The Committee on Children, Youth and Families (CYF) is anticipating two vacancies in 2020. CYF welcomes nominations from individuals interested in issues advancing psychology as a science and profession in the area of promoting the health and human welfare of children, youth and families. The committee is interested in candidates with substantial expertise and demonstrated experience in applying psychological knowledge to the well-being and optimal development of children, youth and families. Candidates are sought who have particular expertise in contemporary issues facing children, youth and families in the context of their socio-emotional and cognitive development and mental health. Additionally, candidates who have particular expertise in culturally and linguistically diverse, understudied, underserved and diverse populations are especially encouraged to apply. The committee also strongly encourages candidates with expertise or interest in advocacy, partnering with the community, professional, government or other types of organizations to apply.
New APA Strategic Plan
APA is engaged in a process of transformation to place a much greater emphasis on impacts that clearly benefit society and improve lives. In February 2019, the Council of Representatives adopted a new strategic plan that sets APA’s organizational priorities for the next three-to-five years. In order to be successful in achieving significant impacts in these priority areas, the contributions of all aspects of APA are needed, including the contributions of boards and committees. Going forward, the expectation is that boards and committees will work in a cooperative and multi-disciplinary manner since no single board and committee can achieve any goal in the strategic plan working individually. Given the importance of this multidisciplinary approach to the association’s strategic goals, APA encourages nominees to Committee on Children, Youth and Families review the strategic plan in order to become familiar with the larger context in which their expertise and interests will contribute to APA’s success.
What Members Do
Members are expected to participate in targeted committee projects directly related to CYF’s mission and to APA’s Strategic Plan. The framework for projects includes identifying a need and related audience and developing measurable activities to address the need. CYF’s focus includes consideration of multi-cultural concerns and approaches and attention to the parent-child dyad/family as the unit of analysis and focus of services or programs. Recent projects include the translation of science related to mental health disparities experienced by children and youth of color into practitioner and policy resources and the translation and implementation of ACE’s research. Candidates are encouraged to visit the CYF website to learn more about CYF’s mission. Members also review APA guidelines, policies and other activities to ensure that the concerns of children, youth and families are appropriately addressed. New committee members are also asked to serve as guest editors for the committee’s newsletter CYF News.
The committee places a priority on maintaining representation within the committee’s membership that reflects the diversity of psychology and society (e.g., ethnicity, culture, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, geographic location, early career and those who are employed less than full time). The candidates selected to serve on the committee will serve for three years and will be required to attend one or two committee meetings a year in Washington, D.C., with expenses reimbursed by APA, and to participate in monthly or bi-monthly video conference meetings. The committee will meet in person March 20-22, 2020, March 19-21, 2021 and March 18-20, 2022, in accordance with the consolidated governance meeting schedule. Attendance at all in-person and video conference meetings is mandatory and is a condition of committee membership. The successful candidate is also expected to attend, if possible, the informal CYF meeting held during the APA convention at the member’s own expense. In addition, members are expected to work on projects and committee business between meetings.
How to Apply
Each candidate must submit:
- A current curriculum vita.
- A letter indicating their willingness to serve.
- Two letters supporting their nomination.
- A brief statement describing the applicant’s expertise and interest in one or two contemporary issues facing children, adolescents and families that they would bring to the Committee.
Nomination materials must be received by Aug. 31, 2019. Nomination materials received after Aug. 31st will be held for consideration the following year.
Materials should be sent by email to Amani Basker.