Catherine L. Grus’s research while affiliated with American Psychological Association and other places

The accreditation of Health Service Psychology (HSP) at the master’s level raises a fundamental question about how HSP competencies at both the doctoral and master’s levels should be conceptualized. Although competency models are well established as guiding frameworks for curricular design in HSP training programs, prior competency models were developed without consideration of degree types other than the doctorate. This paper presents a model of competency intended to unify the field across different HSP program types (e.g., school psychology, counseling psychology, and clinical psychology) and degree types (e.g., master’s and doctoral). The proposed model is also intended to differentiate HSP from other mental health professions by defining a cohesive set of competencies that serve as a core for how HSP practitioners engage in their professional work. In contrast to prior models that focus on what HSP practitioners should be able to do by the end of their training, the proposed model emphasizes how they should be able to engage in the work of HSP. This process competency model proposes that optimal HSP work occurs when four different processes are engaged consistently and simultaneously: application of psychological science; application of psychological theory; application of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) principles; and application of ethical and social justice principles. Examples of how these competency processes may be operationalized are presented, as are implications for education, practice, and the field more broadly.

Principles of adult learning and, in particular, the concept of andragogy have direct application to the design of quality continuing education (CE) programming but have received little attention in health service psychology. This article provides a framework for identifying the underlying structure and successful programmatic application of adult learning principles to CE in health service psychology. Adult learning theory including a focus on the concept of “andragogy” as applied to CE program design is explored first. Examples from the literature of the use of andragogy principles for CE program design and outcomes of such learning opportunities will be presented across several professions. Recommendations will be offered for the application of andragogy principles as the foundation of an evidence-based, scientific approach for CE program design in health service psychology including discussion of its incorporation into technology-based programming. Challenges to integrating andragogy into CE programs are discussed with suggestions for mitigating them.

In 2020, the Council of Chairs of Training Councils (CCTC) collaborated to address the need for health service psychology (HSP) education and training to become more socially responsive, with an emphasis on providing resources and support for educators. This is essential given the increasing recognition of unmet health needs and the deleterious effects of mental health difficulties, racial and economic disparities, and burden on the psychology workforce. This article describes the coming together of the HSP education and training community to create the CCTC 2020: Social Responsiveness in Health Service Psychology Education and Training Toolkit. The shared decision-making leading to the development of the concept and conference, the shift in conference structure due to COVID-19, and the collaborative process of constructing the toolkit are described. Additionally, several principles that guided the work including a focus on relationships, embracing change, and the importance of self-awareness are discussed.

This study aimed to examine legal regulations on psychologists worldwide, such as those related to professional status and training models. An online survey was conducted by members of the Global Psychology Alliance and Asia Pacific Psychology Alliance. The survey included information on the legal status of psychologists in 55 countries. Representatives of 28 countries provided their responses, whereas information on the legal status of psychologists in 27 European countries was obtained from research data reported by the European Commission in 2016. We found that 80% of the 55 countries included in this study regulated professions in the field of psychology by law. Regarding the title of the profession, 53% of included countries regulated the general “psychologist” profession. Results pertaining to educational requirements indicated that a master’s degree or higher was required for general psychologists, amounting to an average period of 5.6 years. The professions regulated varied by continent- and country-specific circumstances and needs. This study provides a general overview of the legal status and training models underpinning psychology practice globally, demonstrating that many regions and countries worldwide are moving toward implementing formal regulatory frameworks, which will facilitate the establishment of global regulatory standards.

The future of health service psychology (HSP) is informed by its past as well as the contemporary problems and prospects that confront it. This article addressed the latter by utilizing the Delphi Polling Method to predict the field’s future in relation to five domains: (a) the distinctiveness of the doctoral degree, (b) the psychotherapists of the future, (c) the role of technology in service delivery, (d) changes in graduate training, and (e) workplace changes. Results identified a number of significant shifts in the field’s probable future. The distinctiveness of doctoral-level contributions is likely to be registered outside the area of psychotherapy, for example, where a range of master’s-level practitioners within, and beyond, psychology is likely to gain ascendency as the primary psychotherapists of the future. Technology is predicted to play an increasingly prominent role in future service delivery, with graduate programs redoubling their attention to training in this area. Graduate programs are also likely to increase their attention to issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion as well as team-based service delivery in anticipation of workplace shifts favoring a variety of medical and integrated care settings. Both the implications and limitations of these findings are discussed in relation to the field’s unfolding future and the directions it may take.

