2021 NJPA Mid-Year Report

MID-YEAR REPORT

The Future of Psychology

New Jersey Psychological Association www.psychologynj.org 973-243-9800 njpa@psychologynj.org

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 An Overview 3 Welcome!

4 Association Finances 5 Organizational Health & Viability 6 Reopening in an Ongoing Pandemic World 7 Meet the 2022 Board Slate Candidates!

8 Member Spotlight 9 The Benefits of Membership 11 NJ Advocacy 13 Federal Advocacy 14 Continuing Education 16 NJPA Fall Conference & Upcoming CE Programs 17 Keeping in Touch 18 The Future of Psychology in Academia 19 Stay Connected 20 Coalitions & Partnerships 21 Diversity & Inclusion 22 The NJPA Foundation

23 NJP-Political Action Committee 24 Final Thoughts From the Central Office Team

NJPA Executive Board President: Daniel Lee, PsyD President-Elect: Peter DeNigris, PsyD Past-President: Lucy Sant’Anna Takagi, PsyD Secretary: Mary Blakeslee, PhD Treasurer: Marc Gironda, PsyD Parliamentarian: Joseph Coyne, PhD Members-at-Large Phyllis Bolling, PhD Aida Ismael-Lennon, PsyD Elio Arrechea, PhD Nicole J. Rafanello, PhD Aileen Torres, PhD Daniel DaSilva, PhD APA Council Representative: Rhonda Allen, PhD Special Representatives: ECP Chair: Melany Rivera Maldonado, PhD NJPAGS Chair: Jared Hammond Afiliate Caucus Chair: Phyllis Bolling, PhD CODI Co-Chairs: Phyllis Bolling, PhD and Susan Herschman, PsyD Executive Director: Keira Boertzel-Smith, JD Director of Professional Affairs: Susan C. McGroarty, PhD Affiliate Organization Representaties: Northeast Counties Association of Psychologists: Nansie Ross, PsyD Essex/Union County Association of Psychologists: Sara Tedrick Parikh, PhD Mercer County Psychological Association: TBD Middlesex County Association of Psychologists: Tammy Dorff, PsyD Monmouth/Ocean County Psychological Association: Deirdre Waters, PsyD Morris County Psychological Association: TBD Somerset/Hunterdon/Warren County Psychological Association: Janie Feldman, PsyD South Jersey Psychological Association: TBD

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AN OVERVIEW

Today we are still managing the dramatic, long-term shift in how we operate as an association and as a profession. How has the pandemic changed the way we operate as an association? What trends are we seeing in membership, advocacy, your practice needs, and for the future of the profession? In this year's midyear report, we reflect on the pandemic and emerging trends, and their impact on our financial health, the major issues we will be focusing on, and our priorities for the upcoming year and beyond.

How do the five pillars of the association adjust as we look toward the future?

Membership How has our membership changed in the last five years? What concerns do members have today and moving forward?

Communications A look at our evolving digital communications, social media presence, member engagement, and targeted communications: how do we structure our messaging in the future?

Advocacy A review of our current legislative actions and engagement through our new Voter Voice platform, our future legislative priorities, and an examination of federal legislation that is important within NJ. Continuing Education Transformation of our programming formats to adjust to our current environment, its impact on accessibility, and future programming topics of importance to you.

Association Business An analysis of our financial status, new strategic plan priorities, and goals for the future.

Keira Boertzel-Smith Executive Director

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WELCOME! Round Robin Discussion on The Future of Psychology

Daniel Lee, PsyD President

As NJPA President, I hosted a round robin conversation about the future of psychology with a few key NJPA members: Committee on Legislative Affairs Chair, Dr. Virginia Waters; Early Career Psychologist Committee Chair, Dr. Melany Rivera Maldonado; NJPAGS Chair, Jared Hammond; Member-At-Large and COLA member, Dr. Aida Ismael-Lennon;

Past-President, Dr. Lucy Sant'Anna Takagi; and Executive Director, Keira Boertzel-Smith.

Listen Here!

A year later, much of the novelty of the once-in-a-generation sense of shared humanity, driving us all to adapt and perform at unimaginably high levels of productivity, has washed away. There is exhaustion in the 2021 air, and I am absolutely feeling it, too. This is an omnipresent cloud of exhaustion, not merely mask and Zoom burnout. We are living among ongoing fears about the virus alphabet variants, economic uncertainty, concerns about the well-being of loved ones, and the exacerbated existing afflictions of the world. So, what do we do Keira Boertzel-Smith with all this? How do we, as an association and individuals, move forward into the future?

Executive Director I say we move forward, together, with grit, that is with courage,

conscientiousness, goal-setting, resilience, and excellence. Angela Duckworth, a leading speaker on “grit,” defines it as “passion and sustained persistence applied toward long-term achievement, with no particular concern for rewards or recognition along the way. It combines resilience, ambition, and self-control in the pursuit of goals that take months, years, or even decades.” As the executive director of NJPA, I have my reliable grit to keep me going each day.

