1. What is your position on the role of competency in evidence-based practices in APA accreditation of clinical training programs, internships, and continuing education programs, and in model state licensing laws?

We are fortunate to have had an full team of psychologists look at the entire issue of evidence-based practice. The consensus is that we do need to use those interventions for which we have the best evidence. We need to educate and train psychologists to use evidenced-based assessments that get us to evidenced-based practices. As part of the development of our accredited internship. I insisted that the interns become competent in assessments even though there are agencies where such training is not required. I do believe that we must now move to understanding the differences in competencies between psychologists. The evidence does indicate that the issue of evidence-based practice is complicated by the competence of the intervening psychologists and the training supervisors. We must continue to work on such issues as we determine how to fold evidence-based practice into licensing laws.

2. What practical steps would you take as APA president to improve mental health services for children and adolescents living in poverty?

The very best thing that an APA president can do to improve mental health services for children and adolescents living in poverty is to call together a team of our best scientists and practitioners and ask them to make recommendations around this issue and then carry the message to critical stakeholders. We already have some resolutions around this issue, but we need to do more. It would also behoove us to form coalitions with K-12 educators to work toward improving prevention models on poverty. We must influence political and legislative actions around children living in poverty.

3. The National Academies of Science are the most powerful groups affecting national policies regarding mental health in the United States . Several experimental psychologists are members of the academy and many psychiatrists are represented through the Institute of Medicine , but there are no clinical psychologists with an interest in mental health in the NAS.  What would you to do to bring clinical psychology to this policymaking table?

This question directly follows the question above. Psychologists need to be involved in the National Academies of Science because the Academies are groups that influence policy on a variety of major issues. We need to have a podium from which our voices can be more effectively heard on matters of poverty and war. We need to bring the entirety of psychology to the policymaking table and the way to do that is a problem to be resolved by the bright minds of our practitioners and our scientists. We must first help psychologists to understand that this is an important matter and then we must find those willing to help us determine the best approach to finding a seat at the table. The Science Directorate has begun work in this area, but this will take far more than just that Directorate. We need more willing minds and bodies ready to take up this issue. I am willing to raise awareness as President and then seek recommendations for a solution.