Spring/Summer 2010

MBPA PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

By Jim Beckett, Ph.D.
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

(831) 345-3619

Greetings folks,

Having the opportunity that I do, as President of this esteemed organization, to meet and work with so many of the psychologists in our MBPA, I feel proud and fortunate to have an excuse to associate with such a fine bunch. The kind of work we do is so often very private and witnessed by very few that we are in danger of becoming too isolated and are deprived of the kind of feedback that more extraverted professional roles afford.

I once had a dream years ago in which something like the voice of God informed me that my fate as a therapist is such that only God knows the work you do (implying that even the patients/clients and even myself as therapist are not in a good position to know and judge the quality of work we do).

I would like to invite all members, old and new, to join the Board of Directors of the MBPA. There is no rule of seniority; new members are very welcome, and this is a great way for new members to become acquainted with the MBPA community. Right now we have a need to fill the Board of Directors position of Government Affairs Liaison chair. This involves working closely with the California Psychological Association representative (another MBPA Board member position currently very ably filled by Dr. Cheryl Bowers), keeping our membership informed as to what legislative initiatives for the benefit of our profession deserve our attention and support.

Also I encourage all members to be vigilant in identifying opportunities to recruit new members to our organization.

On the more serious side, we represent our profession to our community with many service opportunities, and we struggle to maintain our status in legislative matters. On the lighter side, we have two social events each year, a summer party and a winter holiday party, which are joyful occasions to enjoy our colleagues’ company.

We have also bee sponsoring some impressive and enjoyable opportunities for continuing education. The next will be on May 7th regarding issues of sexualized/eroticized transference and counter-transference.

Best wishes to you all.
Jim Beckett
President

Online Resources for Information on Health-Care Reform

Submitted by Dr. Cheryl Bowers

This is a collection of websites recommended by The Washington Post on federal health-care reform, sent to us by our terrific lobbyist in Sacramento, Amanda Levy.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010; HE06

The ink was hardly dry on the health-care overhaul law when foundations, industry groups and consumer advocates began putting together guides to the new rules. Here are some Web sites worth keeping an eye on:

• Kff.org: The Kaiser Family Foundation Web site has a lot of thorough information. To get started, under "New & Noteworthy," click on "summary of the law" for a good synopsis, and on "timeline" to see when various provisions of the law are scheduled to kick in.
• Familiesusa.org: Families USA is a nonprofit advocacy organization for health-care consumers. Click on the link to "Health Reform Central" to see just about everything you need to know about the new law. To get a recap of the major changes, click on the link that begins "Help is on the way" on the homepage.
• Healthinsuranceproviders.com: Click on "Health Care Reform" to see a timeline that's less descriptive than Kaiser's, but easier to grasp visually. The site belongs to an online insurance broker; if you're looking for health insurance, be sure to shop around other sites and brokers.
• Whitehouse.gov/health-insurance-consumer-protections: This is straight from the Obama administration. Keep in mind, it helped write the law. Tune out the superlatives and compare the information with the facts from advocacy groups such as Medicare Rights Center.
• Consumerreports.org/health: From Consumer Reports, a range of useful information. Scroll to the bottom of the page, and click on "Health-care reform."
• Bankrate.com: From a Web site where borrowers hunt for low mortgage rates and savers look for high-interest CDs, there's a summary with a good focus on costs. Type "reform" into the search box, and click on "What's in it for you."
• Marchofdimes.com: The March of Dimes summarizes key new provisions for women and children. Click on "In the news."
  
• Medicarerights.org: The Medicare Rights Center summarizes key new provisions for seniors; click on the big box that says "learn more about health reform and Medicare."
• Stay tuned -- In the coming weeks, the Department of Health and Human Services plans to launch a Web site on health-care reform including links to health insurance options it deems affordable in each state.
• Later this month, The Post, in partnership with Public Affairs, will be publishing a book on the new legislation, including a consumer guide to its impact. Landmark: The Inside Story of America's New Health-Care Law and What It Means for Us All can be pre-ordered from Amazon.com and other book Web sites.

-- Francesca Lunzer Kritz

Spring/Summer 2010

Who Needs a Professional Will?

Submitted by Dr. Diane Bridgeman, Ph.D.
Co-Chair,  Disaster Response Committee
(831) 420-1109

In response to numerous inquiries about the ethical and legal necessity for a Professional Will, I found the following materials from APA & CPA quite helpful.

Making a Professional Will
When a psychologist dies or becomes disabled, it is usually difficult for a spouse, partner or colleagues to determine how to deal with patient care issues and records. The answer to this problem is to prepare in advance a Professional Will, which gives directions about how to deal with these matters. Information on Professional Wills is available from a variety of sources. 

Professional Will Example (MS Word .doc file)

Professional Will Package (MS Word .doc file)

An APA Monitor article also discussed Professional Wills. The article can be found online at: http://www.apa.org/monitor/feb03/will.html.

Pope and Vasquez have online information about Professional Wills from their book, which can be found at: http://kspope.com/therapistas/will.php.

APA Division 42 also has information about Professional Wills for its members on its website. The information was prepared by Steve Ragusea and can be found at: http://www.division42.org/MembersArea/PracticePerfect/ProfessionalWill.htm

Are You Prepared for the Unexpected? by APAPractice.org's Corporate Relations and Business Strategy Staff

Closing a Professional Practice: Clinical and Practical Considerations by Catherine Selth Spayd, Ph.D. & Mary O'Leary Wiley, Ph.D.

A Professional Living Will for Psychologists by Stephen A. Ragusea, Psy.D., ABPP

CPA Ethics Information

CPA has a very informative web page, Ethics on Call, a resource for all psychologists in California. CPA members may call the CPA Central Office to request a personal consultation with a member of the CPA Ethics Committee. To access this, go to: http://www.cpapsych.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=123

Spring/Summer 2010

Highlights from January 15, 2010 Annual Planning Meeting

Submitted by Dr. Jim Beckett

Members Present: Jim Beckett, Ph.D., Fern Selzer Ph.D., Junelle Silver Ph.D., Jenny Kaupp Ph.D., Katie Dashtban Ph.D., Ann Bolger Ph.D., Art Anton, Ph.D., Cheryl Bowers, Ph.D., Diane Bridgeman Ph.D., Myrna Glick Ph.D., Andy Carman Ph.D., Cheryl Jacques Ph.D., and Jon Girvetz Ph.D.

President’s Report: Jim Beckett, Ph.D.
a) A good year with successful continuing education programs.
b) Summer and winter parties were enjoyable.
c) Book club was successful.
d) List-serv is in operation.

Proposed Goals of MBPA for 2010
We would like to encourage more participation of members by planning activities. The approach will be to try various approaches that meet members’ interest.  We will continue the book club and will be adding a salon, the first one a political discussion about CPA, coordinated by Drs. Katie Dashtban and Cheryl Bowers.
 

Public Service/Education
This committee is continuing to coordinate with the CLASP committee.

Disaster Mental Health
Disaster mental health training is continuing through the American Red Cross, with Dr. Diane Bridgman teaching the course. Currently, much attention is being given to recent earthquake disasters.

Membership 
We had a discussion of how to assist Dr. Ann Bolger with her membership committee work. We would like to promote our organization and let people know the reasons for and benefits of membership.  We also would like to educate the public about the profession.

Program/CE Chair
Dr. Art Anton announced that it will now cost $7 per person for CE Units from either CPA or CAMFT.  We discussed possible workshops to put on in the near future.

Government Affairs
This position is now open – a notice will be sent to the listserv. CPA inquired about our goals regarding membership and outreach. Some question what is CPA doing for our chapter and the membership? We would like them to lobby for us about insurance issues.

Newsletter
Members can continue to get the newsletter online unless they notify the editor – a paper copy will be sent at cost ($5). Dr. Jenny Kaupp would like help with the newsletter. She has issued a call for articles for page one. Guest commentators are a good idea. Our target audience is licensed mental health practitioners.

Ethics
Quarterly meetings, an ethics consultation group and/or ongoing ethics meetings were suggested.
We see the format and purpose of ethics committee as a safe and private arena for members’ challenging and complex ethical issues.

Treasurer
Andy Carman told us that our current fiscal health is good. We are spending less for the online newsletter (the hardcopy newsletter was a major expense), and have had no expensive CE programs.

Social Issues
MBPA invited CPA to join in the effort to address the issue of torture with APA. Our goal is to come up with another statement and collaborate with other psych associations in order to have a broader base.
What are other ideas for social issues for 2010? One is Prop 8.

MOTIONS CARRIED
New psychologist/Early Career awarded to Dr. Rami Vissel.

Summary of Goals for 2010

• Support the membership chair and newsletter chair
• Institute salons on professional topics, invite members to present.
• Institute ethics meetings for interested members with complex cases.
• Increase membership!
• Develop associations with CPA and chapters to address APA’s involvement with war activities.
• Have one CE event with a renowned speaker.
• Continue the list-serv, social gatherings, supportive collaboration

Important upcoming dates:

2010 Board Meetings: 2/26, 4/30, 7/23, 10/22
2010 newsletter submission deadlines: 5/7, 11/5
2010 Gatherings: Summer party 7/24/10 at Dr. Junelle Silver’s home; Winter party 12/4/10 at Dr. Katie Dashtban’s.