I work closely with NJPA leadership, the executive board, and NJPA Central Office staff to ensure we get this right, not perfect, but right. We are reopening the NJPA Central Office for our staff and members, with caution and faith. We are researching 2022 continuing education program venues, and ways to make some in-person learning and networking opportunities happen, safely, for our attendees. We are increasing use of our Voter Voice advocacy platform to spread our advocacy messages to members and beyond so that NJPA may make permanent changes in New Jersey to further promote, protect, and enhance the science and profession of psychology. We are building and using our outreach lists of potential members to increase our membership. We are making sure the face of NJPA represents the diversity of our members’ work settings, practice areas, populations served, geographic locations, and so much more. We are implementing new ways to encourage participation in a leadership pipeline for NJPA, the NJPA Foundation, and the NJP-PAC. I could go on and on about the pathway to the future. This publication covers many of the different ways we are moving forward, with grit. Enjoy!

Join us at the September 17, 2021 (9am – 10:30am) Association Check-In Zoom event to talk all things NJPA. Learn how NJPA is making a difference in the profession of psychology in New Jersey. Register in advance for this meeting: Click here to register. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

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ASSOCIATION FINANCES I began my term as treasurer in January, 2021, and quickly hit the ground running. There was much to review after an unprecedented year in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In February, we wished a happy retirement to long time NJPA bookkeeper, Marion Medow. We used this opportunity for change namely, NJPA began making use of more online tools to manage our accounts receivable and payable. This allows for easier access to real time financial numbers for decision-making. NJPA also outsourced the bookkeeping role to an accounting firm. The accountant is working with us to update our chart of accounts and money processing administration.

Marc Gironda, One priority, as NJPA looks for ways to strengthen our financial position, is to make better use of our investment account. At the June 2021 NJPA Executive Board Meeting, PsyD Mariner Wealth Advisors, Megan Brozowski, CFP, CDFA, and Sonia Morales, CFP, Treasurer attended as guests and presented an investment re-allocation comparison report. This report offered four risk target options: Moderate Conservative, Moderate, Growth, and Aggressive risk targets.

We are operating at the “Moderate Conservative” risk target, but it is suggested that NJPA use these investments to generate income for the organization. A more “growth” oriented target was therefore recommended. This would shift a larger proportion of our investments from cash and fixed income to equities. The benefit is NJPA can make significantly more money from our investments. The downside is NJPA risks losing more money if there is a market downturn. Note that for the past decade equities have been up overall. On July 21, the NJPA Executive Board approved the Growth Risk Target and to review our investment risk targets on an annual basis. We are working with Mariner Wealth Advisors to implement the Executive Board’s decision.

In August 2021, we will begin planning the NJPA budget for 2022, with a plan for approval in the fourth quarter of this year. I look forward to finding ways to keep NJPA on sure financial footing, with an eye towards stability in the future.

as of June 9, 2021

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ORGANIZATIONAL HEALTH & VIABILITY Our Strategic Plan for the Future The NJPA strategic plan is used to drive the association’s initiatives, directs the activities of the Executive Board, leadership team, and committee chairs, and shapes our communication with members and external partners about the association’s goals and the actions needed to achieve those goals. It is time to reflect and begin our future planning.

NJPA is working with Randall P. White, PhD, a founding partner of Executive Development Group and international thought leader in the field of executive coaching and leadership development. He is co-head of Leadership at HEC Paris (and Doha) and the TRIUM Global Executive MBA program. He also teaches with Duke Corporate Education (Durham and London). As we begin to plan out the future path for the association, we identified these starting points as we begin to build the 2023 2027 Strategic Plan: Understand our Mission & Desired Association Culture Understand the NJPA Ecosystem Advocacy, Communications, Continuing Education, & Membership Focus, & Association Business (Five Pillars) Infusion of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Strategic Plan Execution & Ownership of the Work Listen to Dr. White's presentation to the Executive Board below:

An Introduction to NJPA's Future

Watch Dr. White's presentation here

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REOPENING IN AN ONGOING PANDEMIC WORLD As you can expect, the pandemic is still on most of our minds, but now with a twist.

What do we do now? by, Director of Professional Affairs, Susan McGroarty, PhD NJPA members want to know and understand how to move forward now that the emergency orders are lifting, and regulations are changing or are still in flux. NJPA President, Dr. Daniel Lee, interviewed me on reopening and moving forward in our work.

Click on the link below to listen to the NJPA Power of the Spoken Podcast recording that covers these reopening items: The current recommendations/rules about whether psychologists should meet in-person or continue to do telehealth Ethical guidelines for in-person meetings Avoiding discriminatory practices regarding vaccinated/unvaccinated patients In office mask wearing Brick-and-mortar office space Telehealth legislation and PSYPACT Reopening Resources

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST HERE Note that the COVID pandemic environment is rapidly changing. This podcast was recorded in June 2021, and some items are subject to change.

Dr. Susan McGroarty is an associate adjunct professor at Rowan School of Medicine and Director of Behavioral Medicine. Prior to joining Rowan, she was a tenured adjunct professor at Chestnut Hill College doctoral program in clinical psychology and she is currently the NJPA Director of Professional Affairs. Dr. McGroarty loves paddle boarding and in the warm weather spend hours paddling and exploring the bays and inlets around Ocean City, NJ.

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MEET THE 2022 BOARD SLATE CANDIDATES! The NJPA Executive Board is pleased to introduce the 2022 Board Slate Candidates!

