Public Interest Government Relations Office

News & Events

• APA Continues Advocacy on Employment Issues

  Association joins coalition action in support of Obama administration efforts.

• APA Joins Key Partners in Call for Federal HIV/AIDS Funding

  Advocates ask Congress to maintain investments in domestic and global HIV/AIDS programs.

• APA, Numerous Groups Call for Full Funding of Maternal Home Visiting Programs

  With March 2015 deadline, advocates seek to secure funding.

• APA Promotes Legislative Advocacy During Black Church Conference

  Invitation to first ever conference of African-American faith leader group.

• Access to Health Coverage Can Reduce LGBT Behavioral Health Disparities

  Health and Human Services (HHS) and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) participate in important roundtable.

• 2014 Public Interest Government Relations Fall/Winter Update

Key Policy Areas

• Aging

  Advocacy efforts address mental health care and community-based services, poverty, violence, suicide, elder abuse, caregiver support, and improving psychological services in long-term care.

• Children, Youth and Families

  Advocacy efforts address child abuse, access to child care and pre-school programs, improving mental health, juvenile justice, and violence prevention.

• Ethnic Minority Affairs

  Advocacy efforts address improving health and reducing health care disparities, cultural competence, the Minority Fellowship Program, American Indian/Alaska Native health services, and immigration.

• Health Disparities and Health Care Reform

  Advocacy efforts address reducing health disparities across all populations, health care reform policy, increasing access to mental and behavioral health services, and addressing the social determinants of health.

• HIV and AIDS

  Advocacy efforts address substance use, mental and behavioral health, addressing stigma, and the effective application of psychology to the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS.

• Individuals with Disabilities

  Advocacy efforts address access to health care, employment protections, addressing stigma, international issues, parents with disabilities, and elementary and secondary education.

• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues

  Advocacy efforts address stigma, discrimination and prejudice, hate crimes, health disparities, health data collection and research, violence, bullying prevention and workplace rights.

• Poverty and Socioeconomic Status

  Advocacy efforts address access to health care, education, safe and affordable housing, adequate wages, safety net programs and employment laws.

• Trauma, Violence and Abuse

  APA advocacy efforts related to violence prevention and gun violence include threat assessment, increasing the research base, and disseminating evidence-based prevention and intervention strategies.

• Women’s Issues

  Advocacy efforts address include addressing postpartum depression, reproductive health, prevention of violence and abuse, and equality in employment and education.