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Committee on Disability Issues in Psychology
2006 Annual Report
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Composition. The six members of the Committee on Disability Issues in Psychology (CDIP) for 2006 were
Cheryl Shigaki, PhD (Chair); Arnold Abels, PhD (Chair-elect); John Chang, PhD; Doug Johnson-Greene, PhD; Don Daughtry, PhD; Jennifer Gibson, PhD
Meetings.
The Committee held two formal meetings in the Washington, DC area on April 6-9, 2006 and September 28 - October 1, 2006. Additionally, the Committee accomplished other business matters by e-mail exchanges and two conference calls.
Liaison Functions. Currently, there are three liaisons to the Committee:
- Monica Kurylo, PhD: Division 22 (Rehabilitation Psychology)
- Ena Vazquez-Nuttall, EdD: Board for the Advancement of Psychology in the Public Interest (BAPPI)
- Angela Kuemmel, BA: APA Graduate Students (APAGS)
Liaisons are asked to provide written reports of their respective groups' activities that may be of interest to CDIP members or have implications for Committee activities. The Committee has invited Divisions 33 (MR/DD) and 45 (Ethnic Minority Issues) to consider appointing liaisons to CDIP; responses are pending.
Committee Mission. The mission of the Committee is to further the central purpose of APA - to advance psychology as a science and as a profession and as a means of promoting health and human welfare - by ensuring that people with disabilities receive the full attention of the Association in order that all human resources are actualized.
The mission of CDIP is to:
- Promote the psychological welfare of people with disabilities;
- Promote the development and implementation of psychological service delivery models responsive to the needs of people with disabilities;
- Promote the awareness of disability issues in psychological research as well as specific research activity in disability areas;
- Promote inclusion of knowledge about disabilities and disability issues in education, training programs, and professional development of psychologists.
The Committee reports to Council through the Board for the Advancement of Psychology in the Public Interest (BAPPI). Return to top
Summary of 2006 Activities
Task Forces - Updates. The Task Force to develop Guidelines for Therapy and Assessment of Persons with Disabilities has met its’ schedule by conducting an extensive literature search in areas of professional relationship and communication issues, and assessment/treatment of individuals with disabilities. The Task Force has developed methodology to evaluate the literature gathered and to draw recommendations for psychological practice. Main topic areas for the guidelines have been identified. The Task force is in the process of evaluating the literature and developing methodology to identify experts to provide consultation in important content areas. The Task Force has requested funding from the Council contingency funds to complete a draft of the Guidelines and obtain initial feedback from identified experts in 2007.
The Task Force on Training Issues in Psychological Testing and Assessment for Graduate Students with Disabilities will come to its conclusion at the end of 2006. At the time of this report, the Task Force has developed a good draft of a handbook for training programs to assist in meeting the needs of trainees with visual impairments or blindness. The Task force also has explored the development of the Assessment Accessibility Clearinghouse (AAC), the purpose of which will be to provide an organized venue for students with visual impairments and blindness to obtain psychological testing manuals in accessible formats, for the purpose of their training. The AAC is envisioned to function mainly through the APA Office of Publications and Databases. The Task Force plans to submit an item to BAPPI for its consideration at the Spring Consolidated Meetings.
New Projects The Committee has done preliminary exploration of the issue of accessibility of psychology graduate and post-graduate training sites for students with disabilities. The Committee has agreed to discuss and develop a long-range plan to address this issue as a central Committee project.
Development of Information Materials. In order to share disability-related information with Division 22, the Committee develops articles four times per year for inclusion in the division's Rehabilitation Psychology News, CDIP Update section. In 2005, the following articles were developed and submitted for publication:
- Johnson-Greene, D. (Spring, 2006). Ethics of testing and assessment for persons with disabilities: moving towards disability-related competence
- Khubchandani, A., Abels, A, Shigaki, C (Summer/Convention, 2006). The APA Convention Disability Resource Room
- Abels A, Durr, L, Linnemeyer, R, Mueller, A, Sneed B (Summer/Convention, 2006). Reflections on a year of training with a blind/visually impaired training director
- Gibson, J (Fall, 2006). Universal instructional design: Education accessible for all
Shigaki, C.(Winter, 2007). Annual report for CDIP, 2006
User-friendly informational materials were compiled to facilitate accessibility to international conferences. The materials were forwarded to APA's International Office and to Division 22 (Rehabilitation Psychology).
