President's Message
These are exciting times for Division 42. As I will share what has transpired since my last column, let me borrow from music in highlight my update.
Composers (Classical): The Advocacy Task Force members are joining forces with other APA groups to promote Division 42 agenda. Jeff Barnett (Chair), Laura Barbanel, Jean Carter, Bonnie Markham, and myself have been “composing” a number of issues, activities, and initiatives. We identified our advocacy mission as to:
1. Develop an advocacy agenda for Division 42
2. Seek ways of pursuing and supporting this advocacy agenda through all available means and resources
3. Solicit active input from YOU in developing this advocacy agenda
4. Communicate actively with the members of Division 42
5. Work closely and symphonically with other advocacy groups to ensure that they aggressively support and pursue our shared advocacy goals.
Additionally, we are collaborating with the Committee for the Advancement of Professional Psychology (CAPP) and the American Psychological Association Practice Organization (APAPO) to effectively carry out this advocacy agenda. I appointed Jean Carter (Division 42 former president) as our official liaison to both CAPP and to its Integration Work Group. With this renewed relationship, we continue to work on strengthening our Federal Advocacy and Public Education Coordinator roles.
Furthermore, we are participating in the planning of an advocacy summit sponsored by Division 55 (Psychopharmacology). Elaine Levine (Division 55 President) envisions bringing together leaders from the practice divisions and APA experts for an advocacy summit in New Mexico. She hopes that the leaders share lessons learned from their successful pursuit of prescriptive authority and how they may impact an expanded advocacy agenda for APA divisions. Plans include briefings with New Mexico legislators who were helpful to them as well as other experts. I appointed Jeff Barnett as Division 42’s representative to the advocacy summit planning committee. Robert Resnick and Laura Barbanel (Division 42 President elect) will also represent us at this meeting. The advocacy summit will be held on February 10 - 13, 2007 in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
To further our advocacy needs, we are working closely with AAP/PLAN in an effort to join forces with key advocacy activity leaders from each state, province, and territory who share our common advocacy interests. We also need your input, our valued Division 42 members. Please communicate your views on advocacy issues and needs. Tell us which issues are important to you and that you would like to see Division 42 work to support. You can contact me at cultura@starpower.net, Jeff Barnett at drjbarnett1@comcast.net and Laura Barbanel at lbarban0el@earthlink.net
Concert (Romantic): Anabel Bejarano and her Convention program committee members have orchestrated a fabulous convention for you. In addition to regular programs of interest to independent practitioners, we will offer sessions congruent with New Orleans’ cultural heritage. For example, Diem Jones—a renowned poet, musician, educator, and cultural icon—will perform and discuss cultural consciousness. An authority on alternative healthcare, Lewis Melh-Medrona, will offer workshops on indigenous healing. Dr. Melh-Medrona is a Native American who is both a psychologist and a physician. And our own Alan Entin will head an innovative panel on Psychologist as Artist, Artist as Psychologist. Additionally, Ellen Baker will chair a program on Writing for your Personal and Professional Growth. These and other sessions promise to awaken your inner artist and invigorate your practice.
The Sonata of our Hospitality Suite will address beginning a practice and other related topics. In the context of New Orleans’ recovery, we organized several presentations on psychological services to ameliorate the impact of disaster and trauma. Moreover, Division 42 will host a reception for independent practitioners who volunteered their services to the 2005 Hurricane relief. The event, developed by Tammy Martin-Causey (convention committee associate chair), will be held on Thursday, August 10, 2006 at the New Orleans Marriott Hotel Mardi Grass Ballroom H from 6:30 to 8:00pm. Please join us in celebrating the contributions of these remarkable psychologists. These are just a few of the highlights of our convention program. Please see the complete list of our programs in this Independent Psychologist issue.
Rehearsal (Baroque): The membership committee has been proactively looking at our membership numbers throughout the past years. The following statistics on APA divisions provide you a context. The number in front of the division is the APA identification. Following are the totals for the years 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005:
| APA Divisions With Net Membership Loss | |||||||||
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
||
| 42 | Psychologists in Independent Practice | 7,079 |
6,381 |
6,327 |
6,007 |
5,835 |
5,616 |
5,405 |
5,157 |
| 12 | Clinical Psychology | 6,488 |
6,105 |
6,012 |
5,674 |
5,416 |
5,224 |
4,977 |
4,775 |
| 40 | Clinical Neuropsychology | 4,132 |
4,123 |
4,253 |
4,232 |
4,186 |
4,196 |
4,085 |
4,085 |
| 29 | Psychotherapy | 5,232 |
4,736 |
4,610 |
4,264 |
3,991 |
3,806 |
3,556 |
3,373 |
| 39 | Psychoanalysis | 3,353 |
3,323 |
3,440 |
3,406 |
3,346 |
3,257 |
3,192 |
3,166 |
| 38 | Health Psychology | 3,048 |
2,812 |
2,917 |
2,842 |
2,793 |
2,779 |
2,688 |
2,602 |
| 17 | Counseling Psychology | 3,040 |
2,778 |
2,799 |
2,712 |
2,611 |
2,541 |
2,478 |
2,400 |
| 35 | Psychology of Women | 3435 |
3077 |
3003 |
2866 |
2790 |
2631 |
2494 |
2354 |
| 55 | Society for the Advancement of Pharmacotherapy |
1,003 |
798 |
748 |
720 |
961 |
861 |
||
There is a trend towards psychologists dropping APA division membership. In 1998 Division 42 offered a one-year free trial membership for recruitment purposes. The drop in membership the following year appeared to be related to the lack of renewal when the free trial period ended.
There are a few divisions that have gained members (table below):
| APA Divisions With Net Membership Gain | |||||||||
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
||
| 14 | Industrial & Organizational Psychology | 2,650 |
2,618 |
2,873 |
2,981 |
3,013 |
3,076 |
3,092 |
3,083 |
| 13 | Consulting Psychology | 965 |
968 |
1,075 |
1,125 |
1,113 |
1,110 |
1,121 |
1,125 |
| 41 | American Psychology-Law Society | 2,046 |
2,141 |
2,325 |
2,321 |
2,295 |
2,145 |
2,241 |
2,115 |
| 45 | Psychological Study of Ethnic Minority Issues | 966 |
918 |
1,053 |
1,037 |
1,048 |
1,046 |
1,054 |
1,072 |
Division 42’s Board of Directors is examining this data. Although Division 42 enjoys good membership health (still the largest group in APA), we are being proactive. Our membership committee, chaired by Miguel Gallardo, continues to seek new members, particularly psychologists who are in their early career and members of culturally diverse groups. Tammy Martin-Causey, chair of Task Force on Expanding the Business of Practice, has been collaborating with Division 13 (Consulting Psychology) members on ways to adapt business models for professional practitioners. Moreover, the membership committee is examining the creation of an additional non-APA member category for psychologists in independent practice. A comprehensive proposal to open Division 42 doors to non- APA members will be presented during the August 2006 Board of Directors meeting. Please let us know your ideas regarding proposals to attract new members to Division 42.
Finale/Prelude (Post-Modern): Continuing with the music metaphor, Division 42 is made of psychologists who are great composers, musicians, singers, and artists. Together, they create a wonderful symphony. As our orchestra prepares for the second movement I ask for your input. Please help us keep Division 42 the home for all practitioners.
Gracias,
Lillian
cultura@starpower.net