The American Psychological Association (APA), under the oversight of the Board of Educational Affairs, and the Board of Professional Affairs, is responsible for the education and training of psychologists in prescriptive authority. All APA standards and guidelines are required by Association Rule 30-8.3 to be revised at least every 10 years. The standards for training psychologists in the safe and responsible practice of prescribing psychotropic medication have been recently updated (Model Education and Training Program in Psychopharmacology for Prescriptive Authority, APA, 2019). A departure from the 1996 and 2009 versions of that document is that training may now be conducted at the doctoral level; however, a postdoctoral supervised clinical fellowship can only occur after the attainment of licensure as a practicing psychologist. Two novel features of the 2019 revision are the use of a competency-based model of learning and assessment, and increased emphasis on supervised clinical experiences in physical assessment and medication management. By the time of completion of their fellowships, practicing psychologists are expected to have clinical competence in the measurement and interpretation of vital signs; neurological examination; therapeutic drug monitoring; systems of care; pharmacology; clinical pharmacology; psychopharmacological research; and finally, professional, ethical, and legal issues. The updated standards were approved as APA policy in February 2019. This article briefly reviews the revision process and highlights the updates made in the most recent version of the standards. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Retaining interns to work in the communities and settings in which they trained helps ensure a workforce that is well prepared to meet the needs of society. Psychology workforce data suggest that the supply of psychologists is not always sufficient in some areas, leading to unmet need. However, patterns of mobility in the psychology workforce are not well understood, nor are factors that might impact decisions to move away from a particular location or setting. This study surveyed early-career psychologists about the distance between their internship and other training and employment settings. Of the 2,206 respondents, individuals were significantly more likely to do their internship at a setting more than 75 miles from their doctoral program and take a first position less than 75 miles from their internship. Individuals were also significantly more likely to have their second position more than 75 miles from their internship (although 40% reported their second position was still less than 75 miles from their internship). Older individuals were less likely to take a first or second position more than 75 miles from their internship, whereas identifying as an ethnic minority was not related to location. Results also indicate that certain states are more likely to lose/gain interns as they pursue employment. Employment setting, job responsibilities, and opportunities for growth were early-career psychologists’ top factors for selecting first and second positions. Compared with other settings, military medical centers, school districts/systems, and university counseling centers were significantly more likely to retain trainees in that setting as they advanced in their careers. Finally, about as many respondents stated that their internship site did bill for their services as those who said their site did not bill. Collectively, these results have implications for efforts to recruit and retain a sufficient psychology workforce.

This article describes a curriculum developed as part of the American Psychological Association President Jessica Henderson Daniel's, 2018 Presidential Initiative-The Citizen Psychologist. The curriculum is designed to prepare the next generation of Citizen Psychologists to provide the broadest sense of service as leaders in their communities and in public service psychology. The curriculum prepares the learner to bring psychological knowledge, science, and expertise to bear on existing challenges to improve community well-being locally, nationally, and globally. This includes addressing the services needs of various vulnerable populations such as veterans, prisoners, the seriously mentally ill, those with substance abuse problems, children, and older adults. Competency-based curricula are presented in a series of modules, each dedicated to a level of education and training from high school through lifelong learning. Each module presents learning outcomes, activities, and resources designed to develop level-specific competencies. Steps for implementation and recommendations at the local and national level are provided. Implications of incorporating the Citizen Psychologist curriculum in education and training programs are discussed including encouraging students to explore volunteer and career opportunities in public service psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

In 2018, after nearly 70 years of debate about the education and training and scope of practice of individuals with master's degrees in health service psychology (HSP; i.e., clinical, counseling, school) the American Psychological Association (APA) agreed to pursue accreditation of master's programs in HSP. Key events in the history of discourse about master's education and training in HSP will be described to better understand the complexity behind the decision to pursue master's program accreditation. In the absence of APA having established an accreditation system for psychology master's programs other systems will be described that have been developed to accredit/approve clinical, counseling, and school psychology programs. These accrediting organizations will be articulated in the context of structures that regulate postsecondary education in the United States and support quality education and training. Finally, a description of steps moving forward will be provided and implications for education and training.