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At its February meeting, APA’s Council of Representatives adopted as association policy reports of the APA Task Force on Military Deployment Services for Youth, Families and Service Members and the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls.

The Military Deployment Services report calls attention to the increasing need for mental health services for military personnel and their families—needs that are straining the military mental health-services system ("An unmet need" ).

The APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls reported findings that products and media that sexualize girls are more prevalent and are harmful to girls and women (see "APA task force report..."). For a copy of the report, visit www.apa.org/pi/wpo/sexualization.html.

Council also:

•Approved the establishment of a strategic planning process for the association, which will be developed, evaluated and modified in consultation with a Strategic Planning Advisory Committee.

•Approved a change in the Guidelines and Principles for Accreditation of Programs in Professional Psychology that discontinues, via a time-certain seven-year phase-out plan, the current arrangement by which APA and the Canadian Psychological Association concurrently accredit doctoral education and training programs in Canada.

•Approved revisions to APA’s Record Keeping Guidelines, which updated the guidelines based on new communications and record-keeping technologies, as well as Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act requirements. For more information, visit www.apa.org/practice/recordkeeping.html.

•Approved new Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Girls and Women. For a copy of the guidelines visit www.apa.org/about/division/girlsandwomen.pdf.

•Adopted as APA policy a resolution opposing the teaching of intelligent design as scientific theory. For more information, visit www.apa.org/releases/design.html.

•Approved the association’s 2007 budget. The 2007 budget currently shows an end-of-year surplus of $23,200. The 2006 year-end budget surplus was $312,800.

Council also received reports on APA’s net worth, including stock market holdings and real estate. Also reported, in executive session, were reports on the association’s compensation to its senior staff.