Update from SCCAP Representatives to APA Council

Update from SCCAP Representatives to APA Council

By Mary Louise Cashel, PhD & Stephen Hupp, PhD
SCCAP Representatives to APA Council

By Mary Louise Cashel, PhD & Stephen Hupp, PhD
SCCAP Representatives to APA Council

Division 53 Representatives Mary Louise Cashel and Stephen Hupp attended the APA Council Meeting (just prior to the APA annual convention) on August 6-7, 2024, in Seattle, Washington. At the meeting, the Council of Representatives voted to approve the following guidelines:

• Clinical Practice Guidelines for Psychological and Nonpharmacological Treatment of Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain in Adults
• Guidelines for Working with Adults with Complex Trauma Histories
• Guidelines on Key Considerations for Working with Adults with PTSD and Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Guidelines for the Practice of Telepsychology
• Guidelines for Psychological Evaluations in Child Protection Matters
• Guidelines for Behavioral Projects with Nonhuman Animals in Schools (K–12)

Council also voted to approve the following items:

• A policy statement on immigrant health. The policy supports “a population health-based approach to working with immigrants, which aims to address the cultural, economic, systemic, historical, environmental, relational and occupational contexts that influence health status, well-being, and functioning across the patient’s lifespan.” Relatedly, Council voted to receive (accept) a report titled, “Psychological Science and Immigraiton Today,” written to highlight the importance of supporting the mental health of immigrants.
• A policy on “Artificial Intelligence and the Field of Psychology.” The policy “recognizes the critical role of psychological science and knowledge in guiding the many forms, applications and analyses of AI, and the real and potential impacts of artificial intelligence on psychological research and the training, practice, and application of psychology.”
• A statement “Calling for an Immediate, Permanent, and Comprehensive Ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza Conflict.” As part of the statement, “APA urges all actors to prioritize the protection of civilians, to adhere to international humanitarian law, and to engage in meaningful dialogue and negotiation toward just and sustainable resolutions, the resolution states.”
• A resolution on “Supporting Psychologists’ Education and Research about, and Advocacy against Violations of Girls’ and Women’s Human Rights Globally.” In part, the resolution emphasizes the “right to choose if, when and who[m] to marry; and the rights of self-expression and self-determination.”
• A resolution on “Individual, Collective, and Intergenerational Trauma Recovery: Considering the Restorative Roles of Restitution and Reparations.” The resolution commits “APA to advocate for restitution and reparations for the survivors of individual and collective trauma and their descendants.”

Our next meeting will be held in Washington, DC, February 21-22, 2025.