Updates from the 2010 Meeting of the APA Council

By Linda Campbell

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Norine Johnson and I are your representatives to APA Council of Representatives. We bring you the decisions and direction of APA in our report immediately after the Council meeting. We also want your input and your opinions before we go to Council in order to accurately represent your ideas and thoughts on matters that can affect us. I am listing here the items I think hold importance for us. I have also presented these items to our Board of Directors:

1. Call for language amending Ethical Standards 1.02 and 1.03.

In August 2009, the APA Council asked the APA Ethics Committee to propose revised language for the Ethics Code that would accomplish the following three goals:

1. Resolve the discrepancy between the Introduction to the Ethics Code and Standard 1.02.
2. The recommended revision must effectively communicate that Standards 1.02 and 1.03 can never been used to justify or defend a violation of basic human rights.
3. The revision must be ready to become an action item for the Council meeting of February 2010.

The proposed revision as it now standards is the following. Please note that deletions are indicated by brackets and additions are indicated by underlining:

1.02 Conflicts Between Ethics and Law, Regulations, or Other Governing Legal Authority

If psychologists’ ethical responsibilities conflict with law, regulations, or other governing legal authority, psychologists clarify the nature of the conduct, make known their commitment to the Ethics Code and take reasonable steps to resolve the conflict consistent with the General Principles and Ethical Standards of the Ethics Code. [If the conflict is unresolvable via such means, psychologists may adhere to the requirements of the law, regulations, or other governing legal authority.] Under no circumstances may this standard be used to justify or defend violating human rights.

1.03 Conflict Between Ethics and Organizational Demands

If the demands of an organization with which psychologists are affiliated or for whom they are working are in conflict with this Ethics Code, psychologists clarify the nature of the conflict, make known their commitment to the Ethics C ode, and [to the extent feasible, resolve the conflict in a way that permits adherence to the Ethics Code.] take reasonable steps to resolve the conflict consistent with the General Principles and Ethical Standards of the Ethics Code. Under no circumstances may this standard be used to justify or defend violating human rights.

2. Revision of APA’s Model Act for State Licensure of Psychologists

APA’s Model Act serves as a prototype for state legislation regulating the practice of psychology. State legislatures are encouraged to use the model language as a base for development of state laws and regulations. The reasons for the current revision of the Model Act are that (1) the current Model Act was written 20 years ago and is out of date; (2) Recommendations for prescriptive authority for psychologists needs to be included, (3) Important developments have occurred in the practice of psychology apart from provision of health services such as I/O and consulting psychology such that psychologists may wish to or be required to become licensed; (4) the changes in the recommended sequence of education and training leading to licensure need to be incorporated.

Some of the significant changes in the MLA are as follows:

1. Definitions: Several terms are created that were not present in the 1987 MLA document. The new term “Applied Psychologist” includes the two categories of Health Service Provider” which is already defined in APA documents and General Applied Psychologist” which may refer to applied psychologists providing services outside of the health and mental health field. Additional definitions include “Board, Institutions of higher education, Practice of psychology, Psychologists, Developed areas of practice, Emerging areas of practice, and Client.”
2. Requirement or Licensure: The sequence of training lagnauge was added such that two years of supervised experience can be obtained during the doctoral program rather than one year being required post doctoral. Substantial detail about doctoral training programs is included in the MLA.
3. The Task Force recommends to APA that creation of policy that applies to cross jurisdictional practice particularly telepractice be created. The APA does not currently have policies regarding limitations or guidelines for this practice.
4. Exemptions: The application of exemption from licensure is recommended to include (a) persons engaged in teaching or research in academic /institutional settings, (b) non-health service provider psychologists not involved in direct service, (c) individuals for whom licensure was previously prohibitive but are now expected to become license should be considered for some form of grandparenting.
5. The exemption that existed in the 1987 MLA for individuals credentialed by a state agency who did not have a doctoral level credential were entitled school psychologists. In the revised MLA, the term school psychologist is reserved for those who have a doctoral degree in psychology; are certified by the state education agency, and are using the terms only during their practice in the public schools.

3. APA’s Strategic Plan: Core Values

Core values are essential and enduring tenets that have intrinsic value and importance to its members. The Ad Hoc APA Values Committee recommends the following core values statement:

“The American Psychological Association commits to its vision through a mission based upon the following values:

• The Continual Pursuit of Excellence
• Science-Based Knowledge and Application
• Outstanding Service to Its Members and to Society
• Social Justice including Diversity and Inclusion
• Acting Ethically in All that We Do.”

There are considerable additional items that will be presented, discussed, and for which action will be taken. These items will be fully reported by Linda Campbell and Norine Johnson in their Council report in the next Bulletin. If you have any questions or comments that you would like us to know before the Council meets on February 19^th please contact Linda Campbell at lcampbel@uga.edu or Norine Johnson at NorineJ@aol.com. We can either communicate by e-mail or arrange a time to talk by phone.