Spring 2000 - IP; Violence, Public Education, and Public Policy

Marketing
Niche Criteria for a Successful Coaching Practice/Ben Dean

Violence, Public Education, and Public Policy: Opportunities for Community Involvement and Interdisciplinary Networking/Elizabeth K. Carll

Practitioner’s ImPRessions: Media Marketing for Quitting Smoking/Kelly Cunningham

Honor Roll

**Marketing**
	Niche Criteria for a Successful Coaching Practice/Ben Dean
	Violence, Public Education, and Public Policy: Opportunities for Community Involvement and Interdisciplinary Networking/Elizabeth K. Carll
	Practitioner’s ImPRessions: Media Marketing for Quitting Smoking/Kelly Cunningham
	Honor Roll

Violence, Public Education, and Public Policy: Opportunities for Community Involvement and Interdisciplinary Networking
In the past, public education and policy efforts were typically focused on healthcare and managed-care issues. More recently, psychologists have become more visible in the community and the news media addressing violence related issues. This has resulted in increased opportunities to provide information and intervention to help ameliorate this pressing social problem.

Opportunities to become involved in community events and expand networking can take place in a variety of ways. Many of the examples included below can be duplicated and/or modified to be used in other parts of the country.

Evolution of Violence as a Public Health Issue

Until the last decade violence and crime have primarily been viewed as a law-enforcement concern. In my private practice I have seen an increasing number of crime victims over the years. However, it was not until the aftermath of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and Long Island Railroad shootings, for which I coordinated pro-bono disaster intervention, that there was a perception that large-scale incidents of violence would continue. In 1995 the nation was shocked by the Oklahoma City bombing, the first large-scale domestic act of terrorism. In recent years, the shock and anxiety has continued with mass shootings occurring in our schools. As a result, the continuing incidents of violence began to receive recognition as a public health problem. Therefore, psychologists will be called upon to develop effective strategies for intervention and prevention on many levels.

Public Education Activities

In order to recruit psychologists for a community initiative addressing violence, I developed the Task Force on Violence (TOV) in 1994 for the New York State Psychological Association (NYSPA). The mission of the TOV is to educate the community and exchange knowledge with other professions to better understand, intervene, and prevent all forms of violence in our communities. Recognizing that interdisciplinary collaboration is essential in addressing this pressing social problem, the TOV also developed a series of annual multidisciplinary conferences.

Interdisciplinary conferences and community meetings organized by APA divisions and state psychological associations can provide opportunities for practitioners to network with other professions and expand their services. Previous interdisciplinary conferences sponsored by the NYSPA TOV have been attended by lawyers, judges, police, probation department personnel, youth services, district attorneys, law guardians, teachers, school superintendents, physicians, nurses, dentists, funeral directors, clergy, emergency medical technicians, employee assistance specialists, and mental health professionals.

In the early 1990’s, a number of fatal domestic violence incidents on Long Island raised the anxiety of the community. In 1992, I developed the first conference for the public sponsored by our regional psychological association to address the complex issues involved in domestic violence. The panel of speakers included a gynecologist, an attorney, and a psychologist. The week prior to the conference I was interviewed about domestic violence by a local TV news station, which also publicized the conference following the news segment. The conference was attended by approximately 120 community members and highlighted the potential for utilizing the news media in conjunction with community events as an integral part of reaching the public.
Similar activities can be designed to address other issues of local concern. For example, certain regions of New York State have a very high incidence of breast cancer which is a great concern in these communities. For the past three years psychologists have been involved in educating the public about the mind-body connection and the benefits of psychological intervention.

The development of the APA/MTV “Warning Signs” video, and youth anti-violence public education campaign (PEC) by the Practice Directorate last year is an excellent example of a nationwide initiative. Opportunities to reach out and organize youth anti-violence forums in communities and schools have increased the visibility of psychology and also provided networking opportunities. The PEC in New York has been very successful, with numerous youth anti-violence forums conducted across the state. We also have an ongoing proactive media outreach project resulting in many news media interviews by psychologists.

Application of Psychological Information to Public Policy

Last October I had the opportunity to provide testimony at the New York State Senate hearings in Albany on the effects of violence in interactive media on children. This came about when the chair of the Senate Majority Task Force on Youth Violence and the Entertainment Industry had requested information from our state psychological association. Legislation was being considered to prohibit the access of minors to violent video games in arcades, as well as examination of the effectiveness of the current rating system and its usefulness for parents. The Task Force expressed interest in my testimony and I was asked to testify and address additional areas at a second hearing in New York City.

In December, Hillary Rodham Clinton chaired a panel on media violence at a Long Island community youth organization. I had the opportunity to participate on the panel along with a state assemblyman (who coincidentally was the sponsor of the videogame violence bill in the Assembly), several parents, and a 14 your old student. An active dialogue with the audience highlighted how parents, youth, educators, legislators, mental health professionals, and other community members could work together to deal with violence.

Becoming involved in public education activities has a beneficial impact on our communities and simultaneously increases our visibility and opens doors. As opportunities arise to interface with a broad range of professionals, we will have the chance to contribute to the development of effective social policies.