APA’S ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON COLLEAGUE ASSISTANCE (ACCA)

Submitted by Diane Bridgeman, Ph.D., ACCA chair
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

The primary goals of ACC, and this compendium of materials and web site information, are to support and enhance the quality of the work and lives of Psychologists, State and Territorial Psychological Association’s (SPTA) Colleague Assistance Programs, and our profession.

The following is a selective gathering of topics and articles that serve as “tools and strategies of engagement” for all psychologists to maintain wellness and promote effective coping strategies.  Specifically, this guide develops and updates materials for “Colleague Assistance Programs” (CAP).  CAPs are intended to support psychologists as they navigate their professional careers and personal development at all stages of life.

ACCA Mission Statement:

1. Recognizing and investigating the unique occupational vulnerabilities of psychologists and their need for colleague assistance to promote effective coping strategies, wellness, prevention, and the self-care that is ethically required,
2. Promoting the development and continuation of state-level colleague assistance programs and peer assistance networks,
3. Developing proper, informed relationships between state ethics committees, boards of examiners, and colleague assistance programs for the benefit of the professional and the public.

There is a cross referencing of some of the articles on this site as it may well be appropriate that they appear under several headings. For articles, research findings and power point presentations where noted by ACCA, please contact APA’s ACCA on the APA website: www.apa.org and/or the ACCA Staff Representatives’ Susie Lazaroff, J.D., Director, State Advocacy, APA Practice Directorate at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , or Lauren Schussler, Governance Officer, APA Practice Directorate at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

TOOLS OF ENGAGEMENT FOR PSYCHOLOGISTS

1. CATEGORICAL AREAS

1. Strategies for Developing, Supporting and Sustaining SPTA Programs for Colleagues:

1. For those State Psychological Association Programs embarking on developing a colleague assistance program, below are a few strategies to keep in mind. For a central document to assist in better understanding the role of Colleague Assistance Programs please see an ACCA monograph from February 10, 2006 on “Advancing Colleague Assistance in Professional Psychology”. Available from www.apa.org/practice/acca_monograph.pdf.
2. Check to determine if your State has previously had such a program, or a program similar to the goals of a Colleague Assistance Program (CAP).
3. If it did, and doesn’t now, why not? What worked then and what didn’t? Please note, most programs in the past few decades were primarily “impairment oriented”. This orientation tended to unwittingly add an extra level of stigma when reaching out for assistance, something many psychologists felt they should not need to do since their expertise provided sufficient support. Many of these early programs went defunct for lack of utilization, and only now are some being revitalized and restructured. In more recent years a wellness approach has been integrated into CAP’s and found helpful in mitigating such stigma, yet continued efforts are needed to fully assure and encourage psychologists that requesting assistance is an act of wisdom not weakness. CAP’s do need to provide help to those dealing with all types of challenges, while also promoting self-assessments, and maintaining wellness, with prevention as a primary goal. The emphasis on our profession’s ethical perspective that requires psychologists to use self-care strategies to do well by their clients and the profession, is an apt compliment to these more enlightened prevention views. There are many examples of this perspective in the articles below.
4. Consider interviewing those who may have been involved with a previous CAP for your State.  If none previously existed then contact other states that do have a CAP and APA’s ACCA for information and materials. Results of ACCA’s 2009 survey on SPTA’s are available through ACCA.  Many states with CAP’s have web sites that are quite informative. Examples are: North Carolina’s Colleague Assistance Program (www.ncpsychology.com), Tennessee’s (www.tpaonline.org), California’s (www.cpaclasp.org), and Colorado’s (www.coloradopsych.org), all serve as excellent examples.
5. It is important to determine the structure and policies for your CAP. A few pertinent points include: Will it maintain a confidential call line, who will take the calls, will you have and how do you develop a cadre of colleagues to refer to, what are the confidentiality considerations, will the program or committee be connected to your state licensing board, what resources can you provide to those who make contact, how often will the committee met (will meetings be in-person, or conference calls, or some combination), how do you encourage colleagues to become part of the committee, will you provide training, what will be the costs and how can you meet those costs?  These are a few of the key questions that many states have grappled with and some have gone from one model to another. Your CAP can benefit from previous efforts while you will still need to fashion your own program based on your state regulations and member needs. Do consult with the existing programs and their web sites listed above.
6. Which factors would be most helpful in maintaining and strengthening your CAP? Borrowing from other programs, where appropriate, will encourage colleagues to join the effort as time and a certain degree of confusion can thus be spared. It will be especially helpful to review other state’s policy and procedure materials before developing your own. Having sufficient members on the committee and as diverse a body of members as possible will also be valuable. Acknowledging and incentivizing members can also be useful, for example; recognition at meetings and in publications, providing opportunities for publication of their relevant work on related topics, training and networking opportunities, awareness of their limited time, etc. For an example of a CAP training workshop see: Holder-Cooper, J. (2008, March 26). Over-care to self-care: What psychologists need to know. The North Carolina Colleague Assistance Committee.
7. See PowerPoint Presentation: “Colorado Psychological Association Training Session to Equip Senior Psychologists as Resources to Both the Licensed and Unlicensed Mental Health Boards” by Jim Oraker, Rich Grenhart, Len Tamura, Randi Smith, Emily Roby & Brenna Tindell, March 2008. Contact the Colorado Psychological Association.

2. Historical Perspective On CAP’s:

1. The first APA framework developed to address colleague assistance issues was in the 1980’s and primarily focused on impaired psychologists as referred to above under the heading of developing and maintaining CAP’s. The issues of impairment often centered around issues of alcoholism and substance abuse and at times began to include concerns about boundaries and sex with clients. After a period of time, due to the need to reduce stigma so that colleagues would reach out for assistance, and as the type of issues began to be less associated with dysfunction and more around issues of competencies, self-assessments, wellness and ultimately prevention, the CAP goals were widened and refocused.
2. See an excellent review of the history of CAPS in a 2006 Monograph by ACCA, “Advancing Colleague Assistance in Professional Psychology”,  http://www.apa.org/practice/resources/assistance/monograph.pdf. It reviews licensing board responsibilities, the disciplinary process, grounds for disciplinary actions, guiding principles, assessment, interventions, liability, etc.
1. See O’Connor, M., & ACCA. (2002). Colleague assistance program models. Contact APA’s ACCA committee for specifics.
2. See ACCA. (2009). Models of SPTA’s and summary data. In the 2009 survey of SPTA Colleague Assistance Programs by ACCA [results forthcoming]. Contact APA’s ACCA committee for specifics.
3. All SPTA’s were sent a survey to determine if they had a current CAP, or did so in the past. It attempted to determine current status of CAP, what was working, what type of assistance could ACCA provide, and the policy and procedures they followed.  See results of 2009 Survey data [results forthcoming] Contact APA website:www.apa.org, or ACCA Staff Representatives listed above.

3. Ethical Considerations:

1. The APA principle A of the Ethics code for our guild states:  “Be aware of the possible effect of [our] own physical and mental health on [our] ability to help those with whom [we] work.” (APA, 2002, pp.3)
2. Related to this requirement is the key concept of self-care which has been referred to as our “moral imperative” (Carroll, et al., 1999), and this leadsto the cautionary note that if you don’t practice self-care, you risk harming the client, which has also been referred to as “the ethical imperative” (Baker, 2007).
3. Examples of several ethical areas that psychologists are to be mindful of include; boundaries, informed consent, malpractice, fallacies and pitfalls, termination with clients, end-of-life, retirement, professional will, among others.
4. A few representative articles on psychology and ethics:
1. American Psychological Association. (2002). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct. Retrieved from www.apa.org/ethics/code2002.html
2. Barnett, J. E., & Johnson, W. B. (2008). Ethics Desk Reference for Psychologists. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Available from http://www.apa.org/pubs/books/4312011.aspx
3. Behnke S. (2009, January). Ethics from a developmental perspective. Monitor on Psychology, 40(1), 68. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/monitor/2009/01/ethics.aspx
4. See Behnke, S. (2008, July). Ethics in the age of the Internet. Monitor on Psychology, 39(7), 74. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/monitor/2008/07-08/ethics.aspx
5. See Knapp, S. J., & VandeCreek, L. (2005). Practical ethics for psychologists: A positive approach. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Available from http://www.apa.org/pubs/books/4312004.aspx
6. See Childress-Beatty, L. (2008, October). A vibrant and collaborative ethics program in Boston. Monitor on Psychology, 39(9), 82. Retrieved from www.apa.org/monitor/2008/10/ethics.html
7. See Pope, K. S., & Vasquez, M. J. T. (2007). Ethics in psychotherapy and counseling: A practical guide (3rd ed.). New York: Jossey-Bass.
8. See Pope, K. S., Tabachnick, B. G., & Keith-Spiegel, P. (1987). Ethics of practice: The beliefs and behaviors of psychologists as therapists. American Psychologist, 42(11), 993-1006. doi: 10.1037/0003-066X.42.11.993
9. See Pope, K. S. (n.d.) Ethics and Malpractice. Retrieved from Kenneth Pope’s website: http://www.kspope.com/ethics/index.php
10. See Zur, O. (2007). Boundaries in psychotherapy: Ethical and clinical explorations. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Available from http://www.zurinstitute.com/boundariesbook.html
11. See Schoenfeld, L. (2003). Dealing with a complaint: self-care strategies. Contact APA's ACCA committee regarding this article.
12. See Elman, N. S., Illfelder-Kaye, J., & Robiner, W. N. (2005). Professional development: Training for professionalism as a foundation for competent practice in psychology. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 36(4), 367-375. doi: 10.1037/0735-7028.36.4.367
13. See Campbell, L., Vasquez, M., Behnke, S., & Kinscherff, R. (2009). APA ethics code commentary and case illustrations. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Available from http://www.apa.org/pubs/books/4312015.aspx
14. See Werth, J. L., Jr., Welfel, E. R., & Benjamin, G. A. H. (Eds.). (2008). The duty to protect: Ethical, legal, and professional considerations for mental health professionals. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Available from http://www.apa.org/pubs/books/4312013.aspx

