McQuaid has played an extensive and influential role serving the mental health needs of our nation’s veterans, receiving the 2015 APA Presidential Citation for that work and now serving as associate chief of staff for mental health at the San Francisco VA Health Care System.
He also advocates for veterans’ mental health issues as part of the Association of VA Psychologist Leaders, which meets yearly with APA’s advocacy team for a Capitol Hill briefing and visit. The team has helped to inform legislation related to VA psychologists’ pay, care for veterans in the community and funding for VA research.
It’s gratifying telling members of Congress about the ways that psychologists’ work helps to improve the lives of veterans, says McQuaid:
“I go in with the goal of giving lawmakers the information they need to make healthy, effective decisions for their constituents,” he says. “It’s a great starting point.”
