The Public Interest Directorate (PI) was established in 1987. PI supports and promotes members' efforts to apply the science and profession of psychology to the advancement of human welfare. The Directorate's issues are central to the science and profession of psychology and critical to consumers of psychological services and the general public.

The Directorate provides staff support for the Board for the Advancement of Psychology in the Public Interest; the Committee on Children, Youth, and Families; the Committee on Disability Issues in Psychology; the Committee on Ethnic Minority Affairs; the Committee on Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Concerns; the Committee on Women in Psychology; the Committee on Psychology and the Public Interest Awards; the Board of Directors' ad hoc Committee on Psychology and AIDS; the Committee on Urban Initiatives; the Committee on Aging, and other groups as needed.

In addition, the Directorate is home to the Healthy Adolescents Project funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau/Office of Adolescent Health and the Emergency Medical Services for Children Project funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau/Emergency Medical Services for Children.

The following is a summary of selected children, youth, and families activities from the various Public Interest program areas.

Chaired by Henry Tomes, PhD, the group meets periodically to share information on initiatives, to discuss issues of mutual concern, and to develop collaborative strategies for addressing those concerns. Representatives from the Education, Practice, Public Interest, and Science Directorates and the Public Policy Office participate in the meetings.

The Association accepted the Columbia University School of Public Health's invitation to become a cooperating organization for Head Start's Fifth National Research Conference, Developmental and Contextual Transitions of Children and Families: Implications for Research, Policy, and Practice. The Conference will be held in Washington, DC, June 28 - July 1, 2000. APA will provide names and contact information for possible conference speakers and peer reviewers.

Conference goals include identifying and disseminating current research in early childhood and family issues and fostering partnerships among researchers, practitioners, and policymakers. The central theme of the coming conference is developmental and contextual transitions affecting the health and well being of young children (i.e., from prenatal care to middle childhood) and their families. Developmental transitions include the embeddedness of brain development within the more typical stages of child development and education. Contextual transitions refer to the progression and passage of children through the institutions that serve them and their families. The degree of continuity in and between the developmental and contextual transitions is the focus of the conference.

Special research topics will include: very early development, children with disabilities, physical health, mental health, biobehavioral approaches to development, early education and care, fatherhood, information technology, social policy changes, research methods, social institutional transitions, continuities, family structure and transitions, cultural and ethnic diversity, substance use and abuse, family literacy, child and family strengths and resiliency, research based programs and staff development models, program-initiated research partnerships, and neighborhood and community influences.

For additional information on the conference, contact Ruth Robinson, at 212-304-5252 (voice) or flp1@columbia.edu (email).

The American Psychological Association (APA) has accepted the invitation of the Children's Bureau/Office on Child Abuse and Neglect to serve as a national co-sponsor of the Thirteenth National Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect. The Conference will be held April 23-28, 2001, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The National Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect has been held biennially since 1976, and the APA actively co-sponsored the 10th, 11th, and 12th National Conferences.

It is expected that the conference will bring together more than 2,000 practitioners, policy makers, community organizers, and researchers representing a variety of disciplines and perspectives. The weeklong conference will consist of plenary sessions, workshops, and skill-building sessions intended to advance the quality of services to children and their families in communities across the country. As a member of the National Planning Committee, the Association will recommend keynote and plenary speakers and workshop titles and presenters, and participate in decisions regarding conference themes, sessions, and activities. For additional information or to recommend speakers or topics, please contact Mary Campbell at 202-336-6039 (voice), 202-336-6040 (fax) or mcampbell@apa.org (email).

The APA Task Force on Adolescent Girls: Strengths and Stresses (December 1995 - December 1998) worked to identify strengths, challenges, and choices of adolescent girls and to identify gaps and inconsistencies in research, education, practice, and public policy. In May 1999, APA Books published Beyond Appearance: A New Look at Adolescent Girls. This scholarly volume presented a balanced view of teen aged girls that emphasized their strengths as well as the challenges they must meet. To order a copy of Beyond Appearance contact APA Books at 1-800-374-2721.

In December 1999 work was completed on A New Look at Adolescent Girls Strengths and Stresses Research Agenda. The Research Agenda was excerpted from the scholarly book and poses research questions focused on the many aspects of and influences on adolescent girls' development as they interact with their environment. Special attention is given to the strengths, challenges, and choices within the contexts of girls' lives as the authors attempt to answer questions focused on girls' development during adolescence, positive influences on that development, roles of adults in their lives, issues of diversity and self-esteem, and the influence adolescent girls exert on the world around them. For a copy of the Research Agenda, contact Mary Campbell at mcampbell@apa.org.

Funded by a five-year cooperative agreement with the CDC Division of Adolescent and School Health, the HLGBSP is a collaboration between the Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Concerns Office in the Public Interest Directorate and the Center for Psychology in Schools and Education in the Education Directorate. The purpose of the HLGBSP is to build the capacity of schools to prevent health problems of lesbian, gay, and bisexual youths including HIV infection, sexually transmitted diseases, unintended pregnancy, and other important physical and mental health problems. The program will work with national organizations of key school stakeholders to build the preventive capacity of schools in five specific areas: counseling and psychological services, health services, health education, family and community involvement, and school climate.

An education and training needs assessment is underway for school counseling, psychological, and health services professionals. The needs assessment will be used to plan education and training that will be implemented in cooperation with local and state education agencies.

HIV curricula that have been endorsed by CDC have been obtained and a review is underway. The review will generate guidance to curriculum developers and school health educators on how to adapt curricula that have been shown to be effective so that health problems of lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth are prevented.

For more information, contact J. Davidson "Dusty" Porter, PhD, Project Manager, at jporter@apa.org, (email) or 202-312-6473 (voice).

On November 23rd, a national coalition of ten education, health, mental health and religious organizations mailed a joint publication Just the Facts about Sexual Orientation and Youth: A Primer for Principals, Educators, and School Personnel to 15,000 public school superintendents across the country. The primer addresses the needs of lesbian, gay, and bisexual students in schools. The coalition included the following organizations: American Academy of Pediatrics, American Association of School Administrators, American Counseling Association, American Federation of Teachers, American Psychological Association, American School Health Association, National Association of School Psychologists, National Association of Social Workers, National Education Association, and the Interfaith Alliance Foundation.