Watch for our email invitation to meet the candidates at our live Zoom event, and be sure to vote in September! (open to voting members)!

The voting period commences on the first Tuesday of September and will remain open for three weeks after electronic voting begins. As stated in the NJPA bylaws, all NJPA elections shall follow the policies and procedures set forth by the Nominations and Leadership Development Committee and approved by the Executive Board.

President-Elect: Aida Ismael-Lennon, PsyD Nomination Statement CV

Secretary: Alexandra Miller, PsyD Nomination Statement CV

(Affiliate) Member-At-Large: Deirdre Waters, PsyD Nomination Statement CV

(Membership) Member-At-Large: Alexandra Gil, PsyD Nomination Statement CV

Each NJPA candidate’s statement of interest will be shared by NJPA via internal communication means. In September, this statement will also be posted once by the NJPA LISTSERV chair on the NJPA Members Only LISTSERV. The candidates may include an email for members to ask follow up questions via backchannel. The LISTSERV chair will determine in which order the statements will be released. Read the NJPA campaign guidelines here.

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MEMBER SPOTLIGHT Congratulations!

2021 Division 31 Psychologist of the Year Award Winner!

NJPA Past-President Dr. Lucy Sant'Anna Takagi This award honors a psychologist whose distinguished contributions may include demonstrating outstanding leadership in state, provincial, or territorial psychological association(s) (SPTA). APA Division 31 President, Dr. Kathleen Ashton, shares that Division 31 is proud of Dr. Takagi’s many accomplishments and thanked her for the work that she does on behalf of psychology and state associations every day.

Dr. Takagi will be presented with the award at the virtual awards ceremony at the APA Convention.

Join us for the 2021 NJPA Virtual Awards Ceremony!

Each year, NJPA seeks nominations for important recognition awards that highlight the accomplishments of NJPA members, private citizens, and mental health advocates who strengthen and advance the field of psychology and promote mental health awareness. These awards include: Lifetime Achievement Award Psychologist of the Year Dr. Stanley Moldawsky Mentor Award Academic & Scientific Awards Foundation Awards Legislator of the Year Award Awards will be presented in a virtual ceremony during the NJPA Fall Conference. Read about the awards here. Watch for our email invitation to attend!

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THE BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP

1620

TOTAL MEMBERS Retired 3.3%

Students 10.2% Post-Docs 4.6% Early Career 10.6%

Aileen Torres, PhD Membership Committee Chair

Mid/Late Career 70.6%

We excel at helping our members succeed!

You don't have to wonder alone!

Your professional work is often quite solitary. It's common for many to feel isolated and alone, especially when faced with a pressing question about a practice issue or an ethical situation that you cannot discuss with friends or family. We have excellent resources available to help you feel more connected and cared for.

FREE PROFESSIONAL CONSULTATIONS! Two valuable NJPA member benefits include confidential phone consultations with Director of Professional Affairs, Susan McGroarty, and/or with the members of the Ethics Education and Resource Committee. All consultations are free of charge to you! These consultations are two important ways that we continue to show our support for you!

Whenever you have a practice question or face an ethical dilemma, remember, you don't have to wonder alone!

Schedule a DPA Consultation Schedule an Ethics Consultation

45% New members joined!

(YTD 2021 vs. 2020)

Total number of NJ licensed psychologists 3799 Total number of NJPA licensed psychologists 1364 Percentage of licensed psychologists in NJ who are NJPA members:

40%

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THE BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP When the COVID-19 global pandemic broke in early 2020, a can-do spirit set in, both individually and collectively, to care for others and to get our association work done. Fifteen months later, we are all managing the dramatic, long-term shift to how we operate as individuals, an association, and as a profession moving forward. Over the next few months, we will focus on how to optimize the impact of virtual leadership to ensure that we: help NJPA staff and members have the most positive experiences so that we can deliver the most positive results on a sustainable basis; are prepared to shift the NJPA business model and organizational structure as the world continues to evolve; and strive on individual and collective bases to retain the energy, vitality, and enthusiasm needed in helping NJPA to move forward.

As we continute to move forward, remember these important benefits that are available to you:

Networking Opportunities

Exclusive Online Resources

Diverse Communities

Practice Building Assistance

Confidential Consultations

Political Clout

Directory Listings

Free Publications

Exposure to the Public

Professional Development Discounts

CE Certificate Storage Portal

We recently introduced our new Continuing Education Certificate (Transcript) Storage Portal, an online organizational tool that will help you keep track of your CE activities! This tool enables you to organize your CE activities into categories: general, domestic violence, and opioid. It also keeps a running balance of your earned CE credits, and allows you to store CE certificates earned from programs you attend outside of NJPA. This online tool should be used in conjunction with paper copies of your certificates.

NOTE: You must keep documentation of continuing education certificates you are issued as per the Board of Psychological Examiners Regulations 13:42 10.21(a) and (b).

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NJ ADVOCACY Our Committment

We are committed to strengthening our political outreach and advocating for the interests of New Jersey psychologists and mental health issues that are important to the public.

Introducing VoterVoice!

