Date: March 6, 2005
Contact: Peter Wilson
202-336-5910

American Psychological Association Honors Delegate Bonnie Brown for Her Commitment to Mental Health Issues

Washington, DC – The American Psychological Association (APA) today presented West Virginia state delegate Bonnie Brown (D) its 2005 State Legislator of the Year Award for her leadership in sponsoring H.B. 4250, a law creating a presumption of good faith for court-appointed psychologists who conduct child custody evaluations.

“Good Faith Legislation protects the practice of psychology in West Virginia by allowing psychologists to assist the courts, families, and children involved in custody disputes without the fear of unnecessary litigation,” Del. Brown said at the awards luncheon held during APA’s annual state leadership conference.

Del. Brown’s sponsorship of H.B. 4250 addressed a serious problem: custody evaluations that often put psychologists conducting them in the middle of a contentious domestic situation that could often lead to lawsuits. West Virginia, as well as several other states, are following the example set by Florida in instituting laws that stipulate psychologists have acted in good faith if the evaluations are conducted according to APA guidelines.

Del. Brown’s legislation addressed such an important need that psychiatrists asked to be included in the bill as well.

“ We applaud Del. Brown’s support for the mental health community and her leadership in ensuring that psychologists can provide needed mental health services without the fear of unnecessary lawsuits,” said Russ Newman, APA’s executive director for professional practice.

Del. Brown has a long history of supporting causes important to the mental health community. She has been a strong advocate for the rights of the mentally ill and underserved in her state, and she also sponsored West Virginia’s mental health parity law.

APA’s State Legislator of the Year Award is given annually to a state legislator who has prominently championed the goals of professional psychology.

The American Psychological Association (APA), located in Washington, DC, is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States and is the world’s largest association of psychologists. APA’s membership includes more than 150,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. Through its divisions in 55 subfields of psychology and its affiliations with 58 state, territorial, and Canadian provincial associations, APA works to advance psychology as a science, as a profession, and as a means of promoting health, education and welfare.