The "Just the Facts" coalition began meeting in late 1998. Its goal was to help educators and administrators address issues related to student sexual orientation, which have become increasingly visible in schools nationwide. As awareness of the educational, health and safety needs of lesbian, gay, and bisexual students has grown, schools have begun to respond. Prompted by concerns that school personnel were receiving inaccurate information on the issue of sexual orientation and how to address it best with students, the coalition produced the publication.

Just the Facts provides information that will help school administrators and educators create safe and healthy school environments in which all students can achieve to the best of their ability. The primer addresses the topics of sexual orientation development, reparative therapy, transformational ministry, and relevant legal principles. The publication also includes a substantial resource list for educators who desire to learn more on these topics.

For more information or to obtain a copy of the 12-page publication, contact the Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Concerns Office at 202-336-6041 (voice), mcdelong@apa.org (email) or download a copy at http://www.apa.org/pi/lgbc/facts.pdf.

The APA has been awarded a contract for Fiscal Year 2000 from the Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) program, administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. EMSC's mission is to reduce child and youth mortality and morbidity sustained due to severe illness or trauma.

Under the terms of the contract, the APA will organize a consensus conference on the mental health needs of emergency medical service providers who treat children for significant injuries or who are acutely ill. Participants will identify the range of mental health needs of providers related to pediatric medical emergencies; examine the implications of the emotional impact of emergencies in terms of physical and mental health, cost of care, and satisfaction with care provided to patient and family and identify research questions related to mental health and medical emergencies.

The Association will also develop a bibliography focused on the services needed to assist EMSC personnel (pre-hospital and emergency department) in dealing with traumatic events and for preventing the development of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The bibliography will focus on caring for acutely ill or injured children and will include the differences of opinion relating to Critical Incidence Stress Debriefing and Critical Incidence Stress Management.

The Project Director is Jacquelyn Gentry, PhD, with Mary Campbell as Associate Project Director. To learn more about APA's EMSC project, contact Bridget Freeman, Project Coordinator at (202) 336-6031 (voice), or bfreeman@apa.org (email).

It should be noted that this is the third contract APA has received from the EMSC program. In FY99, the Public Interest Directorate in collaboration with APA Books produced an annotated bibliography, Annotated Bibliography on the Psychological and Behavioral Aspects of EMSC. The publication included several topical categories (such as mental health aspects of children's reactions to disasters, coping with the death of a child, and children's reactions to the emergency department experience). The introductory chapter included an overview and trend analysis summarizing major themes in the literature, promising research, ethical issues, and methodological challenges. To purchase a copy, contact APA Books at 1-800-374-2721.

The Directorate also convened a consensus conference to identify the range of mental health needs of children and their families related to a medical emergency; to examine the implications of the emotional impact of emergencies in terms of both physical and mental health recovery, cost of care, and patient (and family) satisfaction with care; and to identify research questions related to mental health and medical emergencies. In September 1999, a report summarizing the meeting's content and recommendations was presented to the EMSC program. An article for submission to a relevant journal is now under development.

In FY98 the APA Public Interest Directorate completed a project that defined training needs for emergency medical service specialists on the topic of violence prevention, and outlined other potential contributions psychology could offer to EMSC.

For additional information about APA's EMSC Projects, contact Bridget Freeman using the contact information provided above.

In October, 1999 the Healthy Adolescents Project (HAP) entered its fourth year of operation. HAP is funded by the Office of Adolescent Health (OAH), Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). This project involves a Cooperative Agreement between APA and OAH, and APA's participation in a consortium called Partners in Program Planning for Adolescent Health (PIPPAH). This partnership now involves six other organizations: the American Medical Association (AMA), the American Bar Association Center on Children and the Law (ABA), the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), the American Dietetic Association (ADA), the American Nurses Association (ANA), and the National Assembly on School-Based Health Care (NASBHC). The goal of PIPPAH is to enhance programming and advocacy for adolescent health at national, state and local levels through interdisciplinary collaboration and through a public-private partnership. The Project Director is Jacquelyn Gentry, PhD, with Mary Campbell as Associate Project Director and Bridget Freeman as Project Coordinator.

HAP's two goals are to:

• Develop a coordinated, strong focus and enhanced visibility for adolescent health issues within the APA, and
  
• Enhance national, state, and local programs and advocacy on behalf of adolescent health through joint activities with the MCHB and PIPPAH.

Within APA, the project goal is to develop a coordinated, strong focus and enhanced visibility for adolescent health issues within the APA. Toward that end the HAP staff will participate in the Central Office Working Group on Child and Adolescent Issues, and a variety of other activities. These activities include consulting with the Office on Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Concerns to develop materials for school professionals on this population of adolescents; and disseminating the Letter to the Field, HAP's periodic newsletter. HAP initiated a 1999 convention presentation entitled Strategies to Enhance Family Communication About Sexual Health, which was presented by Jeanne Blake, President of Media Works, Inc. (now called Family Health Productions, Inc.) and Missy Fleming, PhD, Director of the PIPPAH project at the American Medical Association. The presentation featured excerpts from Raising Healthy Kids: Families Talk About Sexual Health. Raising Healthy Kids is a set of two videos, one designed for parents of young children (birth to seven years old) and the second for parents of pre-adolescent and adolescent children. The HAP and PIPPAH also cosponsored a convention symposium entitled, Violence Among Children and Adolescents: Intervention and Prevention. Participants included Elizabeth Carll (Chair), PhD, Raymond Lorion, PhD, Le'Roy Reese, PhD, Fernando Soriano, PhD, and Jacquelyn Gentry, PhD. HAP distributed a listing of all 1999 APA convention programs with adolescent content. Reports on HAP activities are routinely provided to the Executive Committee of Division 7, 16, 27, 37, 45, 53, and 54, as well as to the Council of Representatives Special Interest Group on Children's Issues and the Committee on Children, Youth, and Families.

