The Practice Organization: Where does it fit in at Convention?

I am energized and excited having just returned from APA Convention in Denver. What a great city and venue! I loved the Blue Bear, but not the altitude sickness. I thought the 2016 Convention was an exceptionally strong program, with many beneficial programs for Practice Organization members. Some of the programs that I found particularly enjoyable were related to working in integrated care and hospital settings. I attended a terrific program on psycho-oncology with Barb Andersen and Shawna Ehlers that highlighted how research and practice come together in specialty integrated care. Some other stellar programs including Negotiation Strategies in Hospitals with Kate Brown and Robin Henderson, Leadership Strategies in Academic Medical Settings with John Linton, and Demonstrating Psychology’s Value. I was privileged to present with my good colleague Amy Sullivan on Ethics in Hospital Settings where we had a great audience despite the early hour. I enjoyed the opportunities to connect with other psychologists at the Division social hours and informally between programs. I definitely came back with lots of ideas and contacts!

Practice was also visible in the Exhibit Hall, where the Practice Directorate showed how the APAPO helps with the “game of life of a practitioner” and the APAPO-PAC raised over $20,000 toward advancing issues important to practicing psychologists (Thank you to all who contributed to this important advocacy effort!). If you didn’t get a chance to contribute at convention, here is the website: http://www.supportpsychologypac.org/ APAPO-PAC donors were invited to a reception (students donating $20.16 included!) which highlighted the work that the Governance Relations is doing on the behalf of practicing psychologists and their patients, including work on the Medicare Mental Health Access Act and bipartisan Mental Health Reform Bill.

At opening session, our APA President Susan McDaniel highlighted health treatment (including mental health treatment) as a human right and shared her presidential integrated health initiatives. Our interim CEO, Cynthia Belar, also noted the importance of the Practice Organization in promoting issues for psychologists, where the APA focuses on science and education of psychology.

The Committee of State Leaders was also active at Convention, providing an excellent program on Social Justice advocacy as part of state psychological associations. I was proud of Michael Ranney, my executive director of the Ohio Psychological Association, who discussed some of OPA’s social justice work including statements on conscience clause, Black Lives Matter and suicide in African American men. Erica Wise & Sally Cameron from North Carolina discussed their important work on the “bathroom bill”, and Jo Linder Crow & Doug Haldeman discussed working on conversion therapy and conscience clause legislation in California. Great information about policy making, practicalities, and building alliances for other state associations.

CSL also held a lunch meeting where we discussed the upcoming changes to State Leadership Conference given the financial challenges to the APAPO and APA. I am grateful to the work of APA staff, including Dan Abrahamson and Susie Lazaroff, to find creative and cost effective strategies to keep State Leadership Conference viable. This important opportunity for state leaders to share ideas and information, connect with other leaders, and advocate for professional psychology at the Hill is invaluable. Although there will be increased cost sharing for state and participants, the conference essentially will remain the energizing experience it has been for the past 34 years.

I also saw many of the APAPO CAPP candidates at Convention. As a reminder, voting for your APA Practice Organization leadership on CAPP is open currently until September 30th. You should have received an email with instructions; here is the website: http://apapracticecentral.org/about/capp-elections.aspx. Don’t forget to vote and make your voice heard; this is a great opportunity for members to have a more engaged voice in leadership. If you haven’t received an email, check your spam/junk mail and make sure you are an APAPO member!

Despite the above opportunities, I would love to see the APAPO more visible at Convention, and I am interested in members’ feedback about the best ways to accomplish this. Some ideas may include:

*APAPO Exhibit Booth/Membership booth

*Meet your legal/regulatory team event

*APAPO ribbons to recognize members

*APAPO CAPP candidates forum

*APAPO Social Hour

*Better promotion of collaborative division programming

*Increased interaction with divisions with heavy practice emphasis

The next APAPO CAPP meeting is September 8-11. I look forward to further discussion about membership models/due structure, and will provide members with an update with my September blog.