4. Self-Care as a Center-Piece Strategy for Effective Colleague Assistance Programs:

1. Implementing healthy self-care strategies is a primary way to honor principle A of our ethics code as referred to above in Section 2.
2. Several key articles that inform the self-care strategy:
1. See Munsey, C. (2006a). Helping colleagues to help themselves. Monitor on Psychology, 37(7), 35. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/monitor/julaug06/colleagues.aspx
2. See ACCA Practice Research and Policy Staff. (2007, Spring). Are you taking good care of yourself? APAGS Newsletter, 13(2). Retrieved from http://www.apapracticecentral.org/update/2007/12-13/good-care.aspx
3. Referring to a strength-based concept such as resilience is helpful in the self-care discussion as it supports the development of protective factors to better cope with ongoing stressors as well as with challenges of a critical incident. See Bridgeman, D. (2006) “Strength-based Approach for Therapist & Client: Preventive  Coping Strategies”, available through the California Psychological Association’s Colleague Assistance and Support  (CLASP), website at www.cpaclasp.org (articles).
4. See Skovholt, T. M. (2000). Resilient practitioner: Burnout prevention and self-care strategies for counselors, therapists, teachers, and health professionals. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
5. See Norcross, J. C., & Guy, J. D., Jr., (2007). Leaving it at the office: A guide to psychotherapy self-care. New York: The Guilford Press.
6. See Munsey, C. (2006a). Helping colleagues to help themselves. Monitor on Psychology, 37(7), 35. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/monitor/julaug06/colleagues.aspx
7. See ACCA. (2009, August). Who cares? Barriers, benefits and resources in colleague assistance and self-care. PowerPoint presentation presented at the 117th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, Toronto, Canada.
8. See 2009 ACCA practitioner survey [results forthcoming]. Contact APA’s ACCA committee for specifics.

5. The Importance of Wellness/Prevention in Colleague Assistance Programs:

1. See Board of Professional Affairs’ ACCA. (2000). Professional health and well-being for psychologists. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/practice/resources/assistance/Professional_Health_and_Well-Being.pdf
2. See Barnett, J. E., Baker, E. K., Elman, N. S., & Schoener, G. R. (2007). In pursuit of wellness: The self-care imperative. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 38(6), 603-612. doi: 10.1037/0735-7028.38.6.603
3. See Bridgman, D. (2006, March/April). Embracing wellness/prevention for psychologists: Bold or boring? The California Psychologist, 39(2), 31-32. Available from the California Psychological Association’s Colleague Assistance and Support Program (CLASP) website under articles: www.cpaclasp.org/
4. See Stevanovic, P., & Rupert, P. A. (2004). Career-sustaining behaviors, satisfaction, and stresses of professional psychologists. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 41(3), 301-309.
5. See Schwebel, M., & Coster, J. S. (1997). Well-functioning in professional psychologists. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 28(1), 5-13. doi: 10.1037/0735-7028.28.1.5
6. See Grafanaki, S., Pearson, D., Cini, F., Godula, D., McKenzie, B., Nason, S., Anderegg, M. (2005). Sources of renewal: A qualitative study on the experience and role of leisure in the life of counselors and psychologists. Counseling Psychology Quarterly, 18(1), 31-40. doi: 10.1080/09515070500099660
7. See Skovholt, T. M. (2001). The resilient practitioner: Burnout prevention and self-care strategies for counselors, therapists, teachers, and health professionals. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
8. See ACCA. (2009, August). Who cares? Barriers, benefits and resources in colleague assistance and self-care. PowerPoint presentation presented at the 117th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, Toronto, Canada.
9. See 2009 ACCA practitioner survey [results forthcoming]. Contact APA’s ACCA committee for specifics.

6. Development and Continuum Approach to Colleague Assistance Concerns:

1. See Stevanovic, P., & Rupert, P. A. (2009). Work-family spillover and life satisfaction among professional psychologists. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 40(1), 62-68. doi: 10.1037/a0012527
2. See Guy, J. D. (1987). The personal life of the psychotherapist. New York: Wiley-Interscience.
3. See Zur, O. (1994). Psychotherapists and their families: The effect of clinical practice on individual and family dynamics. Psychotherapy in Private Practice, 13(1), 69-75.
4. See Pingitore, D., & Scheffler, R. M. (2005). Practice patterns across the clinical life span: Results from the California survey of psychological practice. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 36(4), 434-440. doi: 10.1037/0735-7028.36.4.434
5. See ACCA. (2008). Psychologists’ pursuit of wellness across the life span: Benefits and barriers to self-care practices. PowerPoint presentation presented at the 116th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, Boston, MA. This presentation reviews the importance of viewing psychologists’ life and profession from that of graduate students/early career psychologists, to those in the retirement phase
6. See the “continuum” concept from ACCA developed article. Stress-distress-impairment for psychologists. Available from http://www.apapracticecentral.org/ce/self-care/colleague-assist.aspx.
7. See 2009 ACCA practitioner survey [results forthcoming]. Contact APA’s ACCA committee for specifics and/or visit APA web site, www.apa.org.

2. SUBJECT TOPICS

1. Office Safety and Violence Prevention Project:

1. A subcommittee of ACCA was convened in 2009 to address the issue of possible risk to psychologists based on several well-known incidents. ACCA contacted APA’s Section VII on Behavioral Emergencies and from this collaborative effort a brochure on Office Safety for psychologists was developed, see below:
1. See American Psychological Association, ACCA. (2009). Minimizing the risk of patient violence in the workplace:  A clinical primer (Section VII). Contact APA’s ACCA committee for an electronic copy of brochure.
2. See also Kleespies, P. M. (Ed.). (2009). Behavioral emergencies: An evidenced based resource for evaluating and managing risk of suicide, violence, and victimization. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Available from http://www.apa.org/pubs/books/4317168.aspx
3. Pope, K. (n.d.) Stalking, threats, and attacks on therapists. Retrieved from Kenneth Pope’s website: http://kspope.com/stalking.php

2. Coping With Suicide of a Colleague:

1. Once again a subcommittee with ACCA and Section VII on “Behavioral Emergencies,” collaborated in 2009 to collect data and materials on the suicide of a colleague:
1. See 2010 results of interviews with psychologists who knew colleagues who committed suicide and resource materials [results forthcoming], Contact ACCA.
2. See Guy, J. D., & Liaboe, G. P. (1985). Suicide among psychotherapists: Review and discussion. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 16(4), 470-472. doi: 10.1037/0735-7028.16.4.470
3. See Joiner, T. E., Van Orden, K. A., Witte, T. K., & Rudd, M. D. (2009). The interpersonal theory of suicide: Guidance for working with suicidal clients. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Available from http://www.apa.org/pubs/books/4317175.aspx.

3. Coping With Colleagues With Substance Abuse Challenges:

1. See section in ACCA Monograph on this and related issues. Available from http://www.apa.org/practice/resources/assistance/monograph.pdf
2. See DiClemente, C. C., & ACCA. (2005). Alcohol and problem drinking. Retrieved from http://www.apapracticecentral.org/ce/self-care/drinking.aspx
3. See Good, G. E., Thoreson, R. W., & Shaughnessy, P. (1995). Substance use, confrontation of impaired colleagues, and psychological functioning among counseling psychologists: A national survey. The Counseling Psychologist, 23(4), 703-721. doi: 10.1177/0011000095234010
4. See Skorina, J. K., Bissell, L., & de Soto, C. B. (1990). Alcoholic psychologists: Routes to recovery. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 21(4), 248-251. doi: 10.1037/0735-7028.21.4.248
5. See Friedenberger, H. J. (1989). Chemical abuse among psychologists: Symptoms, causes, and treatment issues. In R. Kilburg, P. Nathan, & R. Thoreson, (Eds.), Professionals in distress: Issues, syndromes, and solutions in psychotherapy (pp.135-152). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
6. See McCrady, B. S. (2003). Alcohol and other drug use among psychologists: Identification and early intervention. Contact APA's "Colleague Assistance Advisory Committee" (ACCA) regarding this article.
7. See 2009 ACCA practitioner survey [results forthcoming]. Contact APA’s ACCA committee for specifics.

