2015 September-October Announcements

The APA 2016 President-elect election is now open and closes at 11:59 p.m., U.S., EST, on October 29, 2015.

SCP’s Executive Board voted to endorse the following candidates for APA president: 

1.  Jessica Henderson Daniel, Ph.D.

2.  Sharon Bowman, Ph.D

3.  Antonio Puente, Ph.D.

You can read the candidate statements from all of the President-Elect candidates by going to:

http://www.apa.org/monitor/2015/05/candidates.aspx

Please vote the person whom you believe could best lead the association.

2016 SCP Elections – Seeking Nominations!

It is time to begin the process of electing new officers and you are invited to nominate members or yourself for available offices of our division.  The open positions for this year are President-Elect, Treasurer, Vice President for Communications, Vice President for Education and Training, and Council Representative.  Please provide your nominations and recommendations to the Elections Committee Chair:  Michael Mobley, SCP Past President, [email protected]. 

2016 APA Convention Collaborative Programming

It’s already time to start preparing for the 2016 APA Convention in Denver, August 4 – 7!

Although the deadline for general convention proposals won’t be for several weeks, COLLABORATIVE proposals are due by Thursday, October 15.

The intent of collaborative programming is to foster cross-divisional collaboration. Submitters will need to identify a minimum of two divisions that are relevant to the proposal content (and that would review the proposal). For more information on the proposal submission process, go to the Call for Convention Proposals website at http://apa.org/convention/convention-proposals.pdf

Because the collaborative program hours are reserved by APA for cross-divisional collaborative efforts and do not belong to individual division, these constitute an excellent additional opportunity for Counseling Psychologists to present! 

The collaborative program “themes” adopted by APA for the 2016 convention are provided below. In addition to being cross-divisional collaborations, proposal should address at least one of these themes.

If you would like to put together a collaborative proposal, please let us know your idea and we’ll try to help. Contact SCP’s Program Chair for the 2016 convention, Sue Crowley ([email protected]) and SCP President Jim Lichtenberg ([email protected]) with your collaborative program idea. 

2016 APA 2016 Convention Program Themes

1) Social Justice in a Multicultural Society

Proposals for this theme may focus on domestic or international perspectives and the role of intersecting identities. Some topics can include interventions to reduce educational disparities for low-income youth; meeting the needs of underserved, vulnerable, and victimized populations; sex trafficking; and the psychological factors involved in officer-related shootings.

2) The Circle of Science: Integrating Science, Practice, and Policy

Proposals for this theme may focus on the tradition and value of translational research in psychology and its implications for the public interest.  Proposals can focus on human factors, organizational behavior, and environmental design; and topics can include recent basic research translated into successful applications and interventions; and factors that facilitate uptake of research findings by practitioners and policymakers.

3) Advancing the Ethics of Psychology: Issues and Solutions

Proposals for this theme may focus on ethical issues and dilemmas facing the profession, psychologists, and organizations. Some topics can include real-life scenarios and case examples; theoretical models for resolving ethical dilemmas; proposals for improving the APA Ethics Code; and perspectives on and proposed solutions in the wake of the “Hoffman Report.” 

4) Cannabis: Concerns, Considerations, & Controversies

Proposals submitted for this theme should focus on the impact of marijuana legalization at the individual and societal level and the pros and cons of these new policies. Some topics may include the role of cannabis in the treatment of mental disorders; the effect of marijuana use on neurodevelopment; animal studies on the effect of cannabis on behavior and offspring; empirical studies of the psychological, behavioral, and social consequences of legalization itself (as opposed to use per se); and ideas for preparing psychologists to address challenges arising from legalization.

5) Targeting the Leading Preventable Causes of Death

Proposal submitted for this theme may consider how individual, social, and cultural factors contribute to leading preventable causes of death (e.g., hypertension, smoking tobacco, and obesity). Some topics include empirical work evaluating new approaches to altering health-related behaviors; the effect of stress on the body; critical evaluations of public programs aimed at promoting healthy lifestyles (e.g., Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” campaign); and the role of social systems and environmental settings in the incidence of diseases.

6) Educational & Professional Training Issues in Psychology

Proposals submitted for this theme may consider the evolving educational and training needs of psychologists. Possible topics include emerging techniques related to the teaching and learning of psychology; the emerging roles of psychologists in the schools; supervision models and supervisor competence; and the effect of and addressing the “internship crisis.”

7) The Future of Psychology: Advancing the Field in a Rapidly Changing World

Proposals submitted for this theme are encouraged to consider where the field is going in terms of science, practice, and its evolving role in social policy. Some topics of interest include new methodologies in novel fields (e.g., biomedicine, nanotechnology, robotics, genetics, and big data), innovative treatment modalities or services, and ways APA can positively affect change in public policy and society at-large. 

2016 APA Convention – Call for Division Proposals

The 2016 APA Convention Call for Division Proposals deadline is Tuesday, December 1, 2015. 

The 2016 APA Convention will be held in Denver, CO, (August 4 –August 7; Thursday through Sunday).  The Call for Proposals is available in the September 2015 issue of the APA Monitor and on the APA website http://www.apa.org/convention/. Please note that there are two different submission deadlines: Collaborative Programming proposals are due Thursday, October 15, 2015 and Division proposals are due Tuesday, December 1, 2015.  All proposals for both types of submissions must be submitted electronically via the APA website. PLEASE NOTE THAT PROGRAM SUBMISSION DEADLINES ARE NO LONGER MIDNIGHT AND IS NOW AT 5:00 PM, EST.

SCP 2016 Theme: President Jim Lichtenberg’s program theme for Division 17, Society of Counseling Psychology (SCP) is “Fulfilling our Mission as an Organization and Profession”-focusing on sustaining counseling psychology’s research and scholarship, enhancing our education and training, and supporting ethical and competent practice. We invite symposia (50 minutes), roundtables, and posters that focus on this theme and presidential initiatives within the context of developmental, multicultural, and positive psychology or strengths-based perspectives. See https://scp.wpengine.com for more information on the mission, goals, and approaches of Counseling Psychology.

Here is a summary of all 2016 APA Annual Convention submission deadlines:

Submission Deadlines

• Collaborative Programs: Thursday, Oct. 15, 2015.
• CE Workshops: Monday, Nov. 9, 2015.
• Division Submissions: Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2015.
• Film Festival: Friday, Jan. 8, 2016.

More information about convention related deadlines and programming can be found at http://www.apa.org/convention/proposals.aspx?tab=3

Call for Reviewers: The Program Committee is actively recruiting reviewers who are professionals in various academic and practice roles across diverse workplace settings as well as advanced doctoral students in SCP. Please contact the 2016 Program Chair, Dr. Sue Crowley, [email protected], if you would like to serve on the Program Committee. 

Please join me in congratulating Charme Sturkie Davidson who won the Russell Bent Award for Distinguished Service and Contribution to the American Board of Professional Psychology from ABPP at APA.

Best Regards,

James W. Lichtenberg, PhD, ABPP
President, Society of Counseling Psychology (Div17, APA)