VoterVoice, our new tool, helps you keep track of important legislation we are supporting and notifies you when it's time to take action! As 2021 progressed and we faced the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, our legislative priorities focused on advocating for the continued expansion of access to mental healthcare through telehealth and PSYPACT. Advocating for these issues were at the top of our legislative agenda and your support and outreach were instrumental in reaching legislators and Governor Murphy.

Big Wins! With your help we achieved: Action Alert!

Permanent Telehealth Expansion

Contact legislators

740

emails

Action Alert!

A4205 NJ Enters into PSYPACT

Contact Legislators

emails June 30 Action Alert!

Passes both Houses Contact Governor Murphy

296

emails

June 10 Action Alert!

Passes both houses; Contact Governor Murphy to sign into law

Action Alert!

S3145/A2308 Maiden Name Bill

Contact Governor Murphy to sign

June 9 Action Alert!

Make Telehealth Expansion Permanent; Contact Legislators

249

81

emails

246

emails

Awaiting Governor Murphy's signature

March 8 Dr. Lucy Takagi testifies; Assembly Health Com. passes bill 13-0

260

emails

Awaiting Governor Murphy's signature

May 11th Governor Murphy signs into law!

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NJ ADVOCACY Next Steps

We hope to build off the momentum from 2021 Q1 & Q2 and carry it into the remainder of the year. On our advocacy web page, you will find current bills that we are actively supporting. We encourage you to read about this legislation and take action where indicated. You may also use the View Key Legislation button to view the list of bills we are currently following.

Understanding Our Legislative Positions

In reviewing legislation, COLA will recommend one of the below positions to the NJPA executive board for board vote. Action needs approval of NJPA executive board.

Actively Support: requires the full resources behind a bill, including financial support, grassroots activation, written communication, lobbying by the NJPA government affairs agent (GAA), and preparing legislative hearing testimony.

Support: may require written communication indicating our support. Limited resources committed to effort. NJPA’s GAA may lobby if necessary.

Seeking Amendments: requires written proposed amendment(s) to be sent to sponsor(s), which may occur in conjunction with support or oppose positions.

NJPA’s GAA agent may lobby if necessary.

Monitor: Bill remains in the NJPA bill report. COLA will be advised by the NJPA GAA of any significant movement in case amendments are proposed which may change our position.

Oppose: may require a letter from NJPA indicating our opposition. Limited resources committed to effort. NJPA’s GAA may lobby if necessary.

Actively Oppose: requires the full resources in opposition of a bill, including, financial support, grassroots activation, preparing testimony to present at legislative hearings. NJPA’s GAA shall actively lobby sponsor(s), committees, legislature, and the governor’s office.

No Position: Bill has no significant impact on psychology and is carried in the NJPA bill report for historical purposes only.

Our Ongoing Legislative Focus: Risk of Harm to Self or Others

Licensure and Professional Issues

Integrated Care

PSYPACT

Expansion of Telehealth

Education and Mental Health Services

Public and Private Reimbursement

SIGN UP FOR ADVOCACY ALERTS!

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FEDERAL ADVOCACY American Psychological Association Education Advocacy Summit On July 25, 2021, NJPA members participated in the APA Education Advocacy Summit: NJPA Committee on Legislative Affairs Chair and NJPA Federal Advocacy Coordinator, Dr. Virginia Waters, NJPA COLA Members Drs. Aida Ismael-Lennon and Harold Zullow, and NJPAGS member Dominique Reminick. Our House "asks" included cosponsoring the Increasing Access to Mental Health in Schools Act (H.R. 3572) and the Comprehensive Mental Health in Schools Pilot Program Act (H.R. 3549). They thanked our representatives for passing the Mental Health Services for Students Act (H.R. 721). In the Senate, our "asks" were to cosponsor the Mental Health Services for Students Act (S. 1841), the Increasing Access to Mental Health in Schools Act (S. 1811), and to support the introduction of the Comprehensive Mental Health in Schools Pilot Program Act. Participating in the APA's Advocacy Summit on Advancing the Role of Psychology in Education and Student Well-Being was an incredibly enriching and rewarding experience for me. I'm thankful for the opportunity to gain insight into the legislative process, strengthen my communication skills, and collaborate with fellow NJPA colleagues to advocate for increased mental health resources in our schools. The pandemic has made issues related to mental health and well-being more salient than ever, particularly for school-aged youth, and I believe it is essential for current and future psychologists to harness their expertise and use their collective voices to galvanize support to increase crucial resources for populations in need. ~ Dominique Reminick, MA

APA Practice Leadership Conference March 5-7 and March 14 - 15, 2021 COVID-19 Recovery and the Future of Practice by, NJPA Executive Director, Keira Boertzel-Smith

Every year, the American Psychological Association gathers delegates from state, provincial, and territorial psychological associations 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.

On Monday, March 15, NJPA delegates had productive virtual Capitol Hill visits. We were glad to be able to discuss health equity, the current and future paths of access to care via telehealth services, and supporting the future providers of psychological services. We met virtually with the offices of Senator Booker, Senator Menendez, Representative Sires, Representative Payne, Representative Malinowski, and Representative Sherrill.

Learn more about state and federal advocacy initiatives related to psychology here.