As mentioned above, the Association is part of a public/private partnership called PIPPAH. PIPPAH organizations identified the theme "Adolescence: Focus on the Positives" as the focus for FY 99 activities with the goal of correcting negative stereotypes about teenagers. APA's contribution will be an educational product on the normative development of adolescents for psychologists and other professionals represented in PIPPAH. This topic was selected based on discussions in PIPPAH meetings where several partners noted that their members could benefit from information on this subject. Additional, initiatives for FY2000 include development and maintenance of the Adolescent Psychology Network with a current membership of about 400 professionals with expertise or interest in adolescent health issues, dissemination of the Letter to the Field, participation in PIPPAH meetings and in other meetings with relevant groups and organizations.

To sign up for the Adolescent Psychology Network or for additional information about HAP, contact Bridget Freeman, Project Coordinator at 202-336-6031 (voice), 202-336-6040 (fax) or bfreeman@apa.org (email).

Reason to Hope is a violence prevention project developed by the American Psychological Association (APA) in collaboration with the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). The proposed project brings to bear psychological knowledge to address the pressing social problem of violence through two major components: (1) a national multi-media campaign to inform the public that early childhood violence prevention is a critical part of promoting nonviolence; and (2) demonstration projects in selected communities to develop early violence prevention programs.

A unique aspect of the Reason to Hope campaign is that it focuses on young children, up to 8 years old, by targeting messages to the influential adults-parents, teachers, and caregivers-with whom they have daily, close interactions. Few violence prevention strategies focus on this critical period of child development, during which basic interpersonal skills are first learned, and before negative behavior patterns are well-established. Reason to Hope is designed to fill this gap by translating research findings on early childhood development, violence and aggression, and prevention science into a comprehensive, coordinated intervention to prevent the development of violent behaviors in young children. Reason to Hope is designed to convince key adults that, as the most influential people in children's lives, they can take action both to protect children from becoming involved with violence and to strengthen their families, schools, and communities.

Public service advertising campaign. The Reason to Hope advertising campaign is being coordinated through the Advertising Council, Inc., and the Angotti, Thomas, Hedge advertising agency is creating ads and ancillary materials for APA and NAEYC. In April 1999 the ad agency conducted focus group research with mothers, fathers, and early childhood educators in Tennessee, Iowa, and New Jersey to test responses to concepts that are addressed in the Reason to Hope project. Focus group results along with other background research went into the formulation of a creative strategy for the Reason to Hope public service advertising campaign, which was approved by the Advertising Council Campaign Review Committee in December 1999. Creative work on the ads and ancillary material is going forward in early 2000, with an eye toward releasing a national campaign in the summer.

Community demonstration program. With grant support from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the APA and NAEYC have initiated plans for the initial community demonstration program in Northern California. In July 1999 consultants were convened in Washington, DC, to outline strategies and content for training professionals and community members to facilitate early violence prevention programs, and the development of a training curriculum is underway. In November 1999 Reason to Hope staff convened a group of community organization representatives in Santa Clara, CA, bringing together persons with expertise in early childhood education, violence prevention, and human service delivery. The meeting was designed to introduce the Reason to Hope project and to solicit community partners to participate in the implementation of early violence prevention programs. Over the next several months the training curriculum will be completed and pilot tested, then tailored to meet specific needs in the northern California area.

The APA and NAEYC continue to seek funds to support the Reason to Hope project. Grants, contracts, and donated funds will support the cost of producing public service advertisements, educational materials, and activities associated with the national campaign, as well as the development, implementation, and evaluation of local community initiatives. Current Reason to Hope supporters include the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, the Foundation for Child Development, the Los Angeles County Psychological Foundation, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the Center for Mental Health Services, the Metropolitan Life Foundation, and the CDC Foundation.

The APA's Office on AIDS has been training mental health service providers about HIV/AIDS for over nine years. The office administers a federally funded HIV/AIDS mental health provider training program called the HOPE program. The program features a nationwide faculty of over 300 certified regional trainers who deliver seven standardized curricula. Workshops are designed to meet requirements for in-service and continuing education credit. For additional information, contact the AIDS Office at 202-336-6042.

Through the HOPE Program, the APA Office on AIDS conducts a workshop entitled, Psychology, HIV, and Pediatrics. The purpose of the workshop is to acquaint psychologists with the issues that confront children and adolescents infected and affected by HIV, as well as their families and support networks. The workshop highlights the epidemiology of HIV among children and adolescents; outlines the issues and skills comprising a psychosocial model for coping with HIV; and provides experience identifying and using skills needed to work in this specialty area.

For additional information, please contact Christopher Rowe, HOPE Training Officer at 202-216-7603 (voice), crowe@apa.org (email) or Dana Gatewood, HOPE Administrative Coordinator, at 202-336-5851 (voice) or dgatewood@apa.org.

The Directorate has produced the following publications addressing child, youth, and family issues:

A Guide for Including Information on Child Abuse and Neglect in Graduate and Professional Education and Training. This booklet provides guidance for professors, clinical supervisors, and other graduate instructors who would like to incorporate information about child abuse and neglect into their teaching. 1996.

A Guide for Including Information on Child Abuse and Neglect in the Undergraduate Curriculum. This booklet provides guidance for professors and lecturers who would like to incorporate information about child abuse and neglect into their teaching. 1996.

NEW A New Look at Adolescent Girls Strengths and Stresses Research Agenda. This 28 page reprint from the scholarly book, Beyond Appearance: A New Look at Adolescent Girls published by APA Books in May 1999, poses research questions focused on the many aspects of and influences on adolescent girls' development as they interact with their environment. 1999.

APA Policy Statements on Children, Youth, and Families. This portfolio provides text and references for APA policy statements on child, youth, and family issues. 1999.

*A Resource for Psychologists: Lesbian and Gay Parenting. This 40-page publication presents an overview of the research literature and an annotated bibliography. 1995.

NEW* Just the Facts about Sexual Orientation and Youth: A Primer for Principals, Educators, and School Personnel. This primer provides school personnel with accurate information on the issue of sexual orientation and how to address it best with students. 1999.

Love Doesn't Have to Hurt TEENS. A brochure for teenagers on the subject of dating violence. 1997.

