Volume 40, No. 3 March 2009
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Monitor on Psychology Volume 40, No. 3 March 2009 |
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Free resources on post-traumatic stress disorder Innovative Practice Presidential Citation
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APA News Members approve changes to APA bylaws In November and December members approved two of three bylaws amendments. Bylaws amendments must be passed by two-thirds of those voting to be approved. The first bylaw amendment provides the American Psychological Association of Graduate Students representative a vote on the Board of Directors. The group's chair has served as a voting member of council and a non-voting member of the Board of Directors since 2003. The amendment passed by a margin of 7,017 to 3,092. The second bylaw amendment that was approved is a housekeeping change to add "territory" or "territorial" wherever "states/provinces," "state/provincial" or similar language is currently found in the bylaws. The amendments passed by a margin of 9,693 to 589. A third bylaw amendment to provide a voting seat on council for each of the four ethnic-minority psychological associations was not approved. The vote margin was 6,749 to 3,563. Along with the Bylaw Amendments, members also received the Apportionment Ballot, which determines the composition of APA's 2010 Council of Representatives. Each member has 10 votes, which can be given to a division or state association or divided among APA's divisions and the various state, provincial and territorial psychological associations. For 2010, divisions picked up three additional seats as a group, making the ratio of division to state, provincial and territorial psychological association seats 100 to 62. Most state, provincial and territorial psychological associations hold one seat, though Pennsylvania and New York each have two. Committee on Ethnic Minority Affairs seeks two new members Want to help plan, develop and coordinate activities that improve well-being among ethnic-minority populations? Then apply for APA's Committee on Ethnic Minority Affairs, which seeks two new members to serve three-year terms beginning in January. Because the committee must fulfill a mandate for ethnic representation and gender equality, the vacant slots are for Asian-American or Pacific Islander psychologists. For more information, visit www.apa.org/pi/oema/programs/cema.html. Work on behalf of children, youth and families APA's Committee on Children, Youth and Families seeks two new members who are interested in linking research and policy for children and families. During their three-year terms, committee members, selected by the APA Board of Directors, attend two meetings in Washington, D.C., and participate in conference calls. The committee is currently interested in rural children's mental health, mental health disparities and cultural diversity. The deadline for nominations is Aug. 24. For more information, visit: www.apa.org/pi/cyf/ccyf. Nominate your colleagues for achievement awards APA's Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Concerns will present Outstanding Achievement Awards for psychologists whose scientific, professional, educational or political contributions further the cause for civil and legal rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. The deadline for nominations is May 1. For more information, contact LGBC via e-mail. Students: Apply for a dissertation award APA's Committee on Ethnic Minority Affairs requests nominations for the 2009 Jeffrey S. Tanaka Memorial Dissertation Award in Psychology from members and students who filed dissertations in 2007 or 2008. The award recognizes outstanding dissertations that increase the understanding of issues and concerns facing people or communities of color and offers $500, a $300 travel award and the opportunity to present the dissertation at APA's Annual Convention, Aug. 6–9, in Toronto. The submission deadline is May 1. For more information, call Kevin Crawford at (202) 336-6029. —J. Clark
The 2008 APA Presidential Task Force on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Trauma in Children and Adolescents has released three free resources for mental health professionals: • Children and Trauma Update for Mental Health Professionals, a 16-page booklet that provides an overview for mental health professionals on current knowledge and coping strategies for children, adolescents and families affected by PTSD and trauma. • Children and Trauma: Tips for Mental Health Professionals, a tip sheet that offers information on identifying factors, intervention techniques and avoidable pitfalls for people working with youth who suffer from PTSD and trauma. • Policy Briefing Sheet: Trauma and PTSD in Children and Adolescents, a briefing sheet that guides policymakers about the impact trauma has on children and adolescents. To obtain copies of these resources, visit www.apa.org/pi/cyf/child-trauma.
Innovative Practice Presidential Citation Psychologist improves standard of care for St. Louis vets Two years ago, Richard Martielli, PhD, wasn't sure where his psychology degree might take him. He'd spent years working in inpatient, outpatient and substance abuse clinics and served a range of populations including adults, children and families, "learning a little bit about everything," he recalls. Turns out, this was exactly the kind of training he needed to take on the role of a behavioral health consultant in integrated primary care at the St. Louis VA Medical Center. "You never know who's going to walk through your door," Martielli says. "In one day you could see eight patients with eight different presenting problems, and you need a very generalist background to know how to deal with each one of those patients." The medical center's integrated primary-care model is also quite innovative: Seven full-time psychologists are embedded within the system's primary-care teams, and they provide behavioral and mental health services at two VA campuses, a women's clinic and two community-based outpatient clinics. Preliminary research points to the program's effectiveness. Since the model's launch in August 2007, veterans' use of mental health services has increased by 170 percent. That's good news in light of recent evidence suggesting that veterans suffer from higher rates of disorders such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and substance abuse than the general population. The program's success has also led to Martielli's selection as the winner of this month's APA Innovative Practice Presidential Citation. "Dr. Martielli is one of the young leaders of integrated health care within the VA system," says APA President James H. Bray, PhD. "His commitment to innovative collaborative practices for our nation's veterans is a model for others." —A. Novotney |
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