for a one-year term to a BEA Task Force on Psychology in Early Education and Care. The Task Force met at APA on November 19, 1999 to discuss its mission, future directions, and possible funding sources.

Gifted/Talented Students Project. This project was developed in coordination with APA Past-President Martin Seligman's Task Force on Prevention. The goal of this project is to create a set of materials for parents, educators, and the general public on the topic of gifted children.

Anti-Reparative Therapy Coalition. Together with the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network (GLSEN), the Healthy Schools Project staff have been working on a fact sheet for school principals and other school staff that explains normative sexual orientation development in adolescents and describes the lack of scientific basis to the "reparative therapy" movement.

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E. Governance and Public Affairs

Governance and Meetings

Board of Educational Affairs.
BEA task forces and working groups continued to reflect the broad scope of issues across all levels of education and training. BEA's Executive Committee and four working groups worked throughout the year on specific areas of interest which further the overall goals of the Board and Directorate. Additional electronic mailing lists were created to enhance communications with liaisons, monitors, and members of Education governance groups.

APA Annual Convention.
The Education Directorate and BEA sponsored the following sessions, symposia and activities at the 1999 APA Annual Convention in Boston:

• Miniconvention on Education and Technology," two-days of presentations and interactive, demonstration sessions featuring innovative application of technology in teaching, learning, and supervision.
• A symposium on "Patterns of Job Availability and Employment Trends in Psychology"
• The APAGS-BEA symposium on "Academic Careers-Undergraduate, Research Institutions, and Professional School Settings" designed to give graduate students a view of different academic institutional settings.
• The Education Directorate and BEA supported the Education Track of programming with APA divisions for the 1999 annual convention in Boston. Divisions were invited to co-list symposia related to issues of teaching, learning and education; sessions were co-listed with 42 Divisions and several other groups.
• APAGS-BEA Working Group met to discuss ideas and initiatives to help graduate students who are interested in pursuing academic careers and help develop or locate specific teaching resources for graduate students.
• The Teaching and Learning Roundtable made up of APA Divisions and other related organizations met to discuss education issues that effect all levels and areas of psychology.

Exhibits and Presentations. In collaboration with the Science Directorate, members of senior staff met with regional association executive committees to provide updates on Science and Education initiatives. The Education Directorate continues to expand outreach to and collaborative efforts with regional associations including a meeting with APA staff and regional association executives at the APA Convention.

Education and Training Awards. The BEA Education and Training (E&T) Awards Committee presents two awards at the annual APA convention Awards Ceremony. At the 1999 convention, awards were presented to Gregory A. Kimble, Ph.D. and Nadine M. Lambert, Ph.D. Dr. Kimble was presented the Distinguished Career Contributions to Education and Training in Psychology Award. Dr. Lambert was presented with the first Distinguished Contributions of Psychology to Education and Training Award.

Research analysis. An ongoing responsibility for governance staff is data collection and analyses conducted as requested by Education governance groups and/or program areas within the Directorate. Projects include analysis of the debt load for psychology over other doctoral degree programs and results of affirmative action on admissions to graduate schools.

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Public Affairs

Meeting constituent needs. During 1999, staff collected queries/responses from EDMAIL to see what web users need. This information helps the Directorate develop new web information pages to meet the needs of our constituencies.

Electronic communication tools for constituents. Having information readily accessible on the internet has help decrease dramatically the number of requests for information taken by phone calls, letters, and emails over the last few years.

Education Convention Programming Brochure. Staff developed the brochure and distributed to 10,000 members and affiliates. Programs were listed by affiliation (Division, TOPSS, APAGS and BEA) within education related themes.

Publications. The Directorate coordinates regular submissions to APAGS newsletter, Division Dialog, International Psychologist newsletter, Welcome--New Member Newsletter, and the APA Monitor.

Education Directorate Web site. The Education Directorate web site has become the information choice for students and faculty in psychology. In 1999 the Education Directorate provided updated Re-specialization lists, graduate openings, career and grant opportunities, and an online guide to Getting in to Graduate School. Staff in the Communications Office work to conceptualize and to update all information available from the Directorate program areas. New in 1999 the Directorate provided an alphabetical index to the Education Directorate web site, increasing accessibility to the information.


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III. Initiatives in Collaboration with Ancillary Offices

A. Research Office

APA/APPIC Internship Supply/Demand Survey. Implemented under the leadership of Dr. Jessica Kohout of the APA Research Office, the purpose of this project is to gather data pertinent to internship supply and demand on an annual basis. A pilot study was conducted in spring 1996, the results of which were presented at the 1996 APA Convention. Data gathering for the actual project began in fall 1996 and is ongoing.

Graduate Study in Psychology Survey. An ongoing survey of graduate departments provides a large database of information on all graduate programs in psychology. To date, this database has been used to produce the publication Graduate Study in Psychology. Work continues on transforming this information into a manipulative database for ongoing analysis of patterns and trends. Tables from the survey can be found on the Research Office web site.