Protecting our Children from Abuse and Neglect. A brochure written for parents, teachers, relatives and those who care for children. This pamphlet provides information on how to recognize and prevent child abuse and neglect, and on the causes and what happens to abused and neglected children. 1997.

*Psychological Testing of Language Minority and Culturally Different Children. A brochure that provides information on psychological tests in general, and on the importance of ensuring that these tests are appropriate with regard to the child's cultural background and language. Also included are suggestions that would help to assure the use of appropriate psychological tests. 1992.

*Raising Children to Resist Violence: What You Can Do. A public education brochure for parents and others who care for children. 1995.

Violence at Home. A consumer-oriented brochure focusing on solutions to partner violence. 1991.

*When You Need Child Day Care. This brochure provides tips for caregivers to consider when selecting a day-care environment that will affect their child's physical, intellectual, emotional, and social development. 1990.

Also available in Spanish. La Seleccion del Mejor Cuidado para el Niño de Edad Preescolar. 1992.

Violence and Youth: Psychology's Response. This report summarizes the American Psychological Association's Commission on Violence and Youth. 1993.

Copies of these publications are available by contacting the Public Interest Directorate at 202-336-6050 (voice), 202-336-5723 (fax) or at publicinterest@apa.org (email).

*These publications are available on the Public Interest World Wide Web Home Page, http://www.apa.org/pi.

The Committee on Children, Youth, and Families (CYF) was established by a vote of Council in August 1985 to ensure "that children, youth, and families receive the full attention of the Association in order that all human resources are actualized." The Committee consists of six members and reports to the Council of Representatives through the Board for the Advancement of Psychology in the Public Interest. The 1999 CYF Annual Report provides a summary of 1999 activities and is followed by the Targeted Nominations Statement for Terms Beginning in 2001 and the CYF Federal Legislative Priorities.

The six members of the Committee on Children, Youth, and Families (CYF) for 1999 included Brian L. Wilcox, PhD (chair); Jerome Hanley, PhD; Jan L. Culbertson, PhD (chair-elect); Kathy S. Katz, PhD; Juan Gonzalez, PhD; and Stephen Quintana, PhD.

CYF also has a very active and involved contingent of Division and Board liaisons who attended one or both meetings. Liaisons included: Lonnie Sherrod, PhD, (Division 7); Marc Atkins, PhD (Division 53); William Rae, PhD (Division 54); Hector Ochoa, PhD (Division 16); Melvin Wilson, PhD (Division 27); Cynthia Schellenbach, PhD (Division 37); Maria Prendes-Lintel, PhD (Division 43); Marilyn Stern, PhD (Division 17); and Star Vega, PhD, Board for the Advancement of Psychology in the Public Interest.

The Committee held one formal meeting in the Washington, DC, area on March 18-21, 1999. The second meeting was cancelled due to APA budget constraints.

CYF reports to the Board of Directors through the Board for the Advancement of Psychology in the Public Interest (BAPPI). The Chair-elect of CYF was not able to attend BAPPI's fall 1999 meeting due to APA budget constraints.

CYF maintains active monitor and liaison relationships with APA divisions, boards, committees and task forces. Division liaisons to CYF are very active. They regularly attend the yearly meetings and participate actively in carrying out the work of the Committee. In addition, each CYF member is a monitor or liaison to several APA boards and committees. They review pertinent material to bring relevant issues to the attention of CYF members. In addition, CYF strives to comment appropriately on all cross-cutting agenda items that have some pertinence to children, youth, and families to insure adequate and accurate substantive attention is paid to children, youth, and families.

Due to the cancellation of the Spring 1999 joint Board/Committee governance meetings (the committees met, but not the boards) and the cancellation of the Fall committee meetings, little activity took place and little was accomplished with respect to cross-cutting agenda issues.

The mission of CYF is to further the central purpose of APA -- to advance psychology as a science and a profession and as a means of promoting human welfare -- by specifically ensuring that children, youth, and families receive the full attention of the Association in order that all human resources are actualized. CYF's goals are to:

• Identify and disseminate information concerning the psychological status of children, youth, and families for psychologists, other professionals, policy makers, and the public;

• Offer consultation to relevant APA boards and committees responsible for psychologists who conduct research and provide services for children, youth, and families;

• Encourage psychological research on the factors that promote or inhibit the development of individual and family competence;

• Contribute to the formulation and support of policies that facilitate the optimal development of children and youth within families;

• Designate priorities for APA involvement in the issues affecting children, youth, and families including issues related to gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and disability.

Due to the unusual nature of the 1999 year with respect to APA governance, much of the Committee's efforts were directed towards keeping basic functions operating in the absence of the opportunity to meet together to conduct business.

1999 activities will be summarized as they relate to each of the Committee's five goals.

Identify and disseminate information:

• Implementation of the APA Resolution on Immigrant Children, Youth, and Families. The Committee reviewed the status of the implementation activities approved at their prior meeting and concluded that the remaining activities would be best handled by interested parties outside the formal APA governance system. The Committee held conversations with Felicisima Serafica, PhD,(former CYF member) who agreed to organize an Interdivisional Task Force on Immigrant Children, Youth, and Families. Should this effort prove successful, the Task Force will operate independently of the Committee but will report back on their activities as a courtesy. It should be noted that this resolution originated in CYF.

• Drop-Out Prevention. In 1996 CYF initiated an Interdivisional Task Force on Drop-Out Prevention to implement the APA Policy Statement on School Drop-Out Prevention (originated in CYF). Beth Doll, PhD, Division 16 liaison to CYF, took the lead initially, and Robyn Hess, PhD, now chairs this effort. The established goal of the Task Force is to develop a publication with stronger recommendations for research content and funding that will better inform the practice of psychology on this issue. This Task Force continues to informally report to CYF.

• Division 37 - CYF Working Group on Innovative Training Approaches for Psychologists Working in the Public Sector. This Working Group, chaired by Judith C. Meyers, PhD, former CYF chair, and Jane Knitzer, EdD, was organized specifically to promote more effective training of psychologists to work with the population of children and families served by the public sector (specifically children from low income and culturally diverse backgrounds). The Working Group planned to develop a set of principles and a framework for action, identifying innovative doctoral, internship, and continuing education training approaches, and developing a resource guide for faculty, intern directors, and students.

