Convention Training: Making a Difference for Psychology

APA Government Relations Office: October 4, 2005

Participants prepare before their trip to Capitol Hill

“It was an amazing experience”…was the comment heard most often from the more than 150 psychologists and graduate students returning from their hill visits during the recent APA convention held in Washington, DC, and the culmination of a daylong advocacy training workshop conducted by the Education, Public Interest and Science-Public Policy Offices, in collaboration with the APA Graduate Students Office. Led by the Education-PPO staff, participants learned about the vital role that advocacy plays in gaining federal support (funding) for psychology through important legislative initiatives such as the: Bureau of Health Professions (Graduate Psychology Education Program) Reauthorization; the National Institutes of Health Reauthorization; and Health Disparities legislation.

Jam-packed with multiple presentations, stories from “behind-the-scenes” on Capitol Hill, Training participants join an interactive advocacy game interactive advocacy skill building exercises and practice sessions – the day long workshop was designed to prepare everyone for a successful trip to Capitol Hill to advocate on behalf of psychology. And, judging from the many smiling faces that streamed back into the “debriefing room”, that goal was achieved. Whether they were new or “seasoned” advocates, it was clear everyone had a good time. Most importantly, everyone felt they had helped to make a difference!

You, too, can “Make a Difference for Psychology” by joining the Public Policy Action Network (PPAN), which will provide you with legislative Information Updates and Action Alerts: http://www.apa.org/ppo/ppan/aboutppan.html. Or, if you would like to be more actively involved in grassroots activities, you can volunteer to serve as a Campus or Training Site Representative for the Federal Education Advocacy Coordinators (FEDAC) Grassroots Network: http://www.apa.org/ppo/ppan/fedac.html.