4. Supporting A Colleague In Need:

1. See Smith, P.L., & Moss, S. B. (2009). Psychologist impairment: What is it, how can it be prevented, and what can be done to address it? Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 16(1), 1-15. doi:10.1111/j.1468-2850.2009.01137.x. This is a very recent and comprehensive review that informs many of the issues central to this ACCA toolkit.
2. See Guy, J. D., Poelstra, P. L., & Stark, M. J. (1989). Personal distress and therapeutic effectiveness: National survey of psychologists practicing psychotherapy. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 20(1), 48-50. doi: 10.1037/0735-7028.20.1.48
3. See Kutz, S. L. (1986). Defining “impaired psychologist.” American Psychologist, 41(2), 220. doi: 10.1037/0003-066X.41.2.220.a
4. See Mahoney, M.J. (1997). Psychotherapists’ personal problems and self-care patterns.  Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 28(1), 14-16. doi: 10.1037/0735-7028.28.1.14
5. See Pope, K.S., & Tabachnick, B.G. (1994). Therapists as patients: A national survey of psychologists’ experiences, problems, and beliefs. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 25(3), 247-258. Retrieved from www.kspope.com/therapists/research9.php
6. See O’Connor, M. F. (2001). On the etiology and effective management of professional distress and impairment among psychologists. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 32(4), 345-350. doi: 10.1037//0735-7028.32.4.345
7. See Gilroy, P. J., Carroll, L., & Murra, J. (2002). A preliminary survey of counseling psychologists’ personal experiences with depression and treatment. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 33(4), 402-407. doi: 10.1037//0735-7028.33.4.402
8. See Lamb, D. H., & Catanzaro, S. J. (1998). Sexual and nonsexual boundary violations involving psychologists, clients, supervisees, and students: Implications for professional practice.  Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 29(5), 498-503. doi: 10.1037/0735-7028.29.5.498
9. See Munsey, C. (2006a, July). Helping colleagues to help themselves. Monitor on Psychology, 37(7), 35. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/monitor/julaug06/colleagues.aspx
10. See Barnett, J. E., & Hillard, D. (2001). Psychologist distress and impairment:  The availability, nature, and use of colleague assistance programs for psychologists. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 32(2), 205-210. doi: 10.1037//0735-7028.32.2.205
11. See O’Connor, M. F., & ACCA. (n.d.). Intervening with an impaired colleague. Retrieved from http://www.apapracticecentral.org/ce/self-care/intervening.aspx
12. See Saakvitne, K. & ACCA. (2002). Occupational vulnerability for psychologists: A theoretical overview. Retrieved from http://www.apapracticecentral.org/ce/self-care/vulnerability.aspx
13. See Kaslow, N. J., Rubin, N. J., Forrest, L., Elman, N. S., Van Horne, B. A., Jacobs, S. C., Thorn, B. E. (2007). Recognizing, assessing and intervening with problems of professional competence. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 38(5), 479-492. doi: 10.1037/0735-7028.38.5.479

5. Strategic Support Systems for Psychologists:

1. See Pope, K.S., & Vasquez, M.J.T. (2005). Creating strategies for self-care. In How to survive and thrive as a therapist: Information, ideas, and resources for psychologists in practice (pp. 13-22), Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
2. Baker, E. K. (2003). Caring for ourselves: A therapist’s guide to personal and professional well-being. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
3. Bridgeman, D. (2007). Positive peer partnering for psychologists. Available from the California Psychological Association’s Colleague Assistance and Support Program (CLASP) website: http://www.cpapsych.org/ (articles)
4. See American Psychological Association Communications Staff. (2005). Not going it alone: Peer consultation groups. Retrieved from http://www.apapracticecentral.org/ce/self-care/peer-consult.aspx
5. See Bridgeman, D. (2009). Balance, boundaries and benevolence: The complexities of psychologists’ self-care, coping, and wellness. An informal assessment, available from the California Psychological Association’s Colleague Assistance and Support Program (CLASP) website: http://www.cpaclasp.org/
6. See North Carolina Psychological Assn. Colleague Assistance Committee. (n.d.). How to set up a peer consultation team. Article retrieved from NCPA’s website: www.ncpsychology.com/
7. See Munsey, C. (2006a, July). Helping colleagues to help themselves. Monitor on Psychology, 37(7), 35. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/monitor/julaug06/colleagues.aspx

6. Diversity and Psychologists:

1. See Sue, D. W., & Sue, D. (1999). Counseling the culturally different: Theory and practice (3rd ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons.
2. See American Psychological Association, Divisions 17 and 45 Task Force. (2002). Guidelines on multicultural education, training, research, practice, and organizational change for psychologists. Retrieved from http://www.apapracticecentral.org/ce/guidelines/multicultural.aspx
3. See DeAngelis, T. (2009, March). Changing the way we see one another: Psychologists are key players in a growing campus movement that promotes honest communications about diversity. Monitor on Psychology, 40(3), 54. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/monitor/2009/03/diverse.aspx
4. See Barongan, C. (2006). Review of a comprehensive approach to multicultural competence: A review of race, culture, psychology, and law. [Review of A comprehensive approach to multicultural competence: A review of race, culture, psychology, and law, edited by K. Barrett & W. George, 2005]. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 12(1), 169-171. doi: 10.1037/1099-9809.12.1.169
5. See the American Psychological Association Commission on Ethnic Minority Recruitment, Retention, and Training (CEMRRAT2) Task Force website: http://www.apa.org/pi/oema/programs/recruitment/commission.aspx
6. See also the American Psychological Association Committee on Ethnic Minority Affairs (CEMA), Division 45 website: http://www.apa.org/pi/oema/committee/index.aspx
7. See Skovholt, T. M., Goh, M., Upidi, S., & Grier, T. (2004). The resilient multicultural practitioner. The California Psychologist, 37(6), 18-19.

3. CONTEMPORARY AND TIMELY ISSUES FOR PSYCHOLOGISTS

1. Graduate Students And Early Career Psychologists:

1. See Dearing, R. L., Maddux, J. E., & Tangney, J. P. (2005). Predictors of psychological help seeking in clinical and counseling psychology graduate students. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 36(3), 323-329. doi: 10.1037/0735-7028.36.3.323
2. See Elman, N., Forrest, L., Vacha-Haase, T., & Gizara, S. (1999). A systems perspective on trainee impairment: Continuing the dialogue. The Counseling Psychologist, 27(5), 712-721. doi: 10.1177/0011000099275005
3. See Munsey, C. (2006b, November). Questions of balance: An APA survey finds a lack of attention to self-care among training programs. gradPSYCH, 4(4). Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/gradpsych/2006/11/cover-balance.aspx
4. See Clay, R. A. (2009, January). The new economy and you. gradPSYCH, 7(1). Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/gradpsych/2009/01/cover-economy.aspx
5. See Fuselier, D. (2004). Self-care among psychology graduate students and psychologists: Implications for physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. (Doctoral dissertation). Dissertation Abstracts International: Section B: The Sciences and Engineering, 65, 2093.
6. See Williams-Nickelson, C. (2001). What have you done for you lately? APAGS Newsletter, 13(2).
7. See Schaufeli, W. B., Martinez, I. M., Pinto, A. M., Salanova, M., & Bakker, A. B. (2002). Burnout and engagement in university students. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 33(5), 464-481. doi:10.1016/j.jvb.2005.01.003 
8. See Pelham, B. (n.d.) Doing post-doctoral work--Should I? Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/careers/resources/academic/postdoc-work.aspx
9. See Shapiro, S. L., Brown, K. W., & Biegel, G. M. (2007). Teaching self-care to caregivers: Effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction on the mental health of therapists in training. Training and Education in Professional Psychology, 1(2), 105-115. doi: 10.1037/1931-3918.1.2.105
10. See Williams-Nickelson, C. (1998). Establishing mentoring relationships that model balance. Paper presented at the 106th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, San Francisco, CA.
11. See Williams-Nickelson, C. (2001, Winter). Public poise and private struggles: Intentionally sharing our multiple selves through mentoring. The APAGS Newsletter, 13(1), 25-26.
12. See Minardo, J. (2009, August). Launching your career on solid footing: How to lead to succeed. PowerPoint presentation presented at the 117th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, Toronto, Canada.
13. See Salvador, D. (2009, August). Launching your career on solid footing: Incorporating self-care across-life continuum. Symposium presented at the 117th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, Toronto, Canada.
14. See Clay, R. A. (2006, March). Peers with problems: Students can help when peers are in trouble. gradPSYCH, 4(2). Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/gradpsych/2006/03/peers.aspx
15. See Clay, R. A. (2006, March). Get down to business: Learn the basics of starting your own practice. gradPSYCH, 4(2). http://www.apa.org/gradpsych/2006/03/business.aspx
16. See APAGS & ACCA 2009 Survey on Psychology Graduate Students [in progress]. Contact APAGS and/or ACCA.
17. See the ACCA 2009 Survey on Practitioners data on early career psychologists [results forthcoming]. Contact ACCA.

