The Department of Defense (DOD) is the largest single employer of psychologists, with approximately 8,000 in clinical, research, administration and training roles. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) runs a close second, employing 5,000 psychologists. That's why APA advocacy on behalf of these psychologists and the communities they serve is such a priority. This work is informed by three goals:
- To promote the mental health and well-being of military personnel, veterans and their families.
- To protect and expand the scope of practice for the DOD and VA psychologists serving these populations.
- To expand funding opportunities for mission-critical fundamental and applied research.
To reach these goals, APA advocates for the use of evidence-based psychotherapies within the DOD and the VA, works to ensure that mental health promotion is included in the transition from active-duty to veteran status and promotes health and applied research relevant to military personnel and veterans. We strive to protect integrated care at the VA and oppose expanding its privatization. We also work to promote psychologists as key health-care providers and leaders and advocate for prescribing authority for VA psychologists. And we support the training of more psychologists as providers of care to military and veteran populations.
Our efforts don't end there. We train psychologists who are not employed by the DOD or the VA on how to work most effectively with military and veteran clients and their families. We meet with the Defense Health Agency and members of Congress to advocate for better reimbursement for psychologists in TRICARE, the health-care service for military personnel and their families. We meet with White House officials and members of Congress to explain why funding is vital in such areas as veteran suicide prevention, traumatic brain injury, chronic pain, substance use and military sexual assault, as well as to support applied research in such military mission-critical areas as human factors design and team performance. We also help ensure federal support for psychology training programs, and we step in when there are threats to those training opportunities.
These are significant challenges. APA is proud to address them with the help of our members.
