Our field offers a truly unique strength: No matter the problem, psychologists’ expertise can usually help solve it. We have the evidence base, knowledge and skills to make our world a better place on so many fronts, whether it’s addressing behavioral health challenges, helping people manage pain, or guiding industry to develop more user-friendly products and services.
Two recent APA efforts demonstrate this more strategic approach, as outlined in our strategic plan, which is putting us on course to ensure our field has a greater impact.
We’ve formed a new partnership with Farm Aid: APA’s work on behalf of farmers and rural populations is not new ― for decades, our Committee on Rural Health has worked to address the behavioral health care needs of rural Americans. But this year, we took that work to a new level by teaming up with Farm Aid, the nonprofit organization that seeks to protect a way of life for farmers, who are increasingly under pressure due to uncertainty over trade and tariff policies, fluctuating market prices, floods, droughts and other weather events. In July, APA and Farm Aid hosted a webinar for psychologists on the farming mental health crisis. In September, a team from APA met face-to-face with Wisconsin farmers to listen to their stories and discuss the ways that psychologists can help manage their stress and anxiety. In addition, during the annual Farm Aid Festival, APA participated in a press briefing on farmer stress and mental health and hosted a booth that enabled us to have further conversations with this population. With our newfound knowledge, we are identifying new ways that APA and psychology can play a greater role in supporting farmers’ mental health.
We’re positioning psychology on center stage with technology: While APA has always supported work at the intersection of psychology and technology, we’ve redoubled our efforts with APA’s Technology, Mind and Society Conferenceopens in new window, which brings together psychological scientists, policymakers, leaders in the tech industry and many others to discuss how psychological science informs the design, use and impact of technology. This year’s conference, held in Washington, D.C., in October, highlighted the role psychology has played and continues to play in these important discussions ― everything from clinical virtual reality to the future of work and automation to the science of robopsychology (featured in Science magazineopens in new window).
These focused, intentional efforts are examples of how we are approaching APA’s work differently, intensifying our efforts in areas where we can make the greatest difference. Guided by the strategic plan, APA is choosing the best of the many opportunities for maximizing psychologists’ reach ― and, as a result, making our association even more relevant, effective and sustainable.
Thank you for your continued support as we advance APA and psychology in the most effective and far-reaching ways.
Note: The information in this post provides a snapshot, as of the publication date, of some of the most recent work underway on APA's strategic plan. This post is not meant to be a comprehensive account of this work, but rather to provide insight into some of the top-level themes that are emerging during conversations with members, including governance leaders. Your input is always welcome at strategicplan@apa.org.