Mission
The mission of the Task Force on Serious Mental Illness and Severe Emotional Disturbance (TFSMI/SED) is to improve care, decrease stigma, discrimination, and violence, and increase opportunities for people living with SMI and/or SED through advocacy, education, psychology training and practice, and social and behavioral health justice.
Goals
- Recommendations: Providing recommendations on practice, research, and training issues, and increasing recovery-supporting opportunities for people living with SMI and SED
- Partnership: Partnering with groups that align with the core value of the TF SMI/SED including those promoting full access to health care for people living with SMI and/or SED and equity and parity in reimbursement for care provision for people living with SMI and/or SED and their families, loved ones, and supports
- Advocacy: Advocating against stigma, violence, and discrimination in key institutional settings including inpatient care, settings within the judicial system, educational and vocational settings, and nursing homes, foster homes, or similar settings
- Education: Promoting and informing training and education to decrease stigma, violence, and discrimination within educational and vocational settings and the health care, legislative, legal, and law enforcement fields
- Practice: Defining, promoting, and supporting the unique contributions of psychologists in providing care; promoting recovery; obtaining and providing specialty training; promoting the use of recovery-focused, best, and evidence-based practices related to SMI and/or SED
Staff liaison
Members
About the committee
The TFSMI/SED is comprised of psychologists (early to late-career) and psychology trainees with interest and expertise in promoting the well-being and recovery of individuals living with SMI and SED. Members work in a variety of clinical and academic settings such as universities, community-based mental health centers, psychiatric inpatient centers, nonprofits, private practice, and Veterans Affairs hospitals.
Members are elected according to the bylaws.
History
The TFSMI/SED was established in 1994 by the APA Council of Representatives. The TFSMI/SED serves APA governance by providing expertise on SMI and SED topics and collaborates with other internal workgroups and organizations interested in improving care and opportunities that ultimately impact and quality of life of individuals with SMI and SED diagnoses and symptoms.
Since its founding, the TFSMI/SED has been instrumental in developing policy, practice recommendations, promoting evidence-based, recovery-oriented mental health services, and other advocacy efforts for individuals with SMI and SED diagnoses and symptoms.
Notable accomplishments
- Resolution on APA Endorsement of the Concept of Recovery for People with Serious Mental Illness, 2009 (PDF, 130KB)opens in new window (an approved APA policy)
- Specialty Council for SMI Psychology and the SMI Psychology Specialty ABPPopens in new window
- Proficiency in Assessment and Treatment of Serious Mental Illness document (PDF, 261KB)opens in new window to provide professional psychologists with the specialized assessment and treatment expertise to help people who have SMI achieve their full functional capability and live productive, satisfying lives in the community
How to join
TFSMI/SED issues an annual call for new members in the Spring of each year. Members are elected for a term of 3 years. Members are allowed to serve two consecutive terms in addition to time served as Chair or Chair-elect. Please refer to the Bylaws for recruitment and expectations of members.
Applications for new members will be open in Spring 2026.
Activities
- Liaison and advocacy committee
- Strategic planning
- Diversity and task force membership committee
- Documents and record keeping committee
- Website committee
Related organizations
- Psychologists in Public Service (APA Division 18)
- Psychosis-Risk and Early Psychosis Program Networkopens in new window (PEPPNET)
Resources
Public
- National Alliance on Mental Illnessopens in new window (NAMI)
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) brochures and fact sheetsopens in new window
- OnTrackNY videosopens in new window of individuals with SMI/SED and their treatment team
Trainees
- APA accredited doctoral, internship, and postdoctoral program search toolopens in new window
- Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers internship and postdoctoral program search toolopens in new window
- Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies psychosis and schizophrenia spectrum special interest group resource listopens in new window
APA governance
Serving on an APA board or committee allows you to be directly involved in shaping the future of psychology