Practice program highlights

Colleague assistance, mental health epidemiology, the business side of practice and disaster training updates will headline some of the programming offered by APA's Practice Directorate and related groups at this year's convention.

On Saturday, Aug. 20, at 3 p.m., the Advisory Committee on Colleague Assistance (ACCA) will sponsor the session "Models of colleague assistance: Collaboration between licensing boards and state associations." Attendees will learn about the history, challenges and best practices related to psychologist impairment and colleague assistance. The session will also address a document ACCA is creating in collaboration with the Association of State and Provincial Psychological Boards that state psychological associations can use to develop or strengthen colleague-assistance programs.

The session, chaired by Jeff Pincus, PhD, of Riegler, Sheinvold & Associates in Harrisburg, Pa., will feature several presenters:

• Mardi F. Allen, PhD, Mississippi Department of Mental Health.

• Nancy S. Elman, PhD, School of Education, University of Pittsburgh.

• Roberta Nutt, PhD, department of psychology and philosophy, Texas Woman's University.

• Kathleen M. Chard, PhD, PTSD Division, Cincinnati VA Medical Center.

• Jim Oraker, PhD, Colorado School of Professional Psychology.

Another session, "Mental health and U.S. correctional institutions: Issues, challenges and solutions," will examine the impact of mental health issues on correctional institution populations--particularly minority groups--and the lack of treatment for, and consideration of, mental disorders within those populations. U.S. Deputy Surgeon General Kenneth Moritsugu will make an opening statement and presenters will offer solutions and recommendations. See page 62 for the full details.

Also of interest to practitioners will be the session "Population perspectives on the epidemiology and use of services for behavioral health disorders" on Saturday, Aug. 20, at 2 p.m. This session will focus on data from two recent large-scale studies of mental health epidemiology: the U.S. National Comorbidity Survey and the World Health Organization's Global Health Survey. Presenters will discuss methodology, comorbidity and more targeted delivery of mental health services to those in need. Ronald Kessler, PhD, of Harvard Medical School, will receive an APA Presidential Citation for his work in this area.

Those interested in the business side of practice can tap the session "Effective and ethical marketing strategies for psychologists" on Friday, Aug. 19, at 10 a.m. Sponsored by the APA Practice Directorate and the Committee for the Advancement of Professional Practice, the program will feature such topics as developing a marketing plan; identifying new practice opportunities; building referral streams; using effective, low-cost marketing approaches; and ethical and legal issues related to advertising and marketing your practice.

Meanwhile, the session "Starting and building a successful practice," held Friday, Aug. 19, at 2 p.m., will offer advice on basic business planning, marketing strategies, technological solutions and office policies and procedures. The session, part of an ongoing collaboration between the Practice Directorate and the American Psychological Association of Graduate Students (APAGS), aims to help practice-oriented graduate students and early-career psychologists meet their clinical, legal and ethical obligations and create thriving careers as practitioners.

The program features three presenters:

• David W. Ballard, PsyD, assistant executive director, corporate relations and business strategy, APA Practice Directorate.

• David W. Nickelson, PsyD, JD, assistant executive director, technology policy and projects, APA Practice Directorate.

• Lloyd K. Chapman, member-at-large, practice focus, American Psychological Association of Graduate Students.

The discussant will be Corey Habben, PsyD, of Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

Finally, the "Symposium on the New Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) Testing Codes," sponsored by APA's Div. 40 (Clinical Neuropsychology), is designed for practitioners who provide psychological and neuropsychological testing services. The symposium will introduce the new CPT codes, effective Jan. 1, 2006, explain how they differ from the current codes, and demonstrate how practitioners can bill for professional, technician and/or computerized testing services. The symposium, chaired by Diane M. Pedulla, JD, director of regulatory affairs for APA's Practice Directorate, will feature three speakers: Kimberly Moore, federal regulatory affairs officer, APA Practice Directorate; Antonio Puente, PhD, University of North Carolina at Wilmington; and James Georgoulakis, PhD, San Antonio, Texas. The discussant will be Randy Phelps, PhD, deputy executive director, APA Practice Directorate.

--COMPILED BY PRACTICE DIRECTORATE STAFF