Members of the Committee are currently working on Power Point curriculum units on disability for psychology teachers at the high school and community college level.
A CDIP member (Daughtry) has co-authored an article designed to highlight disability issues for PT@CC titled: Diversity in College Community Life, to be published in the Psychology Teachers Network in the special “Diversity” issue (Fall, 2006).
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Legislative Activities. The Committee met with staff from the Public Interest Public Policy Office to review CDIP legislative priorities involving disability issues during the Fall Consolidated Meetings. The Committee also has reviewed and expanded the PPO 2007 policy goals related to disability issues.
During the Fall Consolidated Meetings, 4 CDIP members took part in coordinated advocacy activity organized by the APA Public Interest Public Policy Office. The topic of respite care was addressed with various legislative staff.
CDIP has developed a final draft resolution in support of the American with Disabilities Act (ADA). The document will be sent to APA legal counsel and other experts in disability and civil rights prior to the Spring 2007 Consolidated Meetings and will submit the final document to APA governance for approval.
Convention Activities. For the 2006 Annual Convention in New Orleans, L.A., CDIP developed the following programs:
CE Workshop:
The CE workshop titled “Ethical Practice Issues with Persons with Disabilities” was invited to return for a second time this year. The goal of this Continuing Education workshop was to help psychologists develop cultural competence and ethical assessment and practices with regard to clients with disabilities. The workshop introduced the social model of disability as a framework by which to conceptualize the disability experience, and its implications on clinical practice was highlighted. The CE workshop again, was enthusiastically received.
Symposium:
“Intersecting Dimensions of Multicultural Issues in Disaster Response: Aging, Disability, Ethnicity and SES.” In collaboration with CEMA and CONA.
Symposium:
“Intersecting Dimensions of Multicultural Issues in Disaster Response: Aging, Disability, Ethnicity and SES: Public Policy Implications.” In collaboration with CEMA and CONA.
Consultation. The Committee provided consultation to a variety of entities, including task forces, other committees, and the Disability Issues Office. For example, Dr. Shigaki reviewed and provided feedback to the APA Board of Directors Workforce Analysis Study Panel Report and has been working with CIRP to provide ideas to the US National Committee for Psychology for ways to increase disability programming and conference accessibility. Dr. Abels attended the APA Membership Summit, and will attend the first ever Accreditation Assembly to represent the interests of psychologists and trainees with disabilities. Dr. Daughtry provided comments to the Committee on Women for the draft on Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Girls and Women. Notably, CDIP has committed to partnering with the Centering on Mentoring initiative, including developing a manuscript for a proposed PPRP special issue on mentoring.
Diversity. CDIP neither provided nor received diversity training in 2005. However, through its nomination process, the committee actively seeks diversity in its own membership, including race and ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, and disability status. In 2006, the Committee was diverse in its membership with respect to ethnicity, gender, geographic location, and disability status. Specifically, the Committee included two Asian-American members, two women and four men, and five members with disabilities. In its nomination slates for 2007, the committee prioritized a balance of disability, gender and ethnicity. The committee continuously advocates for inclusion of, and sensitivity to, diversity and cultural issues as publications, policies and programs are developed within the association.
Committee Roster Changes. Dr. Shigaki and Dr. Chang will rotate off CDIP at the end of 2006. I want to thank all of the CDIP members, and especially our staff liaison, Anju Khubchandani, who have contributed their time and energy to the Committee’s work.
Respectfully submitted by
Cheryl L. Shigaki, Ph.D., Chair, 2006
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