B. Public Policy Office (PPO)

Education Advocacy Activities

Higher Education Negotiated Rulemaking. Negotiated rulemaking is mandated for the promulgation of regulations for Title IV of the Higher Education Act (HEA). Jill Reich, Ph.D., former Executive Director for Education, was appointed a negotiator and Nina Levitt, Ed.D., Director for Education Policy, was named an Alternate for the Campus Crime provisions. In order to protect client-counselor confidentiality, Drs. Reich and Levitt both advocated for the exemption of psychologists from reporting crimes. As a result, APA succeeded in gaining language favorable to psychologists on campus. The regulatory language exempts psychologists (and other counselors) from reporting on campus crime, thereby protecting the "confidentiality" of counseling sessions. The US Department of Education is now in the process of developing regulations, which are to be made public in the Federal Register sometime this fall. APA Education advocacy staff will monitor the Federal Register and respond to the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for these and other HEA regulations, as they become available to ensure the most favorable rules for the participation of psychology students in the Federal Financial Aid Programs.

National Health Service Corps. APA Education advocacy staff continue to work with the National Health Service Corps on expanding opportunities for psychologists including monitoring the New State Incentive Grant Program to ensure that the six participating states are increasing their number of psychologists in under served communities. Also, APA is playing a key role in the NHSC's new initiative called "100% Access". This initiative provides interested states with technical assistance for achieving the goal of 100% access to health care, including mental health, to under served populations. APA is also taking the lead in a Coalition formed to work on draft legislation for the upcoming reauthorization that focuses more attention on the non-physician provider in under served areas.

Older Americans Act Reauthorization. Most recently, APA Education Advocacy staff gained the inclusion of a training provision in the House bill to reauthorize the Older Americans Act. This provision, which was also added to the Senate bill as a result of APA lobbying, will provide federal funds for graduate training (including postdoctoral) for psychologists and other mental health professionals wishing to specialize in Aging. In addition, the House Education and Labor Committee favorably responded to requests to include more extensive mental services for older persons in their bill.

In recent years, few federal dollars have been spent on training health professionals to work with older persons. Recognizing this serious need, APA Education advocacy staff has worked with the staff of the Senate Subcommittee on Aging and the House Subcommittee on Postsecondary Education, Training and Lifelong Learning, as well as the Senate Special Committee on Aging to gain the inclusion of training for clinical geropsychologists. APA members who are constituents of the Chairs and Ranking Members of these Committees have been brought in to meet with their respective policymaker.

This training provision, which is in both the Senate and House bills, is the first of its kind and it sets the stage for more federal funding for psychology graduate students. The expanded provision of mental health services to older individuals in this legislation indicates the increasing recognition psychology is gaining for its contribution to our nation's health care.

National Health Service Corps Appropriations. APA Education advocacy staff successfully advocated for $1,000,000 to expand the National Health Service Corps State Grant Incentive Program in order to increase the number of psychologists and other behavioral and mental health professionals providing services in under served areas. The program began this year in six states, with a total of $60,000. The Chair of the House Appropriations Committee and the Ranking Member of the Senate Labor-Health & Human Services-Education Appropriations Subcommittee have both agreed to the $1,000,000 request. APA members have been very helpful in securing this support, especially an APA member who is a constituent of the House Appropriations Chair.

Indians-Into-Psychology Appropriations. APA Education advocacy staff continues to promote the Indians-Into-Psychology Program (INPSYCH), which is currently funded at $600,000. The request for FY2000 is $2 million. Unfortunately, it appears that we have not been successful in increasing the funding level for FY2000. Instead, we understand that the three current sites (University of Montana, University of North Dakota, and Oklahoma State University) will be "flat funded" (i.e., receive the same level funding as FY 1999). Due to the funding caps set in 1997, the FY 2000 appropriations cycle is calling for a freeze in some programs and significant reductions in others. Meanwhile, Education Advocacy staff has already begun to work on an FY2001 strategy, which will include support from other states with key policymakers that have universities with large Native American student population and strong interest in the INPSYCH program (e.g., South Dakota, Utah, and Alaska).

Advocacy Training and Other Grassroots Activities
Following last fall's very successful training sessions in Washington, this year Education Advocacy staff have been presenting advocacy workshops to members attending various mid-winter meetings and spring conferences. From January through March 1999, advocacy workshops were conducted at the National Council of Schools of Professional Psychology (NCSPP) meeting in Charleston, South Carolina; at the Council of University Directors of Clinical Psychology Programs (CUDCP) meeting in Clearwater, Florida; at the Council of Counseling Psychology Training Programs (CCPTP) spring meeting in St. Petersburg, Florida; and at the California Psychology Association in San Diego. In May, Education Advocacy staff and APAGS teamed up to present a training workshop at the Western Psychological Association (WPA) spring conference held in Irvine, California. Aimed primarily at psychology graduate students, this workshop provided information and practical tips for establishing campus-based advocacy networks, in order to increase student/faculty involvement. The overall purpose of the training workshops has been to raise awareness of the importance of psychologists/students need to participate in advocacy, especially grassroots activities.

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