Comment on psychopharmacology guidelines

The Board of Educational Affairs/Committee for the Advancement of Professional Practice (BEA/CAPP) Task Force to Review the APA Psychopharmacology Curricula and Related Policies seeks comments on proposed revisions to the Recommended Guidelines in Postdoctoral Training in Psychopharmacology for Prescription Privileges and Model Legislation adopted as APA policy in 1996 (see the American Psychologist, Vol. 52, No. 8, page 859). The BEA/CAPP Task Force is recommending updates to APA’s model curricula and related policies in light of advances in prescriptive authority education and training and legislation since the policies were initially developed.

The proposed revision of the guidelines outlines the recommended postdoctoral education and training in psychopharmacology for already licensed psychologists who seek prescriptive authority. The proposed revision of the model legislation includes relevant sample provisions for inclusion in state legislation giving prescriptive authority to psychologists.

The BEA/CAPP Task Force seeks comments on the proposed revisions contained in both documents, especially on the shift toward demonstration of core competencies and integration of practicum training, where appropriate, in training.

The revised documents, instructions and comment forms are available at www.apa.org/ed/graduate/comment_review.html. For more information or to submit comments, contact Deborah Baker in the Practice Directorate Legal and Regulatory Affairs Department of the Practice Directorate, at the APA address; (202) 336-5886; or E-mail. Comments must be received by April 29.

Board of Educational Affairs develops teaching strategies

The Board of Educational Affairs Task Force on Translating Psychological Research on PreK–12 Teaching for Educators and Policymakers convened for the second time, Nov. 27–28, to continue developing evidence-based teaching strategies for APA’s Center for Psychology in Schools and Education (CPSE) Web site. The task force is developing a Web site, to be completed in 2007, that will convey to teachers psychological findings related to teaching and learning. The focus of the work is to integrate psychological science on development and contextual concerns with research on instruction. The National Institute of Child Health and Development (NICHD) sponsored the meeting. Program officers from NICHD, the National Science Foundation and the Institute of Education Sciences participated.

The teaching strategies—which provide evidence-based do’s and don’ts and information on sub-populations of students that have been involved in the studies to support this evidence —are developed by the task force and based on the available psychological literature and recent findings from the APA Teacher Needs Survey. They offer suggestions for classroom teachers on using praise effectively, and using formative assessment and practice to increase achievement; dealing with disruptive students in class; bullies and bullying; improving teacher-student relationships and motivating students to learn; using students’ prior knowledge to address misconceptions and increase achievement; and developing more autonomous learners in the classroom.

In addition to educating teachers, these topics can also aid federal agencies and education and psychology researchers by highlighting gaps in the literature that need to be filled with studies based on different developmental levels and subpopulations. The task force plans to complete its work in 2007. Members of the task force include: chair, Mary Brabeck, PhD, Carol Dwyer, PhD, Sandra Graham, PhD, Joan Lucariello, PhD, Barbara McCombs, PhD, Thomas Kratochwill, PhD, Robert Pianta, PhD, Sara Rimm-Kaufman, PhD, and Margaret Semrud-Clikeman, PhD.

For more information, contact Program Officer Maya Bassford, JD, of the APA Center for Psychology in Schools and Education in the Education Directorate at E-mail, or Assistant Executive Director Rena Subotnik, PhD, at E-mail.

—E. Packard

Advance convention registration opens March 15

APA members and others can now register for the APA’s 2007 Annual Convention in San Francisco, Aug. 17–20, at the official convention Web site: www.apa.org/convention.

Register early to take advantage of lower registration fees and to have the opportunity to reserve hotel rooms at the special APA rates. Be sure to have your APA membership number and password available when you access the online registration site.

APA’s Annual Convention offers a host of symposia, invited addresses, exhibits, continuing-education workshops, networking opportunities and social hours. For session and program updates, check the convention Web site.

Nominate candidates for APA’s treasurer

APA’s Board of Directors is seeking nominations for APA treasurer. The term of the current treasurer ends this year on Dec. 31. According to the association’s bylaws:

“The Treasurer of the Association shall be a Member of the Association, elected by the immediately previous Council following nominations by the Board of Directors. The Treasurer shall take office for a term of three years, beginning at the end of the fiscal year during which his/her election is announced, and shall not succeed himself/herself in this office more than once. During the term of office, the Treasurer shall serve as senior financial officer of the Association and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed in these Bylaws. The Treasurer shall have authority to sign checks and drafts on behalf of the Association for disbursement of funds for duly authorized purposes of the Association as provided by Bylaws or by vote of Council or the Board of Directors. He/she shall deliver an audited report for each fiscal year to the Finance Committee and the Board of Directors. The Treasurer shall chair the Finance Committee and serve ex officio, without vote, on the Publications and Communications Board. In the case of the death or incapacity of the Recording Secretary, the Treasurer is authorized to perform the duties normally assigned to the Recording Secretary.”

The nomination deadline is April 13. Any member of the association is eligible. A slate of final nominees will be selected by the Board of Directors. The election ballot will be mailed on July 1 to all voting members of the 2006 Council of Representatives, and the balloting period will last 30 days. Send nominations to Barry S. Anton, PhD, APA Recording Secretary, Department of Psychology, University of Puget Sound, 1500 N. Warner, #1046, Tacoma, WA 98416-0001; E-mail.