  The Committee reviewed "Psychologists working with children and families in the public sector: Facing the training and workforce challenges," a brief report developed by the Task Force. Based on a set of concerns raised by the Committee, Dr. Culbertson agreed to discuss the concerns with the Task Force co-chairs and, hopefully, resolve the outstanding issues and bring them to the Committee for consideration at its next meeting.

• Juvenile Justice and Mental Health Issues. CYF was concerned about the reduction in state funding for public mental health services for children and youth with serious mental health problems without an increase in funds for communities to provide services. In addition, there has been an increase in the number of adolescents without private health insurance. In recent years the response of choice to children and adolescents with serious mental health problems and no insurance has been to move them into the juvenile justice system where services are often poor or nonexistent. Of serious concern to the Committee is the fact that ethnic and racial minority youth are disproportionately harmed by these policies.

  The Committee was unable to undertake a number of planned activities due to the limitations created by a single Committee meeting. The Committee chair, Dr. Wilcox, has organized a congressional briefing on these issues, to take place on May 8, 2000. Plans are still in the works for a series of articles to be submitted to the American Psychologist.

• New Project: Infant and Toddler Mental Health. Drs. Culbertson and Katz led the Committee in an initial discussion focused on addressing the mental health needs of infants and toddlers. Drs. Culbertson and Katz developed a goal statement for CYF's consideration at the March 1999 meeting. The project was discussed both during the March meeting and subsequently during the Committee's November 1, 1999 conference call. The Committee authorized Drs. Culbertson and Katz to present their plan to BAPPI for approval.

Consultation was provided to a variety of APA boards, committees, task forces, divisions and offices through CYF liaison and monitor relationships to these groups or through their similar relationships with CYF. CYF also provided and received consultation through attendance at and participation in conference committee meetings, as summarized above. These consultations were minimized by the cancellation of the Fall meetings.

The Committee, during the March meeting did:

• Provide input to the Committee on Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Concerns on updating Lesbian and Gay Parenting: A Resource for Psychologists.

Typically, CYF members seek collaborative and supportive relationships with fellow committees in the public interest area and hold joint sessions with other Public Interest committees. The time pressures created by the cancellation of the Fall meeting precluded holding this session.

Several activities already described promote and encourage psychological research and the training of researchers related to issues of children, youth, and families. These include the Drop-Out Prevention Task Force; and the Division 37-CYF Working Group on Innovative Training Approaches for Psychologists Working in the Public Sector. This Working Group addresses the need to train researchers in program evaluation and community-based research to support the development and maintenance of systems of care to serve children with serious emotional problems and their families.

CYF maintains an active connection with the Public Policy Office (PPO). Staff from the PPO were included on the agenda of the spring meeting to summarize issues and events of significance to CYF and to explore possibilities for advancing CYF's legislative priorities. CYF has advocated strongly for there to be a PPO staff member with specific expertise on child, youth, and family policy issues. The Committee has worked with the PPO staff to organize the Congressional Briefing on Juvenile Justice and Mental Health scheduled for May 2000.

This goal permeates every aspect of CYF's work and is evident through the variety of consultation efforts and task forces and work groups described above.

CYF continues to be recognized as a group of committed individuals who take the Committee's charge very seriously. Different than most APA Committees, CYF advocates for a population that is not represented among the membership (specifically children and youth). CYF's commitment stems not from self-interest but from an interest in using psychological knowledge and practice to improve and enhance the lives of many who are often overlooked. The notion of serving the public interest truly underlies all that CYF does. CYF is committed not only to ensuring that APA as an organization maintains its commitment to and focus on children, youth, and families, but that CYF serves as a vehicle for promoting and advocating for children, youth, and families outside the bounds of the organization through influencing education, training, information dissemination, and public policy.

The Committee would like to note that its agenda and work was seriously hampered by the cancellation of the Fall Consolidated Committee meetings. Despite efforts to conduct business via email and conference call, we found that much of our work is done with governance members outside of CYF, and that the single-meeting format precluded the types of interactions necessary to move many important agendas forward. We would urge the Board of Directors and the Council of Representative to make all efforts to avoid such cancellations in the future.

The Committee on Children, Youth, and Families is anticipating two vacancies in 2001. The Committee is particularly interested in candidates with demonstrated experience and expertise in adolescence (in particular, issues of communication and the media), public policy advocacy, children and families at multiple risk, educationally based interventions, early intervention and prevention, and resilience issues. Examples of current initiatives include: training psychologists to work in the public sector; psychological implications of disasters; managed care; and immigrant children, youth, and families, with specific attention to issues of cultural competence. The Committee places a priority on maintaining representation within the Committee's membership that reflects the diversity of psychology and society (e.g., ethnicity, culture, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, and geographic location). APA nominations are open to all members including those who are retired or employed less than full time.

The candidates selected to serve on the Committee will serve for three years and will be required to attend two Committee meetings a year in Washington, DC, with expenses reimbursed by APA. The Committee will meet on March 23-25 and September 21-23, 2001; March 15-17 and September 20-22, 2002; and, March 28-30 and September 19-21, 2003. The successful candidate is expected to attend, if possible, the informal CYF meeting held during the APA convention at the member's own expense. In addition, members are expected to work an average of ten hours per month on CYF related issues.

Nominations material including a letter from the candidate indicating a willingness to serve and a current CV must be received by August 21, 2000. Nomination materials received after August 21 will be held for consideration the following year. Although it is not required, candidates may wish to have letters (not more than three) supporting their nomination submitted to the Committee. Material may be sent to CYF Nominations, Public Interest Directorate, American Psychological Association, 750 First Street, NE, Washington, DC, 20002-4242.

The listing of legislative priorities of the Committee on Children, Youth, and Families (CYF) that follows reflects the current policy concerns of the Committee. This listing is updated regularly. The Committee is fully aware that the Congressional agenda and calendar, as well as other external events typically dictate the opportunities available to the staff of APA's Public Policy Office. Thus, the policy initiatives pursued by the Public Policy Office will be constrained by these factors and will not necessarily reflect the priorities listed below.