Elizabeth Carll Ph.D., is a clinical and consulting psychologist in private practice in Long Island, New York and is the author of Violence in Our Lives: Impact on Workplace, Home, and Community,1999, Allyn & Bacon. She is the founder and chair of the NYSPA Task Force on Violence and the NYSPA Disaster/Crisis Response Network, and is the NY state coordinator for the APA Public Education Campaign.

Elizabeth K. Carll, Ph.D.

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		Violence, Public Education, and Public Policy: Opportunities for Community Involvement and Interdisciplinary Networking In the past, public education and policy efforts were typically focused on healthcare and managed-care issues. More recently, psychologists have become more visible in the community and the news media addressing violence related issues. This has resulted in increased opportunities to provide information and intervention to help ameliorate this pressing social problem. Opportunities to become involved in community events and expand networking can take place in a variety of ways. Many of the examples included below can be duplicated and/or modified to be used in other parts of the country. Evolution of Violence as a Public Health Issue Until the last decade violence and crime have primarily been viewed as a law-enforcement concern. In my private practice I have seen an increasing number of crime victims over the years. However, it was not until the aftermath of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and Long Island Railroad shootings, for which I coordinated pro-bono disaster intervention, that there was a perception that large-scale incidents of violence would continue. In 1995 the nation was shocked by the Oklahoma City bombing, the first large-scale domestic act of terrorism. In recent years, the shock and anxiety has continued with mass shootings occurring in our schools. As a result, the continuing incidents of violence began to receive recognition as a public health problem. Therefore, psychologists will be called upon to develop effective strategies for intervention and prevention on many levels. Public Education Activities In order to recruit psychologists for a community initiative addressing violence, I developed the Task Force on Violence (TOV) in 1994 for the New York State Psychological Association (NYSPA). The mission of the TOV is to educate the community and exchange knowledge with other professions to better understand, intervene, and prevent all forms of violence in our communities. Recognizing that interdisciplinary collaboration is essential in addressing this pressing social problem, the TOV also developed a series of annual multidisciplinary conferences. Interdisciplinary conferences and community meetings organized by APA divisions and state psychological associations can provide opportunities for practitioners to network with other professions and expand their services. Previous interdisciplinary conferences sponsored by the NYSPA TOV have been attended by lawyers, judges, police, probation department personnel, youth services, district attorneys, law guardians, teachers, school superintendents, physicians, nurses, dentists, funeral directors, clergy, emergency medical technicians, employee assistance specialists, and mental health professionals. In the early 1990’s, a number of fatal domestic violence incidents on Long Island raised the anxiety of the community. In 1992, I developed the first conference for the public sponsored by our regional psychological association to address the complex issues involved in domestic violence. The panel of speakers included a gynecologist, an attorney, and a psychologist. The week prior to the conference I was interviewed about domestic violence by a local TV news station, which also publicized the conference following the news segment. The conference was attended by approximately 120 community members and highlighted the potential for utilizing the news media in conjunction with community events as an integral part of reaching the public. Similar activities can be designed to address other issues of local concern. For example, certain regions of New York State have a very high incidence of breast cancer which is a great concern in these communities. For the past three years psychologists have been involved in educating the public about the mind-body connection and the benefits of psychological intervention. The development of the APA/MTV “Warning Signs” video, and youth anti-violence public education campaign (PEC) by the Practice Directorate last year is an excellent example of a nationwide initiative. Opportunities to reach out and organize youth anti-violence forums in communities and schools have increased the visibility of psychology and also provided networking opportunities. The PEC in New York has been very successful, with numerous youth anti-violence forums conducted across the state. We also have an ongoing proactive media outreach project resulting in many news media interviews by psychologists. Application of Psychological Information to Public Policy Last October I had the opportunity to provide testimony at the New York State Senate hearings in Albany on the effects of violence in interactive media on children. This came about when the chair of the Senate Majority Task Force on Youth Violence and the Entertainment Industry had requested information from our state psychological association. Legislation was being considered to prohibit the access of minors to violent video games in arcades, as well as examination of the effectiveness of the current rating system and its usefulness for parents. The Task Force expressed interest in my testimony and I was asked to testify and address additional areas at a second hearing in New York City. In December, Hillary Rodham Clinton chaired a panel on media violence at a Long Island community youth organization. I had the opportunity to participate on the panel along with a state assemblyman (who coincidentally was the sponsor of the videogame violence bill in the Assembly), several parents, and a 14 your old student. An active dialogue with the audience highlighted how parents, youth, educators, legislators, mental health professionals, and other community members could work together to deal with violence. Becoming involved in public education activities has a beneficial impact on our communities and simultaneously increases our visibility and opens doors. As opportunities arise to interface with a broad range of professionals, we will have the chance to contribute to the development of effective social policies. Elizabeth Carll Ph.D., is a clinical and consulting psychologist in private practice in Long Island, New York and is the author of Violence in Our Lives: Impact on Workplace, Home, and Community,1999, Allyn & Bacon. She is the founder and chair of the NYSPA Task Force on Violence and the NYSPA Disaster/Crisis Response Network, and is the NY state coordinator for the APA Public Education Campaign.
Elizabeth K. Carll, Ph.D.
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