2021 NJPA Practice Leadership Delegates (L to R) NJPA Diversity Delegate, Dominique Reminick; NJPA Early Career Delegate, Dr. Melany Rivera Maldonado; NJPA Past- President, Dr. Lucy Sant'Anna Takagi; NJPA Federal Advocacy Coordinator, Dr. Virginia Waters; NJPA Executive Director, Keira Boertzel-Smith; NJPA President-Elect, Dr. Peter DeNigris; NJPA President, Dr. Daniel Lee. Not pictured: Director of Professional Affairs, Dr. Susan McGroarty

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CONTINUING EDUCATION Our Goals NJPA CE programs broaden the clinical, academic, consultative, and research knowledge bases for the purpose of facilitating the highest quality of professional work. This is accomplished by providing meaningful CE programs which: Increase the scope of knowledge and skills in areas of specialization and emerging areas of practice and study; and Facilitate the integration of practice and research to foster and sustain an active sense of critical inquiry.

There’s a stigma regarding online learning, especially in doctoral training. It’s often perceived as lower quality, and there’s the perception that advisers can’t adequately train and supervise students using online platforms ...That perception hasn’t kept pace with the reality.

Francine Conway, PhD Dean, Rutgers University, GSAPP Past-President, National Council of Schools and Programs of Professional Psychology NJPA Past-Director of Academic & Scientific Affairs

This content originally appeared in the July, 2021 issue of Monitor on Psychology, published by the American Psychological Association. Used with permission.

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CONTINUING EDUCATION Most requested CE programs topics based on 2021 CE program attendee feedback: CBT, DBT, Psychodynamic

Anxiety, Trauma, Suicide

CE Program Topics NJPA, Affiliate, & Homestudy: Number of Programs Offered Through the Years (2017 - 2021)

Diversity & Multiculturalism

Diversity, Inclusion, Equity, Multicultural Competency: 30 Education and Mental Health Services: 16 Forensics: 12

Telehealth

Innovations of Practice (Integrated Care, RxP, Telehealth, PSYPACT): 4 Mindfulness: 7 Populations Served: 38 Practice Areas: 21 Practice Orientations: 31 Professional Issues: Licensure, Ethics, Legal & Regulatory: 23 Risk of Harm to Self or Others (Including DV and Suicide): 22 Substance Use (Including Opioids): 14

Child Therapy

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NJPA VIRTUAL FALL CONFERENCE Save the Date!

Positive Psychology and Resilience Throughout the Lifespan October 29 & 30 November 1 & 3

Upcoming CE Programs!

Approved Licensure Act Amendments: Revised Training Requirements for Psychologists (1.5 CE) Live Webinar September 30, 2021 11:00 AM-12:45 PM Registration now open!

Future 2021 Programs Details to come!

October Fall Journal Homestudy CE November Ethics and Supervision December RxP IMPAC Program Children and Trauma

In-Person Events: Back on track in 2022! (within NJ/CDC guidelines)

January 2022: DV Program April 2022: Spring Conference The Business of Psychology

Nov 2022: Fall Conference Neuropsychology Details to come!

NJPA is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. NJPA maintains responsibility for the program and its content. All NJPA and NJPA co-sponsored continuing education programs meet the APA criteria.

NJPA is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0076. This approval is for a three-year term beginning May 5, 2021 and ending April 30, 2024.

Please look for the NYSED program eligibility statement for each NJPA continuing education program.

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KEEPING IN TOUCH We continue to explore and utilize a multifaceted approach when communicating information about psychology, the practice of psychology, and the importance of mental health. This helps us to further the NJPA mission: The advancement of psychology as a science, as a profession, and as a means of promoting health and human welfare in an atmosphere that supports the diversity of its members and the society at large. We recognize the need to integrate modern forms of communication with more traditional modes, as we grow and build on the tools we use to communicate information today and into the future.

Social Media Followers

600

280

1957

500

60

NJPA Website (www.psychologynj.org): We work continuously to bring the most current information and resources to our members and the public. With over 28.1K new users and 133.1K page views (YTD), our website is growing its audience every day.

Most visited pages: 1) Member Login, 2) Find a Psychologist, 3) Member Landing page, 4) Continuing Education, and 5) Continuing Education FAQs.

Most notable: Visits to our Find a Psychologist page grew 102% in 2021 (YTD). 10.7K visits from January - June 2021.

E-Newsletter: sent out 3 times a year to over 4000 subscribers including the public and members. 35% open rate.

Contact Center: Association emails sent directly to members including Friday Updates, CE event notices, Foundation Flash, dues renewals, and special messages such as Member Spotlights, podcast releases, E-Newsletter distribution, and more!

LISTSERV: A members only, electronic platform for interactive discussion such as networking, sharing information and resources, and posting opportunities that are relevant to the profession of psychology. NJPA Members LISTSERV: 1145; ECP LISTSERV: 245; Students LISTSERV: 176.

Podcasts: Our library continues to grow in 2021! We feature discussions including Book Club reviews, highlighted Foundation Dissertation Grant awardees work, and topics on our Mental health Awareness theme, Agile Resilience. Subscribe to our YouTube channel and never miss an episode!