In general, certain principles can assist the work of the Public Policy Office with respect to child, youth, and family policy issues. The Committee agrees that the following principles should be used as a guide when considering any such policy initiatives:

• Whenever possible, the policy approaches advocated should be proactive rather than reactive. APA has the capacity to educate policy makers on cutting edge policy issues and should strive to assist Congress in addressing policy matters before they reach a crisis stage.

• APA's input in child, youth, and family policy discussions should be strongly based in the science of psychology. The Association's unique standing in the policy arena is psychology's body of empirical research and theory. Contributions that are evidence-based and rooted in the science of psychology are crucial to establishing and maintaining APA's credibility with policy makers.

• It is particularly important that APA bring the developmental perspective to bear on legislation affecting children and youth. Juvenile justice policies, childcare policies, and welfare reform policies are often formulated with little thought to the developmental issues that will likely affect the success or failure of those policies. APA is uniquely situated to address important developmental considerations as policies are formed.

• APA should devote special effort to devise policy approaches that promote healthy development among children and youth. Most policy initiatives for children, youth, and families are problem-focused. An expanding body of research attests to the value of an array of intervention/prevention models that develop and build upon strengths and foster psychosocial competence and health. APA should work to assure that this perspective is represented in policy making whenever possible.

• Advocate for federal support for mental health services for children and adolescents in need, particularly with respect to the mental health needs of youth in the juvenile justice system.

• Advocate for federal policies to promote adolescents' access to confidential and sensitive health, mental health, and reproductive health services.

• Advocate for funding of research and programs designed to address the issues of lesbian, gay, and bisexual youths in schools, and programs for HIV prevention targeted at gay and bisexual youths.

• Advocate for federal policies to promote maternal and child health and mental health with particular attention to the impact of welfare reform on families.

• Advocate for federal support for full educational opportunities for all children and adolescents leading to literacy and self support skills (meaning the ability to earn a living).

• Advocate for federal support for child abuse and neglect prevention, treatment, and research, and for increased involvement of psychologists and behavioral science in these areas.

• Advocate for preserving and protecting rights of and services to immigrant, migrant, and refugee children and youth and for research funding and programs to address issues of this population.

• Promote federal policies and regulations that serve to reduce children's exposure to and involvement in violence, whether through the media, in schools, in the community, or at home.

• Advocate for children and adolescents' access to appropriate and comprehensive health and sexuality education.

• Advocate for federal funding and support for research on normative development of minority children, youth, and families.

• Advocate for health insurance for uninsured and underinsured children and youth including those in the juvenile justice system.

• Advocate for federal funding and support to train psychologists to work with children, youth, and families with particular attention to children, youth, and families of color, those who are poor and those in rural areas.

• Advocate for strengthening programs that support and empower families with young children, particularly infants and toddlers such as Early Head Start, Head Start, Healthy Start, and child care initiatives.

• Priority legislative initiatives include the National Standards for Education, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (especially Part H), Juvenile Justice Reauthorization, Child Welfare particularly in regard to family preservation, and adoption and termination of parental rights.

APA's Public Policy Office (PPO) staff are actively involved in many legislative and federal activities that affect children, youth, and families. Our involvement includes meeting with members of Congress and their staffs, preparing background memos for congressional offices, facilitating the use of psychologists as expert witnesses at congressional hearings, organizing congressional briefings, sending letters to key members of Congress, responding to drafts of legislation and proposed regulations, communicating with the Clinton administration and federal agencies, and working with key coalitions. This document summarizes some of the activities in which PPO staff are currently involved. Additional information about the Public Policy Office and its initiatives can be obtained from our Web site http://www.apa.org/ppo/homepage.html.

• Participated in advocacy efforts resulting in the passage of the Foster Care Independence Act, which will extend critical insurance benefits to vulnerable young people.

• Facilitated the participation of eight psychologists as expert witnesses at congressional hearings on school, youth, and media violence within a three-week period following the Littleton, Colorado tragedy. This included a special invited closed briefing for members of Congress and their staff at the request of Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and Representative Bobby Scott (D-VA).

• Developed new initiatives to create a national suicide prevention center, to promote mental health resources in schools, to enhance early childhood education training, and to ensure interagency collaboration in the development of school violence prevention initiatives, which are under consideration by Congress.

• Participated in the planning of the White House Conference on Mental Health by attending meetings with Mrs. Gore's chief of staff and presenting briefing papers on child and adolescent mental health and the mental health needs of underserved populations.

• Contributed to the pending reauthorization of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

• Communicated effectively with congressional offices to address concerns raised about APA's position on child sexual abuse following recent media attention directed to the publication of a controversial article in the Psychological Bulletin last July.

An often overlooked area of child welfare reform involves children who "age out" of the foster care system. To address these concerns, the Foster Care Independence Act was introduced in the House of Representatives by Reps. Nancy Johnson (R-CT) and Ben Cardin (D-MD), and in the Senate by the late Senator John Chafee (R-RI). After strong advocacy efforts by APA and other organizations, the House passed the bill on June 25th by an overwhelming vote of 380 to 6. A modified version of the bill was approved by the House on November 18th and the Senate on November 19th. President Clinton signed the bill into law in December. The Act allows states to use Medicaid dollars to provide health insurance coverage to former foster children until age 21 and allows youth to have assets worth up to $10,000 without losing benefits, rather than the current limit of $1,000. The Act also doubles the money for Independent Living programs (from $70 million to $140 million) and allows this money to be spent on such activities as life skills training, substance abuse prevention, and preventive health skills. The Independent Living program was also renamed in honor of Senator Chafee.

A bipartisan group of members including House Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R-TX) and Representatives Deborah Pryce (R-OH), Jim Greenwood (R-PA), Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-OH), and Tom Ewing (R-IL) introduced the Child Abuse Prevention and Enforcement (CAPE) Act in February. PPO representatives met with the staff writing this bill before its introduction and were able to influence its drafting. CAPE would: (1) improve access of child protective workers to certain criminal court records; (2) allow Byrne Criminal Justice Grant dollars to be spent on child abuse prevention; and (3) double the amount of money available for child abuse victims under the Victims of Crime Act, increasing it to up to $20 million. Due to its bipartisan sponsorship, House GOP leadership support, and endorsement by many child advocacy organizations, CAPE successfully passed the House October 5th by a vote of 425 to 2. It passed the Senate November 19th without opposition. Final differences between House and Senate versions will be worked out by January, and the President is expected to sign it.