2. LGBT Considerations:

1. See Ehrbar, R.D. (2009, August). Self-care and working within LGBT communities. Symposium presented at the 117th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, Toronto, Canada. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/careers/early-career/working-within-LGBT.pdf
2. See Russell, G. M., & Bohan, J. S. (2007). Liberating psychotherapy: Liberation psychology and psychotherapy with LGBT clients. In J. Glassgold & J. Drescher (Eds.), Activism and LGBT psychology (pp. 59-75). New York, NY: Brunner-Routledge.
3. See American Psychology Association, Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Concerns. (2008, Spring). Division 44 newsletter. Available from: http://www.apadivision44.org/publications/2009spring.pdf
4. See also American Psychology Association, Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Concerns. (2008, Summer). Division 44 newsletter. Available from: http://www.apadivision44.org/publications/2009summer.pdf
5. See Packard, E. (2007, December). New tool for diversity-focused psychologists. Monitor on Psychology, 38(11), 11. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/monitor/dec07/newtool.aspx
6. Contact American Psychological Association, Division 44 – Society for the Psychological Study of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues. Available from: http://www.apa.org/about/division/div44.aspx
7. See Goldberg, A. E. (2009). Lesbian and gay parents and their children: Research on the family life cycle. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Available from http://www.apa.org/pubs/books/4318061.aspx.

3. Female Psychologists:

1. See Ladhani, S. (2009, August). How does she do that or does she? Self-care for women in leadership. Symposium presented at the 117th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, Toronto, Canada. Available from http://www.apa.org/careers/early-career/women-leaders.pdf
2. See Williams-Nickelson, C. (2000). Perspectives on mentoring: Women in psychology. APAGS Newsletter, 12(1).
3. See Zuckerman, D. M. (1982, August). Self-perceived abilities, values, and stresses of future female psychologists. Paper presented at the 90th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, Washington, DC. Retrieved from ERIC database. (ED227414)
4. See Williams-Nickelson, C. (2001). Mentoring and leadership: Lessons learned for women balancing personal and professional roles. APAGS Newsletter, 13(1).
5. See Gilligan, C. (1993). In a different voice: Psychological theory and women’s development. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
6. See the American Psychological Association Committee on Women & Leadership Institute for Women in Psychology website: http://www.apa.org/pi/women/index.aspx.

4. Male Psychologists:

1. See Burke, R. J., Burgess, Z., & Oberrlaid, F. (2004). Do male psychologists benefit from organizational values supporting work-personal life balance? Equal Opportunities International, 23(1-2), 97-107.
2. See Pope, K. S., & Tabachnick, B. G. (1994). Therapists as patients: A national survey of psychologists’ experiences, problems, and beliefs. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 25(3), 247-258. Retrieved from www.kspope.com/therapists/research9.php
3. See Harvey, J. A., & Hansen, C. E. (1999). Gender role of male therapists in both professional and personal life. Sex Roles: A Journal of Research, 41(1-2), 105-113. doi: 10.1023/A:1018841909632
4. See American Psychological Assocation, Division 51 - Society for the Psychological Study of Men & Masculinity. (2004). CE program presented at the 112th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, Hawaii. See also APA, Division 51 materials at http://www.apa.org/about/division/div51.aspx
5. See Pollack, W. S., & Levant, R. F. (1998). New psychotherapies for men. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

5. Psychologists in Transition:

1. See Rupert, P. A., Stevanovic, P., & Hunley, H. A. (2009). Work-family conflict and burnout among practicing psychologists. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 40(1), 54-61. doi: 10.1037/a0012538
2. See Rupert, P. A., Morgan, D. J. (2005). Work setting and burnout among professional psychologists. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 36(5), 544-550. doi: 10.1037/0735-7028.36.5.544
3. See Orlinksy, D., Ronnestad, M. H., Ambuhl, H., Willutzki, U., Botermans, J., Cierpka, M., Davis, M. (1999). Psychotherapists’ assessments of their development at different career levels. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 36(3), 203-215. doi: 10.1037/h0087772
4. See Williams-Nickelson, C. (2000). The year in review: Empowerment-based fundamentals for a flourishing profession. APAGS Newsletter, 12(3).
5. See Willams-Nickelson, C. (1998). Establishing mentoring relationships that model balance. Presentation presented at the 106th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association Convention, San Francisco, CA.
6. See Gerber, J., & ACCA. (2005). The pregnant therapist: Caring for yourself while working with your clients. Retrieved from http://www.apapracticecentral.org/ce/self-care/pregnancy.aspx
7. See Fallon, A., & Brabender, V. (2003). Awaiting the therapist’s baby: A guide for expectant parent-practitioners. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
8. See Finno, A. A., & Kohout, J. (2009). The future of the psychology workforce–statistics and trends. Paper presented at the 117th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, Toronto, Canada. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/workforce/presentations/2009-future-psychology-workforce.pdf
9. See Whitten, L.  & Anderson, L. (n.d.). Getting beyond the academic gatekeepers: The tenure process. Available from www.apa.org/apa/abttenture.html
10. See Munsey, C. (2007, September). Serving those who serve: A psychologist and a soldier. Monitor on Psychology, 38(8), 47. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/monitor/sep07/psychsoldier.aspx
11. On Loneliness: See Simpson, M. for the NCPA Colleague Assistance Committee (2009, September). Loneliness: The Other “L” word. Available from the NCPA web site: www.ncpsychology.com
12. See Bridgeman, D. (2008, August). Mindful midlife or muddled mixture? Self-care and psychologists strengths and struggles. PowerPoint presentation presented at the 116th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association APA Convention, Boston, MA.
13. See American Psychological Association, Committee on Women in Psychology. (1999). Older psychologists survey. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/pi/women/resources/reports/older-psychologists.pdf
14. See Callahan, J. L., & Dittloff, M. (2007). Through a glass darkly: Reflections on therapist transformations. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 38(6), 547-553). doi: 10.1037/0735-7028.38.6.547.

6. Effects of the Economy:

1. See Yip, P. (2009, September 7). Tough economy can take its toll on your health. The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved from http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/personalfinance/stories/090709dnbusperfi.36a76e7.html
2. See Clay, R. A. (2009, January). The new economy and you. gradPSYCH, 7(1), 42. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/gradpsych/2009/01/cover-economy.aspx
3. See Martin, S. (2009, January). Rolling with the changes. Monitor On Psychology, 40(1), 36. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/monitor/2009/01/economy.aspx
4. See American Psychological Association, Public Relations Staff. (2008, October 23). Americans stressed over economy, more report symptoms. Retrieved from http://www.apapracticecentral.org/update/2008/10-23/americans-stressed.aspx
5. See Price, M. (2009, July). The recession is stressing men more than women. Monitor on Psychology, 40(7), 10. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/monitor/2009/07-08/recession.aspx
6. See APA Committee for the Advancement of Professional Practice, APA Committee on Early Career Psychologists. (2009, August). Launching and building a practice: Providing high-quality psychological services in challenging economic times. Symposium presented at the 117th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, Toronto, Canada. Retrieved from http://www.apapracticecentral.org/update/2009/07-28/practice-programs-convention.aspx
7. See Walfish, S., & Barnett, J. E. (2008). Financial success in mental health practice: Essential tools and strategies for practitioners. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Available from http://www.apa.org/pubs/books/4317162.aspx

7. Issues of Disabilities:

1. See Palombi, B. J. (2009, August). Models of training focused on issues related to disability. Symposium presented at the 117th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, Toronto, Canada.
2. See Taliaferro, G. (2009, August). Continuing education workshop #134: Ethical practice issues and persons with disabilities. Workshop presented at the 117th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, Toronto, Canada.
3. See also the American Psychological Association Committee on Disability Issues in Psychology website: http://www.apa.org/pi/disability/committee/index.aspx

8. Psychologists & Critical Incident Responding: & Concepts of Compassion Fatigue, Burnout, Secondary Traumatization & Work Engagement:

1. See the American Psychological Association’s Disaster Response Network (DRN), for many articles on responding to various types of disasters, process, procedures and self-care tips. Available from http://www.apa.org/practice/programs/drn/index.aspx
2. See American Red Cross draft Foundations of Disaster Mental Health Manual. (n.d.). What do psychologists do at disaster sites? Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/disaster-site.aspx
3. See ACCA, & DRN. (2009, October). Helping others while helping ourselves during challenging times. PowerPoint presentation presented at the 2009 meeting of the American Psychological Association Education Leadership Conference, Washington, DC.
4. See Chard, K. M., Cooper, L., & ACCA. (2005). Risk factors and self care for practitioners working with trauma clients. Retrieved from http://www.apapracticecentral.org/ce/self-care/trauma-clients.aspx
5. See Figley, C. R. (2002). Treating compassion fatigue: Secondary traumatic stress disorder from treating the traumatized. New York, NY: Brunner-Routledge.
6. See also Figley, C. (2002). Treating compassion fatigue. New York, NY: Brunner-Routledge.
7. See Stamm, B. H. (1999). Secondary traumatic stress: Self-care issues for clinicians, researchers, and educators (2nd ed.). Lutherville, MD: The Sidran Press.
8. See Edwards, R. (1995, September). Compassion fatigue: When listening hurts. Contact APA's ACCA committee regarding this article.
9. See Maslach, C., Leiter, M. P., & Schaufeli, W. (2009). Measuring burnout. In S. Cartwright & C. Cooper (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of organizational well-being (pp. 86-108). Oxford, England: Oxford University Press.
10. See Stamm, B. H. (2005). Professional quality of life scale: Compassion satisfaction and fatigue subscales, R-IV (ProQOL). Retrieved from www.behavioralhealth.army.mil/prt/PROQOL-vIV_English-Oct05.pdf
11. See Schaufeli, W. B., Salanova, M., González-Romá, V., Bakker, A. B. (2002). The measurement of engagement and burnout: A confirmative analytic approach. Journal of Happiness Studies, 3(1), 71-92.
12. See Schaufeli, W. B. (2006). The balance of give and take: Toward a social exchange model of burnout. The International Review of Social Psychology, 19(1), 87-131.
13. See Gonzales-Roma, V., Schaufeli, W. B., Bakker, A. B., & Lloret, S. (2005). Burnout and work engagement: Independent factors or opposite poles? Journal of Vocational Behavior, 68(1), 165-174.

