APA Governance Strategic Planning Committee for D16

This group is responsible for monitoring the current placement of Division 16 representatives within APA Governance, and is responsible for planning for positions to place persons in and identify appropriate persons who may be optimal and enthusiastic to contribute. It is composed of 3-5 recent Division 16 leaders, and should include some members who understand how APA Governance functions. This committee is responsible for making recommendations to the Division 16 EC regarding the placement of Division 16 representatives within APA Governance.

Ethics Committee

The Ethics Committee will focus on ethical issues in all aspects of psychology which affect the role and functioning of school psychologists. The goals of the Committee include: A. To utilize the newsletter, The School Psychologist, to disseminate information about professional ethics. B. To provide a mechanism for members of the Division to deal with conflict over ethical issues. C. To review ethical issues concerning training and practice procedures e.g., computer scoring of psychological tests, sharing assessment data with parents/agencies, etc. and disseminate these to the broader membership of Division 16. D. To identify ethical issues of general concern and develop strategies to increase the awareness of members to these issues. E. To maintain appropriate communications with APA’s Ethics Committee as well as other committees and task forces for the purpose of being informed of areas in which ethical issues are raised.

Committee on Children, Youth and Families (CYF)

The purpose of the Committee on Children, Youth, and Families is to provide leadership in protecting children and families and promoting their welfare. The goals of the committee include: A. To identify issues concerning the welfare of children, youth, and families. B. To provide information on selected topics on the psychological status of children, youth, and families to Division 16 members. C. To represent Division 16 as a liaison on to the APA Committee on Children, Youth, & Families. D. To inform Division 16 members of APA concerns and policies on issues involving children, youth, and families.E. To stimulate psychological research on children, youth, and families. F. To coordinate action programs and formulate policy recommendations on issues concerning the welfare of children, youths, and families. G. To maintain liaison with APA’s Committee on Children, Youth, and Families.

Committee on Ethnic Minority Affairs (CEMA)

The Committee on Ethnic Minority Affairs has the primary responsibility in all matters relating to ethnic minorities. The major goals of the Committee include: A. To recruit and increase ethnic and linguistic minority members in the Division. B. To promote the recruitment of ethnic and linguistic minority students into the field of school psychology. C. To focus on training and practice issues that impact on ethnic and linguistic minority children. D. To maintain liaison with APA’s Committee of Ethnic Minority Affairs. E. To maintain an up-to-date directory of psychologists with expertise and interests on issues pertaining to the delivery of psychological services to ethnic and linguistic minorities. F. To identify one to two major concerns each year and provide an in-depth analysis of the issues through research, synopsis, etc. and The School Psychologist G. To provide research on improving the efficacy and quality of psychological service delivery to ethnic and linguistic minority populations. H. To maintain a mechanism for informing ethnic and linguistic minority psychologists of opportunities within the psychological community e.g., grants, fellowships, etc. I. To promote mentorship between young ethnic and linguistic minority members and senior members of the Division and APA.

Committee on Women in School Psychology

The Committee on Women in School Psychology seeks to facilitate awareness of issues relevant to women and school psychology. A major purpose of the Committee is to facilitate a process of enrichment by mainstreaming research and theory from the psychology of women with school psychology and, further by developing a literature to gender and the profession and practice of School Psychology. In addition, the Committee will provide a means of increasing awareness and raising issues relevant to sex, gender, and School Psychology. The goals of the Committee include: A. Continue to pursue and organize special topical issues for professional journals on women in School Psychology. B. Liaison with APA’s Committee on Women in Psychology. C. Utilize the Division’s Newsletter, The School Psychologist, to promote the interest of women in school psychology and to increase their active participation in School Psychology.

Convention Committee

The Chair of the Convention Committee (two-year term) is responsible for all tasks pertaining to the planning, development, organization, and coordination of the scientific and professional program of the Division at the APA convention. This work also involves extensive liaison activities with the EC, other committees in the Division, program committees in other Divisions, and APA Central Office; Co-chair of the Convention Committee aids the Chair in all aspects of the convention and learns the necessary skills to chair the committee the following year (succession of the co-chair to the chair of the Convention Committee the following year is automatic) and Hospitality Suite Chair.