How would you continue and
enhance the work of your predecessors relative to multiculturalism/diversity related
to education, practice, research, public policy and training?
The president has the power to keep a focus on issues andif elected,
diversity will be a priority. I strongly support the successful programs at APA.
We require more psychologists who are culturally and linguistically competent, and
to get more minority students we need to start earlier in the educational pipelinehigh
school. For practice, we need more funding for community health psychology and to
eliminate managed care so that practitioners have decent reimbursements and can
provide needed services. We need to work more in primary care, since people of color
are more likely to receive psychological services in those settings.
As the largest psychological organization in the world,
APA should take the lead in making psychology an influential presence. How would
you go about realizing this goal?
Continue to work with and expand our presence in international
organizations, such as the International Congress of Psychology and International
Union of Psychologya U.S. psychologist is its president. Invite leaders from
other nations to liaison with APA governance, as we are doing with minority psychological
associations. Create stronger connections with psychological associations in other
countries and initiate collaborative projects to develop international standards
for psychological education, training and practice. These collaborations will support
our multicultural/diversity efforts within APA. Expand NIH funding for international
collaborative research in psychology. Join with other countries to make psychology
a household word throughout the world.