9. Retirement:  

1. See Chamberlin, J. (2004, November). No desire to fully retire. Monitor on Psychology, 35(10), 82. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/monitor/nov04/desire.aspx
2. See Ditmann, M. (2004, November). A new face to retirement. Monitor on Psychology, 35(10), 78. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/monitor/nov04/retirement.aspx
3. See Kersting, K. (2004, November). Elderbears: Out of the retirement cave. Monitor on Psychology, 35(10), 86. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/monitor/nov04/elderbears.aspx
4. See McGurk, W. S., & ACCA. (2005). Retirement: Making a successful transition. Retrieved from http://apapracticecentral.org/ce/self-care/retirement.aspx
5. See American Psychological Association. (2005). Thinking about retirement? Time to think about your psychological portfolio. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/research/action/retire.aspx
6. See Abeles, N., Cooley, S., Deitch, I. M., Harper, M. S., Hinrichsen, G., Lopez, M. A., Molinari, V. A. (2009). What psychologists should know about working with older adults. Workshop conducted at the 117th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, Toronto, Canada. Available from http://www.apa.org/pi/aging/resources/guides/practitioners.pdf
7. See ACCA. (2008). Psychologists’ pursuit of wellness across the life span: Benefits and barriers to self-care practices. Presentation presented at the 116th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, Boston, MA.

10. Professional Wills:

1. See Pope, K. S., & Vasquez, M. J. T. (2005). Therapist guide for preparing a professional will. In How to survive and thrive as a therapist: Information, ideas, and resources for psychologists in practice (pp. 57-64), Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
2. See Ragusa, S. A. (2006). A professional living will for psychologists. Division 42 Online. Retrieved from www.division42.org/MembersArea/PracticePerfect/ProfessionalWill.htm
3. See Zur, O., & Nordmarken, N. (2005). The Professional Will [Online course]. Sonoma, CA: Zur Institute. Available from www.zurinstitute.com/wills_clinicalupdate.html

11. End of Life Issues:

1. See Werth, J. L., Jr. (2009, August). Continuing education workshop #147: Psychosocial issues near end of life---Considerations for psychologists. Workshop presented at the 117th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, Toronto, Canada.
2. See Kersting, K. (2004, November). Psychology at the end of life. Monitor on Psychology, 35(10), 50. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/monitor/nov04/endlife.aspx
3. See Kersting, K. (2004, November). Improving the end of life for older adults. Monitor on Psychology, 35(10), 53. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/monitor/nov04/improve.aspx
4. See Kleespies, P. (2004). Life and death decisions: Psychological and ethical considerations in end-of-life care. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
5. See Haley, W. E., Larson, D. G., Kasi-Godley, J., Neimeyer, R. A., & Kwilosz, D. M. (2003). Roles for psychologists in end-of-life care: Emerging models of practice. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 34(6), 626-633. doi: 10.1037/0735-7028.34.6.626
6. See the American Psychological Association End-of-Life Issues and Care website: http://www.apa.org/pi/aids/programs/eol/index.aspx
7. See American Psychological Association, Ad Hoc Committee on End-of-Life Issues. (n.d). Culturally diverse communities and end-of-life care. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/pi/aids/programs/eol/end-of-life-diversity.pdf
8. See Katz, R. S., Landrum, E., & Gordon, J. (2006). Psychologists facing life-threatening illness and death. Washington State Psychological Association, End of Life Taskforce.

MBPA Book Club

Submitted by Dr. Jim Beckett

Let me welcome you to the Monterey Bay Psychological Association Book Club. We have already had three meetings and they have been well attended and a wonderful opportunity to share some meaningful and enjoyable time with your interesting and sensitive colleagues. We've had a lot of fun and have learned much from the reading. This is a welcome antidote for the professional hazard of isolation and hopefully you will join us. We meet on a quarterly basis.

Our next meeting will be on April 22nd from 6:45 to 9:00 pm at the home of Dr. Ann Bolger in Aptos. We will be discussing Jill Bolte Taylor's book, My Stroke of Insight, which is a fascinating account of her stroke and recovery - especially interesting because she was a 37-year-old brain scientist at Harvard when she was stricken.

If you would like to join us please inform Jim Beckettt ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ) of your interest, and we'll get you directions or answer any questions you may have.

Spring/Summer 2010

Earthquakes, Trauma, and Disaster Response

Edited by Drs. Diane Bridgeman and Jennifer Kaupp

In recent months, a couple of major earthquakes have rocked highly-populated sections of our planet. A destructive 7.0 quake in Haiti resulted in loss of life and limb, housing and infrastructure, hope and confidence of a people long oppressed by poverty and politics. It will take years for Haiti to recover from such devastation, trauma, and loss. Haitians continue to receive food and shelter, medical care, and other resources to help them return to their lives. Dr. Diane Bridgeman has provided us with several valuable resources from APA and Red Cross, including APA’s "Resources on Managing Traumatic Stress in Wake of Haiti Earthquake" and the "APA Statement on the Role of Psychologists in International Emergencies."   

The Haiti quake was closely followed by a massive offshore earthquake (magnitude 8.8) near Central Chile, leaving major cities in ruins, hundreds of people dead, many more injured, and others missing in the rubble. Millions of Chileans remain homeless and hungry, traumatized and injured, and desperate for help. Hundreds and hundreds of powerful aftershocks have caused further destruction and panic. It will take billions of dollars and many years to rebuild these major cities. 

For perspective, compare these two major earthquakes to our Loma Prieta quake, which killed 67 persons, injured others, displaced many; destroyed downtown Santa Cruz, left buildings in Watsonville and across the county damaged; and wrecked havoc on San Francisco and Oakland. All this damage occurred in 15-20 seconds, compared to the 90 seconds of violent shaking endured by Chileans. And we remember it vividly, 20 years later. 

To learn more about available resources and ways you can help go to: http://www.apa.org/international/resources/networks/emergency-resources.aspx for links to Humanitarian Organizations and Training Opportunities. For a full report on earthquake relief and hard copies of the articles, see Dr. Bridgeman’s Disaster Response Committee Report (link).

Spring/Summer 2010

New Member Profile

Dr. Rami Vissell, Ph.D.
(831) 621-1150 x200
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Dr Rami Vissell, Ph.D., is a new member of the Monterey Bay Psychology Association. She has just started accruing her hours toward licensure as a psychological assistant in the private practice of Dr. Katie Dashtban. Under the supervision of Dr. Dashtban, Dr. Vissell will be conducting individual, family and group sessions. Dr. Vissell has a passion for working with adolescents and families. She conducted her dissertation research on Wilderness Therapy with youth at risk and has the dream to one day start her own wilderness therapy program for youth and families. Dr. Vissell also has extensive experience working with adolescents and families who are in crisis. She brings a calming, compassionate presence to her work. Dr. Vissell’s primary focus utilizes Family Systems and Cognitive Behavioral techniques. She is accepting new clients in the private practice and has a sliding scale available. She also plans on leading therapeutic rock climbing groups this summer for teens. Check the website for details.

Rami was born and raised in Santa Cruz County. She is grateful every day for this beautiful location. She lives with her husband, two horses and dog. In her leisure time she enjoys surfing, white water rafting, mountain climbing, taking groups out into nature, painting, ceramics and dancing.

Contact:

Rami Vissell, Ph.D.
Psychological Assistant, PSB 34926
820 Bay Avenue, Suite 248
Tel: (831) 621-1150 x200
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
www.medicalpsychologyservice.com

Spring/Summer 2010

MBPA DISASTER RESPONSE COMMITTEE REPORT

Submitted by Diane Bridgeman, Ph.D.
Co-Chair,  Disaster Response Committee
(831) 420-1109
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Updating and continuing disaster mental health training is crucial to providing the best service to those we support. We had members from MBPA attend the Psychological First Aid Course I taught at ARC; it was well attended and, as a result, more are now more fully trained.

