Update from Division 53 Representatives to APA Council

Update from Division 53 Representatives to APA Council

By Mary Louise Cashel, PhD & Timothy Cavell, PhD
SCCAP Representatives to APA Council

By Mary Louise Cashel, PhD & Timothy Cavell, PhD
SCCAP Representatives to APA Council

The APA Council of Representatives met virtually on February 25-26, 2022.  We received the APA Task Force Report on Climate Change, passed a policy on the role of Psychology in Advancing Population Health, and adopted revised standards on High School Psychology Curricula.  Revised guidelines were also adopted for Assessment and Intervention with Persons with Disabilities. Council adopted a new resolution for the reproductive rights of women, affirming access to abortion.  Finally, several ethical guidelines were adopted, including Guidelines for Child Custody Evaluations in Family Law, and revisions to the guidelines for the Ethical Conduct in the Care and Use of Nonhuman Animals in Research, and for Ethical Conduct in Behavioral Projects Involving Human Participants by High School Students. In response to the Ukraine crisis, Council quickly drafted and passed a motion voicing solidarity with the National Psychological Association of Ukraine. Your Division 53 representatives, Tim Cavell and Mary Louise Cashel, voted in favor of this and all of the above motions. 

Tim Cavell, who is also a member of APA’s Board of Educational Affairs (BEA), is BEA’s Liaison to the Board of Professional Affairs (BPA) Working Group (WG) to recommend an appropriate master’s title and scope of practice in Health Service Psychology (HSP). This WG is continuing APA’s efforts to promote psychology’s presence in the work done by master’s level mental health care providers that began with Council approving the accreditation of master’s programs in HSP.  Mary Louise Cashel, Secretary for the Child and Family Caucus, in collaboration with the Center for Psychology in the Schools and Education, helped develop an information resource for parents considering homeschooling their children. This tool is intended to help parents make informed decisions about homeschooling and to promote positive outcomes for homeschooled youth.  Tim is also Chair of the Education and Training Caucus and the current Treasurer for the Child and Family Caucus.

The next APA Council meeting will be held in in hybrid format in Minneapolis on August 3-4, 2022, in conjunction with the APA Convention.