Voter Voice: We've taken advocacy to a new level! We're making it easy for you to follow our legislative priorities, keeping you informed on the legislative process, and alerting you to calls for action. We will be adding new features to help you keep track of how your legislators are voting on important mental health legislation. More information about Voter Voice can be found on page 11 in this report.

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THE FUTURE OF PSYCHOLOGY IN ACADEMIA

As the Academic & Scientific Affairs Committee streamlines to interface with all research and training initiatives, we embody the future of psychology. The NJPA graduate student association (NJPAGS) is thriving, and we continue to build their professional identities as psychologists-in-training and contributing to the practice of professional psychology.

Peter Economou, PhD NJPA Director of Academic and Scientific Affairs Co-Directors MaryAnn Dunn, PhD and Jim Haugh, PhD

Trending: Between 2003 and 2015, the number of psychologists in academic leadership positions grew by 61%, according to the APA Center for Workforce Studies (Increases in psychologists in academic leadership, 2020).

This content originally appeared in the July, 2021 issue of Monitor on Psychology, published by the American Psychological Association. Used with permission.

In 2019, 38% of psychology graduate students identified as people of color, up from 29% in 2009—and the share of tenured faculty and academic leaders of color is increasing.

(The state of the psychology training pipeline and workforce, APA, 2018; Racial/ethnic minority representation among the academic psychology workforce continues to increase, APA, 2020). This content originally appeared in the July, 2021 issue of Monitor on Psychology, published by the American Psychological Association. Used with permission.

The research process helps define psychology. One of the most rewarding NJPA experiences involves annually encouraging individuals to conduct their own research, participate in the NJPA Poster Presentations, and help share their study results during the NJPA Fall Conference. Be sure to view the 2021 NJPA Poster Presentations at the 2021 Fall Conference. The one-minute author narrated videos will be available to view online on the Poster Hall web page of the Fall Conference in mid-September.

STAY CONNECTED Academics Director of Academic & Scientific Affairs: Peter Economou, PhD Co-Directors MaryAnn Dunn, PhD and Jim Haugh, PhD NJPA Graduate Students: Jared Hammond

Advocacy Committee on Legislative Affairs (COLA): Co-Chairs Virginia Waters, PhD & NJPA President-Elect, Peter DeNigris, PsyD Federal Advocacy Coordinator: Virginia Waters, PhD

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Committees and Special Interest Groups offer learning opportunities and networking avenues.

Colleague Assistance Committee (CAC) Co-Chairs: Mary Blakeslee, PhD, and Janet Berson, PhD

Early Career Psychologists Committee Chair: Melany Rivera Maldonado, PhD

Ethics Education & Resource Committee Chair: Jane Simon, PhD

Integrated Care Committee

Special Interest Groups Chairs Forensic Psychology: Alan Lee, PsyD Health Psychology: Daniel Gallagher, PhD Psychologists for the Promotion of Child Welfare (PPCW) Workgroup: Alan Lee, PsyD Psychology in the Schools (PINS): Co-Chairs: Thomas Massarelli, PhD, & Eric Herschman, PsyD Sport Psychology: Michael Zito, PhD

Chair: Alexandra Miller, PsyD

Communication Publications Committee (Journal): Editor, Aaron Gubi, PhD Public E- Newsletter: Editor, Nicole Lacherza-Drew, PsyD Podcasts: Co-Chairs: Daniel Lee, PsyD & Jared Hammond

LISTSERV Monitoring Committee Chair: Kelly Moore, PsyD

Continuing Education Council on Continuing Education Affairs (CoCEA) Co-Chairs: Mark Lowenthal, PsyD, and Marc Gironda, PhD CoCEA – Conference Committee Co-Chairs: Sharon Ryan Montgomery, PsyD, and Phyllis Lakin, PhD CoCEA - Standalone Programs Committee Co-Chairs: Nicole Paolillo, PsyD and Stacie Shivers, PsyD CoCEA- Homestudy Committee Co-Chairs: Nathan McClelland, PhD, and Dennis Finger, EdD CoCEA- CE Approval Committee Co-Chairs: Raymond F Hanbury, PhD, and Dennis Coffey, PsyD

NJPA Ethics Committee Chair, Jane Simon, PhD To date, the Ethics Committee fielded 50 requests for consultation in 2021. The subjects are wide-ranging, but most concerned confidentiality more than any other topic. Other consultations concerned issues related to practice during the pandemic, such as telehealth, office reopening, requiring proof of vaccination and interjurisdictional practice. Fewer questions arose about Duty to Warn, insurance, termination/abandonment, forensic issues, record-keeping, dual relationships, conflicts of interest, abuse and issues with a colleague.

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COALITIONS & PARTNERSHIPS NJPA collaborations and partnerships allow even bigger strides in bettering the enhancement, promotion, and protection of the science and profession of psychology, and works towards improving our New Jersey communities today and in the future.

5 benefits: More Experts at the Table Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Increased Visibility for NJPA/psychologists Creating a Louder Advocacy Voice Expense Sharing

Inter-Mental Health and Psychological Associations Coalition (IMPAC) Through the New Jersey Inter-Mental Health and Psychological Associations Coalition (IMPAC), NJABPsi, LMHANJ, and NJPA join together as equal partners to contribute their unique educational acumen, expertise, experience, and perspectives to obtain synergy as a resource to promote equality in mental healthcare and to zealously advocate for the mental health needs for the diverse NJ population. This will be accomplished by our respective organizations working together to develop initiatives to educate the public, as well as healthcare providers, through training, professional presentations, and mobilizing resources as needed to provide counseling and psychological services under emergent circumstances. Click here to learn more.