While these activities are positive signs for child welfare, funding remains a critical issue. In recent years, social services have born the brunt of many cuts, with child welfare services assuming a disproportionate share. APA is working in conjunction with many other organizations to maintain and increase funding for child abuse prevention, treatment, and research. As part of that effort, we are developing a proposal for more funding for child abuse research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and we have begun discussions with key members of Congress on that issue. PPO also continues to lobby for funding for key child welfare programs such as the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) and the Social Services Block Grant (Title XX). For Fiscal Year (FY) 2000, CAPTA discretionary funds for research and demonstration grants increased from $14.149 million to $18.6 million, while CAPTA state grants remained at $21.026 million and Community-Based Family Resource and Support Grants for prevention services remained at $32.835 million. Title XX faired much worse. It received $1.775 billion for FY2000, down from $1.909 billion in 1999. In FY97, when Title XX received $2.5 billion, states used more than 27% of their Title XX allocation to provide child welfare services in prevention and child protection.

As part of the National Child Abuse Coalition, PPO staff participated in the planning and implementation of a congressional briefing on child abuse prevention on June 21st. The briefing examined the empirical relationship between child abuse and later problems with health, education, and criminal/antisocial behavior. Over 100 congressional staff and representatives of federal agencies and other organizations were in attendance.

PPO staff have also been instrumental in responding to congressional concern arising from media attention directed to the Psychological Bulletin article by Bruce Rind, PhD, Robert Bauserman, PhD, and Philip Tromovitch on child sexual abuse. Following the introduction of a congressional resolution by Representatives Matt Salmon (R-AZ), David Weldon (R-FL), Harry Pitts (R-PA), and Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R-TX) condemning the study, PPO staff have worked closely with staff from other APA offices as part of the "child sexual abuse working group" to develop and coordinate an APA-wide response strategy. PPO staff have been actively engaged in ongoing communication with key congressional offices. Specific activities have included preparing documentation of APA's impressive record of recent initiatives concerning child abuse, drafting correspondence, and attending meetings with members of Congress and their staff. PPO staff were quite involved in the development of a substitute resolution, somewhat more favorable to APA, which passed the House in July and the Senate in August.

The reauthorization of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the federal agency responsible for providing mental health and substance abuse services for children and adults, has been neglected for many years. Because of the heightened sensitivity recently to youth violence, however, S.976, the Youth Drug and Mental Health Services Act, was introduced in the Senate by Senator Bill Frist (R-TN) to reauthorize SAMHSA and increase attention to youth mental health needs. This bill would extend the High-Risk Youth program as well as provide $100 million for programs helping children deal with violence. It would also expand substance abuse and comprehensive community mental health services for children and adolescents. Finally, the bill would authorize $40 million to provide services to juvenile offenders who have, or are at risk for, serious emotional disturbance. The services would be offered once the juvenile is discharged from a juvenile justice facility. S. 976 passed the Senate without opposition on November 3rd and was sent to the House, where it was referred to the Commerce Committee.

The limited availability of quality, affordable, and accessible child care is a growing concern for our nation's families, especially low-income families making the transition from welfare to work. While over 50 child care bills were introduced in the last Congress, no new laws were passed and no significant increases in funding were achieved. Consequently, it was an important step when, on March 25th, the Senate approved an amendment by Senators Christopher Dodd (D-CT) and Jim Jeffords (R-VT) that would increase child care spending by up to $10 billion over the next ten years. This amendment was the only significant, bipartisan amendment to the Senate's FY2000 budget bill. While the budget bill itself failed to pass, this vote signaled that child care was going to be a critical issue for this Congress. When appropriations for FY2000 were decided, however, the Child Care and Development Block Grant was frozen at last year's level of $1.182 billion for FY2000. Head Start, on the other hand, received a significant increase of over $500 million for FY2000, bringing the total to $5.267 billion.

A promising event for early childhood concerns was the introduction of the Early Learning Trust Fund bill, sponsored by four very influential Senators: Ted Stevens (R-AK), Edward Kennedy (D-MA), John Kerry (D-MA), and Jim Jeffords (R-VT). This legislation would provide flexible funding for an array of services including pre-kindergarten services, early learning services for special needs children, Early Head Start, and Head Start. Because of the strong bipartisan sponsorship of this bill, many child advocates are hopeful that it will succeed. As these and other pieces of legislation move through Congress, PPO will continue working in concert with other organizations to ensure that any new laws are informed by psychological research and provide for specialized services appropriate for children with special needs.

PPO staff are part of a coalition advocating for the Building Opportunities Bonus Act (BOB), which authorizes $1 billion over five years to be awarded to the ten highest performing states in providing child care and training for jobs that pay a sustainable wage (such as nontraditional employment), and in addressing domestic violence in the lives of families on welfare. The bill was introduced by Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) and is expected to be introduced by Senators Paul Wellstone (D-MN) and Patty Murray (D-WA) in the Senate. PPO staff plays an active role in the lobbying task force of the coalition.

The recent tragedies on school campuses have highlighted the need for better mental health services in schools. The final FY2000 budget agreement contains $20 million for the Elementary School Counseling Demonstration Act, which will provide schools with funds to hire qualified school counselors (including psychologists, school social workers, and school psychologists). APA was very active in the advancement of this initiative. The last time the Act received any money, it was allocated $2 million in Fiscal Year 1995. The Department of Education is expected to issue a notice for grant applications sometime in early 2000.