Currently the major attention is being given to support the needs of the Haitian people, who experienced a 7.1 earthquake on January 12. Please see the article on specifics details (LINK to APA Haiti article). There are many ways to support the Haitians, such as making a contribution, assist in supporting those who have relatives in Haiti, those who go to assist, and to use this terrible incident to decide to get disaster mental health training, or to update your training. The first to get off to Haiti are those from the U.S. Federal DMAT teams, then possibly those with the MRC (Medical Reserve Corp), but primarily the International Federation of Red Cross & Red Crescent are in full response mode with several Emergency Response Units from Red Cross Red Crescent Societies from all over the world. Also as current chair of the California Disaster Mental Health Coalition I sent the following information to the Coalition and to other mental health colleagues:

The International Red Cross fears that over 50,000 may have died and that 1/3 of the 9 million Haitians may need emergency assistance.

Priorities are search and rescue, food, water, temporary shelter, medical supplies and emotional support. 

The ARC is releasing supplies from its warehouse in Panama and is deploying six disaster management specialists to the disaster zone to help coordinate the relief. The ARC had staff in Haiti when the earthquake hit, with a 15-person office that focused year round on HIV/AIDS education and disaster preparedness.

At this time, the ARC is only deploying Red Cross members who are specially trained to manage international emergency operations.

One of the most important links is this one where families can register the names of people unaccounted for in Haiti on the ICRC family links site: www.icrc.org/familylinks.

This site above is aimed at enabling persons in Haiti and abroad to register names, and it will progressively incorporate information offering responses to those inquiries.

People are also encouraged to direct inquires for US citizens to the State Department: 888-407-4747.

The ICRC's teams on the ground have been able to move around the affected areas and are responding to the best of their ability to the numerous needs. Cellular phones have started to function, but their use is erratic due to the overloading of the network.

Colleagues, friends, community members can make contributions to the International Red Cross at 800-257-7575, and mobile donors can text "Haiti" 90999 to send $10 to the Red Cross for disaster relief for Haiti. To also contribute to the Haitian earthquake, donations can be made to the ARC International Response Fund at RedCross.org or by calling 1-800-Red-Cross.

Please encourage your Red Cross volunteer colleagues to check with their local chapter as to whether their DSHR records are up to date, specifically the updating of their Health Status Record. If you have a passport, the chapters need the day, month and year of expiration, and if you qualify to be issued an ARC badge, check to determine if you have one.

A very significant collaborative effort will be needed for some time due to this terrible natural disaster and our heart-felt thoughts go out to all affected.

Numbers at a Glance

Current Situation

• Damage - The urban infrastructure in Port-au-Prince is severely damaged according to information provided by local authorities. Government and international organization buildings including hospitals, embassies, UN agencies and Red Cross have been greatly damaged. The official number of people affected is still unknown, but it is estimated that approximately 3 million people have been affected. A high number of casualties and injured is expected.
• Access – As of January 14, the Port-au-Prince airport is now reportedly open 24/7 for military and humanitarian flights, although the terminal is closed due to concerns of structural damage.  The Port-au-Prince port remains closed until January 18.  Access by land from Santo Domingo remains the easiest route into Haiti for humanitarian organization staff.  Access within Port-au-Prince is difficult but passable for an estimated 75% of roads.   
• Security – Despite some reports of looting, the population in Port-au-Prince is reported to be calm, although more tense in areas where damage is most concentrated. 
• Health – According to an International Federation assessment of Port-au-Prince, hospitals are full and only one remains open to receive injured. According to the UN World Health Organization (WHO), current priorities include the treatment of people with large traumatic wounds, the prevention of infection in wounds and the provision of clean water and sanitation services. In the coming days, the prevention of communicable diseases will be the main priority. 
• Shelter – According to preliminary assessments by the International Federation, an estimated 10% of houses have been destroyed, affecting an estimated 200,000 people. The worst destruction is concentrated in some 15 areas where destruction exceeds 70% of the houses.  There are an estimated 40 gathering points throughout the city for displaced families. 
• Power/Communications – There is a near-total blackout in Port-au-Prince, and the power grid remains significantly damaged.  Due to limited electricity, communications remain difficult with phone lines and cellular infrastructure down.
• Food/Water – Because of the extent of damage to stores and water and sanitation infrastructure, food and water supplies are limited. The first flight shipments of humanitarian relief with basic food supplies are scheduled to arrive today.

Maps

Haiti Earthquake Intensity Map – USAID – January 12, 2010

Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement Response

American Red Cross

The American Red Cross is actively responding to this disaster in coordination with Red Cross partners in Haiti. At this time, the American Red Cross had committed US $10 million for immediate response activities.

• The American Red Cross, together with our global Red Cross partners, is conducting assessments on the ground to determine levels of damage, specific needs and available resources.  An American Red Cross disaster specialist arrives today to Port-au-Prince, to support Red Cross damage assessments and identification of needs.
• At the International Federation’s request, the American Red Cross has deployed a five-member Relief Emergency Response Unit (ERU) to lay the groundwork for the coming massive relief distribution operation. These team members are arriving in Haiti today to help establish a system to transport relief items from regional Red Cross warehouses in Panama for rapid delivery and distribution to those in need.   
• The American Red Cross has made available all relief supplies stored at its warehouse in Panama. These include blankets, kitchen sets, and water containers to meet the immediate needs of up to 5,000 families.  An initial flight of relief supplies is scheduled to arrive tomorrow.
• The American Red Cross will continue to monitor the situation and communicate with the Haitian Red Cross and International Federation for future immediate action. 

Haiti National Red Cross

• The Haiti National Red Cross is providing first aid and helping to evacuate the injured. It is working with Red Cross partners in Haiti to perform assessments of damage, identify needs and coordinate the Red Cross response.

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (International Federation)

• The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (International Federation) has released a Preliminary Emergency Appeal for US $10 million to help meet the immediate needs of 100,000 people.
• In addition to deploying a Field Assessment Coordination Team (FACT), the International Federation has mobilized nine Emergency Response Units to provide support in logistics, relief and shelter, water and sanitation and health care, including specialists to meet basic health needs as well as provide complex care through a field hospital.
• Logistics specialists arriving today will be focusing on laying the groundwork for response by identifying staging areas for supplies, warehouses, health units and hospitals – all critical to successfully implement the large scale response operation planned by the Red Cross.
• The International Federation has activated its Pan American Disaster Response Unit (PADRU) to provide supplies from its warehouse in Panama.  The Red Cross is working with airport authorities to transport these relief items into Port-au-Prince.
• The International Federation is coordinating the global Red Cross network response with the UN and other relief agencies.

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)

• The ICRC is coordinating family tracing activities and will be focusing on helping people affected by the disaster in Haiti communicate with family members. Additionally, it will help manage the remains of the dead as well as provide medical care and assistance in places of detention.
• The ICRC has been distributing relief supplies from its limited stocks in Port au Prince.

United Nations and Government Response

• United Nations - The UN has release $10 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and a Flash Appeal is under development.  The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is mobilizing a United Nations Disaster and Assessment Team (UNDAC) as well as staff from its regional office in Panama.  Multiple UN agencies are active on the ground, including the World Health Organization and the World Food Programme.
• U.S. Government - USAID’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) is the lead U.S. government office responsible for providing humanitarian assistance. To date, USAID/OFDA has deployed a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART), as well as two U.S.-based urban search and rescue teams.  On January 14, the U.S. government pledged US $100 million to support response efforts.

Diane Bridgeman, Ph.D.
Co-Chair

Rick Allen, Ph.D.
Co-Chair, Disaster Response Committee
(831) 429-1340
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Spring/Summer 2010

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE REPORT

By Cheryl Bowers, Ph.D.
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
831-430-0100

This has been an exciting time for all mental health service providers, with much changing on the political front.

Now that President Obama’s Federal Health Care program has been adopted, there will be many questions in regard to how it will affect medical and mental health practitioners as well as consumers. The wonderful news is that now there will be laws in place to protect individuals with pre-existing conditions, with much greater coverage for all health services for those individuals severely underserved in the past.  As you all know, once a federal law has been passed, each state must begin to examine legislation at the state level to know how it will impact its citizens and lawmakers.

MBPA has been historically active as a part of the larger California Psychological Association in our role as advocates for the profession of psychology and for our consumers. Each year we spend a day at the Capitol, meeting with our local Senators and Assemblymembers.  The Federal Health Care program was signed on the very day we were meeting with our legislators, and clearly this was important to everyone, with some folks feeling more supportive than others.

CPA and MBPA had two major issues to present to our Congressional leaders as a part of our advocacy day in Sacramento.  Our first item of agenda was the support of the proposed Helmet Law (SB 880).  Of significance to us all, Senator Yee, a former psychologist, introduce this bill.  SB880 mandates that children under the age of 18 wear helmets while skiing or snowboarding and mirrors the existing requirements for helmets while operating a bicycle or skateboard.  Anyone working with children or understanding the critical nature of even mild concussions for children can appreciate the importance of this legislation. Studies from the American Medical Association (AMA) indicate that half of all skiing deaths are caused by head injury and the Federal Consumer Products Safety Commission has shown that for children under the age of 15, 53 percent of head injuries are addressed by use of a helmet.  When helmets are used, the incidence of traumatic brain injury has been reduced by up to 56 percent. From a financial viewpoint, an AMA study on 117 cases (all under age 17) of skiing-related head injury for first-year acute care, costs were approximately $82 million (injuries ranging from mild to severe). While some members of congress opposed the bill on the grounds that it is government interference and should be a personal choice, much like the seatbelt laws it is clearly designed to save lives and to preserve the quality of life and anything less than a mandated law will not fully protect children in a manner that is evidently imperative.  The legislators in our district (the offices of Senators Maldonado and Simitian as well as the offices of Assemblymembers Monning and Caballero) indicated support of this legislation.  Also, the office of Blakeslee indicated a supportive leaning in the manner.  Assemblymember Blaskelee is not in our district but is a neighboring district representative.