The Rachel Coalition In 2020, NJPA approved participation in a collaboration with the Rachel Coalition, a division of Jewish Family Service of Metro West NJ. Representing NJPA are Co-Chairs: Drs. Morgan Murray and Nicole Rafanello, and NJPA Task Force Members: Drs. Cynthia Lischick, Charlena Sears, Eileen Kohutis, Tamsen Thorpe, Carla Cooke, and Sharon Ryan Montgomery. Rachel Coalition Representatives: CEO Jewish Family Service of Metrowest, Dr. Diane Squadron; Director of Legal Programs, Rachel Coalition, Division of Jewish Family Service, Suzanne Groisser, Esq.; Attorney, Rachel Coalition, Division of Jewish Family Service, Tara Halpern, Esq.; Rachel Coalition Volunteer, Martin Pollack, Esq. In 2021,The Rachel Coalition's goals are to promote guidelines to be used with Therapeutic Supervised Visitation, increase education regarding TSV among members of the judiciary, psychologists, and other mental health providers, and promote greater safety for children in domestic violence situations. Click here to learn more.

Immigration Action Group's Collaborations Co-chairs: Susan Esquilin, PhD & Monica Indart, PsyD New Jersey Association for Infant Mental Health: This collaboration is focused on develping literature for the public and professionals regarding the unique needs of young children and their caregivers with respect to immigration stress and trauma.

(Work in progress). They are also working to contribute to a NJPA database of social service agencies that serve young children and their families around immigration issues.

Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) To date, three pro bono trainings were delivered to KIND attorneys by Drs. Susan Esquilin, Melany Rivera, and Aileen Torres.

More pro bono trainings are in discussion.

Also in progress, compiling a database of psychologists for KIND attorneys to access for immigration evaluations. Click here to learn more.

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DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

Phylllis Bolling, PhD Co-Chair

Susan Herschman, PsyD Co-Chair

Our Committee on Diversity and Inclusion (CODI) is unlike other committees of the board, as it is comprised of executive board and non-executive board NJPA members. The committee is responsible for examining issues of diversity and cultural competence in the field that have an impact upon the practice of psychology, and advise the board in fostering multicultural awareness and inclusiveness within the organization. CODI is working with the Membership Committee to bring the spotlight to our diverse membership populations.

Immigration Action Group (IAG) The Immigration Action Group (IAG) was proposed to, and approved by, the executive board to explore addressing 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). Read more about the IAG efforts under the Collaborations and Partnership page.

APA Practice Leadership Diversity Delegate CODI sends a NJPA Diversity Delegate to each APA Practice Leadership Conference in Washington, DC. We have a long history of fully funding diversity delegates through the years that began when APA instituted training-on-diversity at the State Leadership Conference in 2000. Through the generous support of APA’s Committee for the Advancement of Professional Practice (CAPP), as well as the Office of Ethnic Minority Affair’s (OEMA) Grants for Ethnic Minority Recruitment, Retention, & Training (CEMRRAT), our own diversity initiatives have been enhanced.

CODI Programs & Inititatives CODI hosts a continuing education program or town hall at the NJPA Fall Conference. Join us at the Friday, October 29 CE program Helping People Heal: Resiliency in Communities of Color with presenters Helen Hsu, PsyD, Monique Swift, PsyD, LPC, LMHC, Aileen Torres, PhD, and Sudha Wadhwani, PsyD with moderators CODI Co-Chairs, Phyllis Bolling PhD, and Susan Herschman, PsyD. Click here to read more about the CODI programs and initiatives Does this committee interest you? If so, please consider joining! Contact Keira Boertzel-Smith to learn more.

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THE NJPA FOUNDATION The New Jersey Psychological Association Foundation (NJPAF) was established in 1993 by the New Jersey Psychological Association as a charitable, tax-exempt organization. The NJPA Foundation is the heart of NJPA! We administer and raise funds to support the training of psychology graduate students as clinicians and researchers with an emphasis on treating underserved populations. We support the mission of NJPA especially in its commitment to diversity, public health, underserved populations and the training of graduate students in psychology. Keep up with the great work of the NJPA Foundation by reading our quarterly publication, The Foundation Flash.

Student Initiated Awards

Community Service Grants

This an annual contest that awards research projects that align with the criteria outlined within four awards.

The research and projects may be conceptual or data driven. All applicants are enrolled in a NJ master's or doctoral level psychology program OR, a psychology intern at a New Jersey facility.

NJPAF administers grants to higher education institutions and organization sites that train psychology graduate students as clinicians and researchers who work with diverse and underserved populations. We invite applications from program administrators across the state of New Jersey, with the goal of identifying and supporting model programs who serve underserved populations, from each county.

2020 3 awards $5,000 2019 2 awards $4,000

Dissertation Grants The Social Advocacy Open Topic Dissertation Gran is open to NJ doctoral level graduate psychology students. To be a candidate for this grant, a qualified graduate student must have a social advocacy topic that may or does impact underserved populations of New Jersey.

