Learning from successes in California, Rhode Island

Two state associations share their strategies for promoting the profession and educating the public.

By Scott Sleek
Monitor staff

In California, practitioners are actively promoting themselves as information resources for news reporters. In Rhode Island, they?re trying to teach business leaders how to choose the best mental health plans for their employees.

Psychology advocates from those states outlined their use of these and other marketing strategies during a symposium at APA?s State Leadership Conference, held March 7?10 in Washington, D.C. The symposium was designed to give state and provincial psychological associations (SPPAs) ideas on marketing psychologists? services in today?s increasingly complex and competitive marketplace.

Courting the media

Building relationships with journalists is one of the most cost-effective ways to raise public awareness about psychology, said Karen Judge, director of communications and marketing for the California Psychological Association (CPA). About every two weeks, Judge sends out press releases on such psychology topics as controlling holiday spending and avoiding procrastination during tax season. She even sent out a release alerting reporters that forensic psychologists were available to provide commentary about the Unabomber case.

The releases typically yield about 10 published or broadcast stories a month, most of which quote CPA members, she says.

The association would have to spend 'boatloads' of money to reach the same amount of people through advertising message, Judge said. In essence, the media serves as a form of free advertising, she said.

CPA has also set up a statewide speakers? bureau of psychologists available for media interviews. The association refers reporters to a local psychologist who can speak on the topic the journalist is covering, she explained.

And five of CPA?s local chapters have combined resources to pay for advertising that promotes psychology. APA provided the chapters with a $50,000 grant to supplement the advertising purchases.

In other marketing efforts, the CPA has:

? Set up booths on college campuses and shopping malls to distribute information on psychological services.

? Hosted free public workshops on such topics as work, love and family.

? Started an association web site (www.calpsychlink.org) that includes articles written by psychologists for the general public.

? Developed informational brochures on such topics as 'the mind-body connection' and managed care and even translated them into Spanish for the state?s large Hispanic population. Psychologists can distribute the brochures in their offices and at community events and presentations.

Campaign for care

The Rhode Island Psychological Association (RIPA) has been targeting its marketing efforts toward the business community, said Patricia Raymond, PhD, past president of RIPA.

The association rallied with other mental health-provider organizations in an effort called 'Campaign for Care,' which aims to teach businesses the importance of buying quality mental health insurance plans for employees, Raymond said.

The campaign activists set up an information booth at a business expo sponsored by the Providence Chamber of Commerce. And they developed a guide to buying mental health insurance that they are distributing to employers in the states.

The guide notes that plans should include such features as patients? right to choose their provider and to receive a proper psychological assessment before treatment begins.

Through the 'Campaign for Care,' psychologists are trying to promote themselves as small businesses that help other businesses be good to their employees, Raymond said.

'I think we have an opportunity to be businesses with a conscience,' she said.

'And there are businesses out there that are like us. They?ll be interested in doing business with us.'