NJPA Advocacy Efforts

State Advocacy

NJPA is committed to strengthening our political outreach and advocating for the interests of NJ psychologists and mental health issues that are important to the public. Over the years, our advocacy took many forms. Through our Committee on Legislative Affairs (COLA) and our Governmental Affairs Agent (GAA), NJPA is instrumental in maintaining standards of psychology practice in NJ, protecting patients’ rights, and supporting public policy. NJPA also monitors State Rules and Laws that regulate the profession, and maintains a liaison with the NJ Board of Psychological Examiners so we are always informed about any changes that may affect our members.

State Advocacy Highlights -

January 2019 - Introduction of NJ Licensing Act Legislation Bill A5307 that streamlines psychologist training requirements and amends P.L. 1966, c.282, to increase the public’s access to psychologists by increasing flexibility in the timing of supervised hours for licensure.

March 2019 - Submission of NJPA Public Comments for the BoPE proposed regulations requesting broad interpretation and clarification of the opioid continuing education requirement, and worked with the American Psychological Association to submit comments requesting clarification regarding the telemedicine and telehealth proposed regulations.

March 2019 - met with the Attorney General to establish the Attorney General’s Duty to Warn Law Workgroup. This workgroup will address the details about the Duty to Warn law amendments.

April 2019 – Bill S3099 Behavior Analyst Licensing Act was discussed with bill sponsor Senator Loretta Weinberg’s office, including discussion of the unintended consequences to the public and the field of psychology. NJPA is collaborating with APA on this issue, and we will continue to be a resource for the bill sponsor.

July 2019 - Discussion with Majority Leader, Assemblyman Louis Greenwald’s office regarding access to care in New Jersey. These access to care initiatives are particularly relevant to individuals in underserved areas of the state.

August 2019 - Presented Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle with the 2018 NJPA Legislator of the Year Award.

September 2019 - NJPA notified members of the opportunity for public comments for the BoPE proposed regulations degrees earned outside of the USA.

September 2019 – NJPA and NJPA Foundation Leadership attended an Essex/Union Psychological Association (EUCAP) meeting where Assemblywoman Mila M. Jasey, a former New Jersey public health nurse, was the featured guest. The discussion with Assemblywoman Jasey focused on mental health access by K-12 through college age school children and young adults, the trauma informed and restorative justice movements, cultural competency, opportunities for psychologists to speak with community leaders, as well as the New Jersey legislative process.

October/November 2019 - Planning began for the December 5, 2019 NJPA Trenton Day, (see page 18) to be funded by the NJP-PAC. This day will provide NJPA and affiliate members with an opportunity to delve in to the NJ legislative process, understand how a bill becomes a law, and learn the importance of grassroots advocacy. We will hear from legislators and staff about the process in which legislation is introduced and passed, and shared ideas on ways that psychologists and psychologists-intraining can influence the formation of public policies.

November 2019 - Presentation of the 2019 NJPA Legislator of the Year Award to Senator Joseph Vitale.

November 2019 - Introduction of Maiden Names bill - Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle has agreed to introduce legislation on behalf of NJPA that would modify the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs’ policy regarding the use of legal names on licenses and other professional materials to allow for the use of maiden names.

Federal Advocacy

Every year, the American Psychological Association gathers delegates from the 60 state, provincial, and territorial psychological associations, as well as American Psychological Association staff and committee members, at the Practice Leadership Conference to provide advocacy training for leaders in the field of psychology. Following several days of training events, the delegates head to Capitol Hill to meet with their congressional and state representatives. In March 2019, the New Jersey Psychological Association delegates met with the following New Jersey representatives’ and senators’ offices to discuss cosponsoring two bills that remove barriers to quality mental health access for Medicare patients through bills HR884 and HR1301 and preserving mental health and substance use disorder coverage in Medicaid and private health insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act. Lastly, we enjoyed having a dialogue with them about important social advocacy issues.

Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-NJ-07); Rep. Jeff Van Drew (D-NJ-02); Rep. Andy Kim (D-NJ-03); Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ11); Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ-06); Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-NJ-09); and Sen. Bob Menendez (Senator D-NJ).

Social Advocacy

NJPA is working on making significant contributions to the general public, policy makers, and its own membership by providing scientifically based psychological information to guide informed advocacy and decision-making on issues that affect the mental health and general well-being of the diverse people of New Jersey. NJPA will continue to develop and disseminate public statements on current societal issues. This effort might also include publicly endorsing statements that has been made by the American Psychological Association. Examples of statements we have both created and endorsed include: NJPA, through the New Jersey Inter-Mental Health and Psychological Associations Coalition (IMPAC), Recognizes the 400th Anniversary of the first Africans who arrived in 1619, ushering in the Era of American Slavery; NJPA Endorses the Statement of APA President in Response to Mass Shootings in Texas, Ohio; NJPA Celebrates Pride Month and the Progress Against the Oppression of Homophobia it Represents for Members of the LGBTQI+ Community; NJPA addressed the mental health needs of refugees, immigrants, asylum seekers, and detainees.

The NJPA executive board approved a Committee on Diversity and Inclusion (CODI) subgroup – the Immigration Emergency Action Group (IEAG) that will explore how to address the mental health needs of those directly and indirectly affected by the immigration crisis. This group will also explore the feasibility of working toward changing existing immigration policies and laws based on psychological research that demonstrates the detrimental short and long-term effects of the current practices (E.g., separation of immigrant families). The IEAG will increase the positive impact of their efforts by seeking opportunities to collaborate with non-profit groups and other professional associations that are working to promote the welfare of immigrants detained in New Jersey.

Our Successful Changes in New Jersey Law Over the Years

2017 Authorization of the provision of healthcare services through telemedicine and telehealth, and supplementing various parts of the statutory law.

2014 Professional Corporation Act -

Inclusion Of Psychologists

2013 Jurisprudence Exam in New Jersey

2010 Direct Payment of Benefits to Outof-Network Providers requires third party payers to reimburse psychologists directly when patient assigns benefits

2004 Capacity for Guardianship through the Civil Practice Committee, Superior Court of NJ

2000 Lawsuit against MCC Behavioral Care, Inc. successfully settled

1999 Prompt Payment (supported)

1999 Mental Health Parity (Coalition) [Serious Mental Illness]

1997 Health Care Quality Act (supported)

1997 Competency Evaluations in Criminal Cases

1996 Hospital Privileges

1996 Lawsuit filed against MCC Behavioral Care, Inc.

1993 Counselors Licensing (opposed)

1991 Duty to Warn

1989 Temporary Disability

1985 Peer Review

1974 Freedom of Choice

1966 Psychology Licensing Law Signed ❖

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