2020 8 grants $ 13,850

# of sites # of students

2019-2020

7

22

$31K

2020-2021

12

45

$34K

2021-2022

12

52

TBD

(pending)

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Listen to this important message NJPA Foundation President, Matt Hagovsky, PhD introduces the NJPAF “Donate a Session for the Profession” Fundraising Drive.

Make your donation here today!

Funding

STUDENTS

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THE NJP-POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE The New Jersey Psychology – Political Action Committee (“NJP-PAC”) is a voluntary, non-profit political action committee comprised of a board of trustees, consisting of New Jersey Psychological Association (“NJPA”) members/psychologists. NJP-PAC is a separate entity, and is not affiliated with any political party or other political committee.

Our Purpose 1. To make contributions to candidates for office and political committees in NJ who have demonstrated their interest in and support of psychology, without regard to party affiliation.

2. To solicit funds to be distributed in such a manner as to advance the stature of the profession of psychology in New Jersey.

3. To appoint NJPA members to attend fundraising events to represent the profession of psychology.

4. To create educational articles and flyers for New Jersey legislators about the science and profession of psychology.

The Pandemic & the NJP-PAC The reopening phase of the pandemic is stressful for New Jersey residents, communities, and legislators. Fear and anxiety about the virus and what could happen, and has happened, can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in adults and children. Coping with stress in a healthy way will make our New Jersey residents and communities stronger.

COVID-19 created a moment in time when psychologists must provide information and education to our local legislators about mental health and support legislators who promote quality mental health care in the State of New Jersey. Ongoing this year, psychologists will be virtually meeting with legislators, hosting forums to discuss mental healthcare with community and institution leadership, creating educational podcasts for distribution, and writing educational articles for publication.

How can you help support our efforts? Please consider donating to the NJP-PAC. The reality is that without a financial commitment to our NJP-PAC, our ability to sustain support of legislators who promote quality mental healthcare in NJ will become increasingly difficult. We would like to thank our members who have already contributed to NJP-PAC, as well as those members contributing now for the first time. We accept one-time contributions or you can spread out payments over four quarters (call Central Office 973243-9800 for details)! Thank you in advance for your support.

CONTRIBUTE TODAY!

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2021 NJP-PAC Officers President Barry Katz, PhD Treasurer Mark Singer, EdD Secretary Ken Freundlich, PhD Executive Director Keira Boertzel-Smith Government Affairs Agent Jon Bombardieri

STUDENTS

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FINAL THOUGHTS The NJPA Central Office Team is engaged in a collective exercise of evaluating and actively gauging our pandemic induced alternative work processes and assessing what will work for NJPA into the future. This page is an impression of some meaningful keepers.

The Art of Gathering by, Keira Boertzel-Smith Executive Director I learned that there is an art to defining the purpose of association gatherings and making practical choices that flow from that purpose, especially as we are all overstimulated and limited on time. Zoom meetings showed me the importance of being able to focus on each participant as they contribute to the discussions. I felt more connected to some rising stars and typically quiet members who I might not have been able to see or fully hear in a busy conference room with many distractions. In addition, members who could not commute to and attend an in-person meeting due to their work schedule or childcare needs, could remotely attend a Zoom meeting. This attention to more members and wider access to meetings are both truly important for building the NJPA leadership pipeline. I will take these lessons with me into the future.

Staying Connected by, Christine Gurriere Senior Communication Manager Communication was crucial at the start of the pandemic and continues to be vital today. We used our social media pages, direct emails, and website to keep membership and the public apprised of important information that helped answer questions, allay fears, and provide details of our legislative efforts that helped with continuity of mental healthcare services. Our website became a popular hub for information and assistance, as witnessed by sharp increases in visitor activity. Our social media audiences also continue to rise as we utilize newer forms of digital communication tools to spread our messaging. We will continue to build on this positive trajectory into the future.

Evolving Continuing Education by, Ana DeMeo Event Coordinator The wellbeing of our staff, members, program attendees, and presenters has remained crucial throughout the pandemic.

It is this commitment that has allowed us to look for innovative ways to provide excellent continuing education programs during this challenging period. As we quickly pivoted to online education, NJPA provided effective remote learning and enhanced attendee engagement alternatives, reaching an even greater audience. Although we miss in-person events, comradery, and networking, virtual learning has extended a lifeline to NJPA and the many learners who count on us to deliver excellent and relevant CE content.

Progress Positive By, Jennifer Cooper Membership Coordinator … growth stemming from challenge, a lot of adapting, reliance on technology, and trials with new communication tools – together we learn, grow, and thrive. The NJPA Membership Committee established its new Member Spotlight Gallery celebrating individual NJPA members. Central Office is continuously enhancing the NJPA website to share emerging and frequently changing information with members, as a tool for committee communication and to collect information and facilitate member benefits. This year’s Fall Conference will feature a streamlined virtual Poster Hall Presentation Gallery. The NJPA Foundation officers embraced technology to enhance participation by the Board of Trustees and grant applicants and recipients to support their mission. Central Office is committed to continued growth and development in times of a “new normal” and in support of NJPA’s members.