Our second major bill under discussion was AB 1600 Mental Health Parity (sponsored by Assemblymember Beall).  Although parity laws have recently been passed in federal legislation, last minute language allowed for exemptions.  These exemptions include all employers with less than 50 employees and all those in the individual market (if you are self-employed you are in the “individual market”).  That means the MBPA members who are self-insured!  Yes, through federal law, at present you folks would not be eligible for mental health parity.  To explain briefly, mental health parity means that mental health conditions should be covered in the same manner as physical health conditions (no higher co-pays, out of pocket expenses, more restrictive limits on visits per year, higher deductibles, difference in out-of-network payments).  Additionally, the federal law covers only those that fit into the nine categories considered “biologically based brain disorders” (excluding delusional disorders not caused by a medical condition, posttraumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, substance abuse, dissociative disorders, dementia due to Parkinson’s Disease or traumatic brain injury, etc.).  The goal of MBPA and CPA was to support AB 1600 calling for California legislators to implement FULL MENTAL HEALTH PARITY, meaning those currently not included under federal legislation would be covered fully in California.  Although it should come as no surprise to us as psychologists, robust research literature finds that for every $1 spent on substance abuse treatment (not currently covered) there is a $7 savings to the government because the tax payer dollars are not spent on prisons, social security, unnecessary medical treatments, improperly diagnosed medical problems that are really mental health problems, etc. Again, our MBPA area legislators were supportive of the bill (with Maldonado’s office indicating an interest in learning more about the legislation but agreeing that it was important legislation to follow).

In summary, we spent the day at the Capitol proving that psychologists in CPA and MBPA are not only advocates for individual with mental health concerns but also valuable resources for our legislators looking to save tax payer dollars while also serving their constituents (all of us).  Those of us in the Monterey Bay Area are very fortunate to have representatives that are very attuned to the mental health community.  This is a good reminder that we will want to do whatever we can (VOTE, call and write letters to make your beliefs known, attend fund raisers, talk to your MBPA board members, donate to a PAC) to keep these folks in office representing our clients and our profession.

Respectfully submitted,

Cheryl Bowers, PhD
Governmental Affairs Council Representative

Spring/Summer 2010

PRESCRIPTION PRIVILEGES COMMITTEE REPORT

Submitted by Dr. Michele DeAntoni
Chair, Prescription Privileges Committee
(831) 818-0762
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Here is a summary of the RxP History, followed by a statement of the Legal responsibility for decision-making regarding RxP advised by APA, and finally a summary for those interested in pursuing RxP. The Psychologists (I’m one of them) working for CDCR are meeting in Los Angeles 3/27/10 to create a pilot study for RxP with a heavy emphasis on saving money for CDCR!

This is information from different articles written by Robert McGrath Ph. D. who was a reference as I searched through articles regarding Prescription Privileges when the Department of Defense Psychologists were given Prescription Privileges.

Table 1 Chronology of milestones in prescriptive authority for psychologists

Note: In some cases, years differ slightly from those listed in other sources because there are multiple points that can be used to identify when a legislative action or set of guidelines was finalized. An attempt was made to use the dates that are most commonly cited. Abbreviations: HPA, Hawaii Psychological Association; DoD, Department of Defense; APA, American Psychological Association.

Table 3 Practice guidelines for psychologists’ involvement in pharmacological issues
Adapted from Am. Psychol. Assoc. Div. 55 Task Force Pract. Guidelines (2009).

General
Guideline 1. Psychologists are encouraged to consider objectively the scope of their competence in pharmacotherapy and to seek consultation as appropriate before offering recommendations about psychotropic medications.

Guideline 2. Psychologists are urged to evaluate their own feelings and attitudes about the role of medication in the treatment of psychological disorders, as these feelings and attitudes can potentially affect communications with patients.

Guideline 3. Psychologists involved in prescribing or collaborating are sensitive to the developmental, age and aging, educational, sex and gender, language, health status, and cultural/ethnicity factors that can moderate the interpersonal and biological aspects of pharmacotherapy relevant to the populations they serve.

Education
Guideline 4. Psychologists are urged to identify a level of knowledge concerning pharmacotherapy for the treatment of psychological disorders that is appropriate to the populations they serve and the type of practice they wish to establish, and to engage in educational experiences as appropriate to achieve and maintain that level of knowledge.

Guideline 5. Psychologists strive to be sensitive to the potential for adverse effects associated with the psychotropic medications used by their patients.

Guideline 6. Psychologists involved in prescribing or collaborating are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the technological resources that can enhance decision-making during the course of treatment.

Assessment
Guideline 7. Psychologists with prescriptive authority strive to familiarize themselves with key procedures for monitoring the physical and psychological sequelae of the medications used to treat psychological disorders, including laboratory examinations and overt signs of adverse or unintended effects.

Guideline 8. Psychologists with prescriptive authority regularly strive to monitor the physiological status of the patients they treat with medication, particularly when there is a physical condition that might complicate the response to psychotropic medication or predispose a patient to experience an adverse reaction.

Guideline 9. Psychologists are encouraged to explore issues surrounding patient adherence and feelings about medication.

Intervention and Consultation
Guideline 10. Psychologists are urged to develop a relationship that will allow the populations they serve to feel comfortable exploring issues surrounding medication use.

Guideline 11. To the extent deemed appropriate, psychologists involved in prescribing or collaboration adopt a biopsychosocial approach to case formulation that considers both psychosocial and biological factors.

Guideline 12. The psychologist with prescriptive authority is encouraged to use an expanded informed consent process to incorporate additional issues specific to prescribing.

Guideline 13. When making decisions about the use of psychological treatments, pharmacotherapy, or their combination, the psychologist with prescriptive authority considers the best interests of the patient, current research, and when appropriate, the needs of the community.

Guideline 14. Psychologists involved in prescribing or collaborating strive to be sensitive to the subtle influences of effective marketing on professional behavior and the potential for bias in information in their clinical decisions about the use of medications.

Guideline 15. Psychologists with prescriptive authority are encouraged to use interactions with the patient surrounding the act of prescribing to learn more about the patient’s characteristic patterns of interpersonal behavior.

Relationships
Guideline 16. Psychologists with prescriptive authority are sensitive to maintaining appropriate relationships with other providers of psychological services.

Guideline 17. Psychologists are urged to maintain appropriate relationships with providers of biological interventions.

SUMMARY POINTS

1. Efforts to achieve prescriptive authority for psychologists have now been underway for 15 years.
2. Despite appropriate reservations, evaluations of the first prescribing psychologists in the military were consistently positive.
3. Psychologists have identified three levels of involvement in pharmacotherapy, from basic to collaborative to prescriptive authority.
4. Though no states have authorized psychologists to prescribe since 2004, psychologists continue to expand the settings in which they can prescribe.
5. Justifications for prescriptive authority for psychologists include increasing access to appropriate care, reducing overall use of medication, integrating mental health care in a single provider, and enhancing the role of psychologists within the healthcare system.
6. Major arguments against prescriptive authority include concerns about loss of the traditional identity of the psychologist and the safety and efficacy of psychologist prescribers.
7. Arguments over the advisability of pursuing prescriptive authority ultimately will not be resolved by logic but rather by the success or failure of efforts to prescribe.

Spring/Summer 2010

MBPA PUBLIC SERVICE/OUTREACH/EDUCATION COMMITTEE REPORT

Diane Bridgeman, Ph.D.
Chair, Public Service/Outreach/Education Committee
(831) 420-1109
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

We have assisted in placing several low fee/pro-bono clients with therapists within the last two months.

Our Public Service/Education committee is continuing to collaborate with the CLASP committee to offer a book club for our members. We appreciate the generosity of Dr. Ann Bolger for hosting us in her beautiful home. At our last meeting we discussed “The Gift of Therapy,” by Irv Yalom, M.D. Information about upcoming book club meetings will be sent via the MBPA listserv and will be posted on website as details are worked out. The books are available in paperback at Bookshop Santa Cruz, where MBPA members will receive a 10% discount. Not only are these book club meetings engaging forums for discussion of relevant works, they help reduce feelings of isolation common to our work, and enhance support and connectedness among our colleagues. Hope to see you at the next gathering.

MBPA once again had a table of our materials and membership applications at the annual Calciano Mental Health Symposium in March at the Cocoanut Grove. The program, “Perspectives on Mental Ilness: Seldom Heard Stories,” featured Pete Earley, Frederick Frese, Ph.D., Lizzie Simon and Leslie Tremaine, Ed D. MBPA’s Dr. Andy Carmen has been instrumental in facilitating the CE process at this event for many years now.

Committee members: Diane Bridgeman (chair), and Anita Whalen

Diane Bridgeman, Ph.D.