On April 29th, 1999 the President signed the Education Flexibility Partnership Act of 1999 (Ed-Flex), which allows states to waive many federal statutory and regulatory requirements, including Title I requirements. However, the major federal education programs providing funding for most initiatives in kindergarten through 12th grade still remain to be reauthorized. These programs include the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994 (IASA), Goals 2000, and Title VII of the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act (Education for Homeless Children and Youth). Unfortunately, some of the programs that have received the most criticism recently are those that address educational services for at-risk, impoverished, and minority children. Republicans are expected to focus their efforts on maintaining the flexibility granted in the new Ed-Flex law. Democrats are expected to pursue the President's goals of hiring new teachers to reduce class size and promoting school construction, professional development, after-school programs, and safety initiatives.

As part of our ongoing effort to bring psychological research to bear on education policy, PPO, in conjunction with the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI), sponsored a well-attended June 18th congressional briefing on successful strategies to help children handle school transitions. PPO will continue to work with Senator Jack Reed's (D-RI) office and others to strengthen the role of mental health professionals in providing services to children and to school communities, as well as ensuring that the neediest children receive other critical educational services.

The April 20th tragedy in Littleton, Colorado re-focused national attention on youth violence in schools. Immediately following the incident, PPO was asked by the staffs of Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and Representative Bobby Scott (D-VA) to arrange a closed Capitol Hill briefing on school violence for members of the House and Senate and their staffs to begin to develop responsive legislative initiatives. Within the next two weeks, PPO facilitated the expert testimony of eight psychologists at congressional hearings before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, the House Judiciary Committee, and the Congressional Children's Caucus. PPO staff continue to work closely with members of Congress to provide research-based information and expert testimony for hearings focusing on the nature of youth violence in schools, the characteristics of the involved individuals, and alternatives available to address this societal problem.

An exciting new initiative to address youth violence is the White House-sponsored National Campaign Against Youth Violence, unveiled August 17th. Following the White House event launching the national campaign, to which PPO staff were invited, we were able to arrange a meeting at APA with its new Executive Director, Jeffrey Bleich, Esq. The meeting helped to establish APA and its members as vital resources for this new endeavor. The dialogue between APA and the Campaign has continued since then.

Additionally, PPO is working with both Representatives and Senators to develop provisions within Title IV of ESEA (The Safe and Drug Free Schools Act) to support increased mental health resources in schools and early childhood violence prevention initiatives. As part of that effort, PPO provided input to the Safe and Drug Free Schools Office in writing guidelines for Project SERV (School Emergency Response to Violence). Project SERV is now awaiting funding in the Fiscal Year 2000 budget, and PPO will continue to support this program through the appropriations process.

Despite recent small gains, children's mental health care continues to receive insufficient attention from Congress. However, in Fiscal Year 99, Congress appropriated $40 million for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to develop a "safe schools" initiative. This initiative, named the Enhancing Resilience program, has since expanded into a cooperative project with the Department of Justice, the Department of Education, and the National Institute of Mental Health. As one of a select group of organizations asked to comment on the draft proposal for the initiative, APA submitted its comments to SAMHSA on March 12th. This letter was very favorably received by the Director of SAMHSA's Center for Mental Health Services. The initiative will ultimately fund grants to schools, community agencies, and other entities to develop programs to reduce school violence and increase safety. It will also fund technical assistance, community awareness campaigns, and pro-social technology (such as video games). The initial grant announcements were published in the Federal Register in April. APA continues to be very involved with the agencies in developing this program as part of our ongoing effort to garner more support for mental health services for children and adolescents. The program, eventually re-named Safe Schools/Healthy Students, received continued funding for FY2000.

Legislation to reauthorize the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA), which has been pending for the last three years, was approved after much heated debate by the Senate (S. 254) and the House (H.R. 1501). However, each bill is fraught with serious problems. For instance, under the House bill, more children would be placed in adult jails (at risk for assault, abuse, and suicide), with no prohibition on contact with adults. The bill also gives federal prosecutors (rather than judges) the discretion to try children as adults, lowers the federal waiver age to 13 in some cases, and broadens the scope of federal crimes for which juveniles can be tried as adults. The bill would also impose new mandatory minimum sentences for children and allow for broad dissemination of juvenile records.

The Senate bill, while containing many of the same provisions that weaken the existing mandates of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, does offer more gun control protection amendments. While far from an ideal bill, it is preferable to the House bill. The House failed to approve meaningful measures to reduce the availability and accessibility of guns to children and to place restrictions on the purchase of guns at gun shows. The House and Senate JJDPA bills have been stalled in conference since early summer. No action beyond a standing reauthorization via the appropriations process is expected at this time. PPO staff continue to work with a broad range of advocacy and public health groups to oppose the bills in conference, increase funds for prevention, and increase protections for juveniles.

On a related front, Senator Paul Wellstone (D-MN) has once again introduced his Mental Health Juvenile Justice Act. The bill provides training for administrators and employees of the juvenile justice and substance abuse systems, develops effective treatment interventions, collaborates with SAMHSA, and provides oversight for the mental health, substance abuse, and juvenile justice systems with $50 million in funds each year for five years. This measure was broken into pieces and successfully offered as amendments to the House JJDPA reauthorization. As a result of this debate, the National Institutes of Health will receive an additional $25 million for social and behavioral research into violence.

PPO staff continue to be involved in a variety of issues relating to telecommunications policy. APA has worked with the Federal Trade Commission to call for guidelines concerning the obtaining and use of information from children through the internet. APA is also supporting the Kaiser Family Foundation, the Center for Media Education, and the television industry in an education campaign about the V-chip and the TV Parental Guidelines. PPO staff continue to work with the television industry, the FCC, and other advocacy groups to ensure a smooth, accurate implementation of the V-chip and television ratings system into the market.

Recently, as part of the appropriations process, Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) offered an amendment calling for the Surgeon General to investigate the role of the media in influencing violence in children. In supplying $350 million to the Office of the Surgeon General, this amendment would also provide a public health framework for approaching the issue of violence in children's lives. As this part of the budget has been slashed by 11%, the measure is not expected to pass. APA staff continue to work with members of Congress to pursue these and related measures.

For more information, please contact Dan Dodgen, PhD, Senior Legislative and Federal Affairs Officer, in the Public Policy Office at 202-336-6068 (voice) or ddodgen@apa.org (email). More detailed information about legislation is also available on the World Wide Web and can be accessed through APA's PPO home page at www.apa.org/ppo.