APA's Public Policy Office (PPO) will sponsor a variety of 2006 APA Annual Convention programs to give psychologists a chance to learn more about how to contribute to federal legislation and policy. Attendees can, for example, hear firsthand the experiences of psychologists who have worked on Capitol Hill or get updated on public policy surrounding disaster response. Here are just a few highlights.

Capitol Hill experiences

At the session "Applying Psychological Knowledge to Federal Policy-Making: The Experiences of APA Congressional Fellows," Saturday, Aug. 12, 10–11:50 a.m., PPO will spotlight its 2005–2006 Congressional Fellows, who have come to Washington, D.C., for one year to work as special legislative assistants to members of Congress or congressional committees. This fellowship program aims to familiarize psychologists with the federal policy-making process, to contribute to the more effective use of psychological research and practice in government, and to broaden awareness about the value of psychology-government interaction among psychologists within the federal government.

The session will be chaired by APA Congressional Fellowship Program Co-directors Ellen Garrison, PhD, and Annie Toro, JD, and will feature the following speakers and discussion topics:

• Paula Domenici, PhD, of the office of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), "Courage After Fire: Blending Clinical Practice and Policy to Help Returning Soldiers."

• Bruce Gilberg, PhD, of the office of Sen. John D. Rockefeller IV (D-W.V.), "Psychology and Public Policy: The ‘Top-down' vs. ‘Bottom-up' Approach."

• Elizabeth Hoffman, PhD, of the Senate Subcommittee on Education and Early Childhood Development, "Split Brain? A Neuropsychologist Navigates the Intersection of Data and Policy."

• Gregory Walton, PhD, of the office of Sen. Clinton, "A Psychologist's Year on the Hill."

Combating domestic violence

At the session "Violence Against Women Act: Opportunities for Women, Families and Psychologists," Sunday, Aug. 13, 1–1:50 p.m., members of APA's Public Policy Office and Women's Programs Office will provide an overview of the 2005 Violence Against Women Act reauthorization and discuss the role of APA and its members in the development and implementation of this legislation.

The session, sponsored by Div. 35 (Society for the Psychology of Women), will be chaired by Gwendolyn Puryear Keita, PhD, executive director of APA's Public Interest Directorate. Participants include Diane Elmore, PhD, of APA's Public Policy Office, who will present on "Violence Against Women Act: APA Public Policy Office Update," and Leslie Cameron, of the APA Women's Programs Office, speaking on "Promoting Psychology in Combating Domestic Violence: Women's Programs Office Update."

Multicultural issues in disaster response

At the session "Intersecting Dimensions of Multicultural Issues in Disaster Response: Aging, Disability, Ethnicity and SES—Public Policy Implications," Saturday, Aug. 12, 11–12:50 p.m., presenters will discuss public policy implications of the intersecting dimensions of multicultural issues in disaster relief and preparedness.

The program, chaired by former APA Executive Director for Public Interest Henry Tomes, PhD, is co-sponsored by APA Divs. 22 (Rehabilitation) and 45 (Society for the Psychological Study of Ethnic Minority Issues) and co-listed by the Board for the Advancement of Psychology in the Public Interest, the Committee on Disability Issues in Psychology, the Committee on Ethnic Minority Affairs, the Committee on Aging and Div. 20 (Adult Development and Aging).

Presenters include:

• Diane Elmore, PhD, of APA's Public Policy Office, "No Older Adult Left Behind: Recommendations for Federal Policy."

• Hilary Styron, director of the National Organization on Disability's Emergency Preparedness Initiative, "Effects of Hurricanes Katrina/Rita on People with Disabilities."

• Elizabeth Boyd, PhD, of the University of South Dakota, "One Year After the Storms: Public Policy Implications of Disaster Response in Communities of Color."

Priscilla P. Dass-Brailsford, EdD, of Lesley University, will be the program discussant.

—Compiled by APA's Public Policy Office

Note that all session dates and times are subject to change.

All dates, times and locations for programs will be listed online at www.apa.org/convention in June and in the convention program, available in July.