Division 50 - Addictions

Psychologists need to make more progress in solving issues of alcohol and drug addictions intervention and recovery. Substance abuse courses in traditional psychology programs are typically electives, therefore the average generalist may be at a loss about the most effective treatment interventions. We need our science to explore effectiveness of interventions and our practitioners to implement the best treatments. Clearly we need the collaboration and integration between education, practice and science in order to make a significant difference in issues of addiction.

My Presidency could be beneficial to the field of addictions because I will highlight the need for such collaboration. If we could design an effective model of a science/practice/education collaboration focusing on alcohol and drug addiction and disseminate it to states, territories and divisions, and training programs, we could make great strides in reducing a tremendous problem facing the world community. We are putting collaboration into practice at my university through the submission of a grant to decrease problem drinking behavior. I will be the CO-I; and the principal is one of our clinical psychology professors. Collaborations such as this one afford us the power to make a real difference.