by Sarah Brookhart
When I say “accreditation” to just about anyone, there’s a good chance their eyes will start to glaze over. In fact, your eyes are looking a little glossy reading this. Accreditation, however, has been at the forefront of an important and exciting new movement centered around the clinical science model of training embodied by the program that you are part of as a student in a PCSAS-accredited program. The Association for Psychological Science (APS) has been a significant force in the creation and development of PCSAS, and continues to be a dedicated partner as PCSAS grows. APS and PCSAS share a commitment to training that integrates the full range of scientific perspectives needed to understand the complex processes involved in mental illness and to develop effective evidence-based interventions and treatments for reducing mental illness in this country and others.
The evidence of APS’s commitment to clinical science includes a long history of support for science-based accreditation, a journal dedicated to clinical science, clinical science programs at its conventions, the dissemination of clinical science research findings to the wider field and to the public, and advocacy aimed at removing the barriers to recognition of PCSAS graduates at the federal and state levels.
Following is a brief overview of APS’s support for clinical science and the connections between PCSAS and APS. It’s a history characterized by change and innovation. Be sure to read to the end for some thoughts on how you can be part of the ongoing changes and help the field move forward.
A Shared History and Vision
APS is the umbrella organization for all areas of psychological science: basic brain and physiological research, cognitive, developmental, social, clinical science, and many other areas encompassed by this diverse field. The organization’s core mission is to reduce the siloing of research areas and to promote boundary-cross integration of perspectives and methods in a global psychological science enterprise. This mission is reflected in all APS programs, including its conventions, which feature research from across the field and around the globe, and its six field-leading journals, including the flagship Psychological Science as well as the innovative journal Clinical Psychological Science, in keeping with the clinical science model, publishes papers “that draw from multiple lenses of analysis to clinical problems ranging from neurons to neighborhoods. Manuscripts that are interdisciplinary in scope and approach, and that transcend traditional disciplinary boundaries inside and outside of psychology, are especially welcomed.” (Aims and Scope)
Reflecting its mission to bring science to clinical practice, APS has supported the development of a system of accreditation for science-based clinical training from its earliest days. APS’s founding leaders even specified a role in accreditation in the organization’s bylaws, and APS facilitated the exploration of alternative models of accreditation that emphasized innovation, flexibility and the advancement of knowledge. As part of this, APS convened a three-day Accreditation Summit in 1992 attended by representatives of 140 clinical training programs, psychology departments, and other relevant organizations. Summit participants unanimously recommended the development of an alternative structure for accreditation (Kent, 1992, pg. 1), paving the way for the subsequent establishment of PCSAS’s parent organization, the Academy of Psychological Clinical Science (APCS), and ultimately, PCSAS.
In 2009, the vision for clinical science was presented in the APS journal Psychological Science in the Public Interest, by leaders of the clinical science movement, who emphasized the critical role of the then-new accreditation system in advancing the clinical science training model:
A promising strategy for improving the quality and clinical and public health impact of clinical psychology is through a new accreditation system that demands high-quality science training as a central feature of doctoral training in clinical psychology….The new Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS) is intended to accredit clinical psychology training programs that offer high-quality science-centered education and training, producing graduates who are successful in generating and applying scientific knowledge. Psychologists, universities, and other stakeholders should vigorously support this new accreditation system as the surest route to a scientifically principled clinical psychology that can powerfully benefit clinical and public health. (Baker et al., 2009, pg. 67)
This movement then gained significant attention in national media, where it was seen as a positive shift in clinical training.
APS continues to work closely with the Academy and PCSAS to support the advancement of clinical science. The annual APS convention includes a pre-conference Clinical Science Forum organized by the Academy and PCSAS, featuring exciting cutting-edge work by early career researchers as well as established scientists, and the 2019 International Convention of Psychological Science (ICPS) organized by APS and held in Paris was the site where PCSAS convened a first-of-its-kind meeting of clinical science representatives from around the world. APS also worked closely with the Academy and PCSAS to achieve recognition for PCSAS graduates in the Veterans Administration, the country’s largest trainer and employer of psychologists. And we are continuing to support PCSAS in efforts at other federal agencies such as the Department of Defense and the U.S. Public Health Service.
Challenge the Status Quo – Licensing
Currently, some of the most important work being done by PCSAS, with support from APS, is to advocate for recognition of PCSAS in state licensing laws and regulations. These efforts have been successful in a number of states and there is no doubt that PCSAS will ultimately be recognized in all states. But achieving change depends on individuals stepping up to challenge the status quo in states that don’t yet recognize PCSAS. As a PCSAS student you have a voice and you can have an impact. You also have a strong and growing student organization, as evidenced by this newsletter and the network that Tiffany Jenzer and Christine Bird have established. Use that network to share information and develop strategies tailored to your particular state. The goal is to tell your state legislative representatives and your state’s licensing regulators about the need to recognize PCSAS accreditation and ask them to make the necessary changes. Often it’s just a matter of including PCSAS in existing statutory or regulatory language that determines eligibility for licensure in that particular state. While it’s not as easy as I just made it sound, public officials do listen to students and reducing mental illness is widely seen as one of the most critical public health issues at all levels of government.
Challenging the status quo is what gave rise to PCSAS (and earlier to APS!) in the first place. Together this powerful partnership has achieved major changes and is poised to achieve even more in what has become known as the clinical science movement. As a PCSAS student you are in the vanguard of this movement and are making a difference every day just by virtue of the career path you’ve chosen. If you are able to add a little advocacy to your already-full plate, you will be contributing significantly to the impact of broader effort.
Let me close with a personal note to say that I hope each of you are safe and well during these difficult times, and that I welcome your comments and suggestions as we move forward in pursuit of recognition of PCSAS and the benefits that it will bring.
Sarah Brookhart serves as the public representative on the Board of Directors of PCSAS. She is the former Executive Director of the Association for Psychological Science (APS). You can reach her at Sarah.Brookhart@verizon.net ________________________________________________________________
References
“Aims and Scope,” Clinical Psychological Science, Association for Psychological Science. Retrieved from https://www.psychologicalscience.org/publications/clinical/aims
Baker, McFall & Shoham. (2009). Current status and future prospects of clinical psychology: Toward a scientifically principled approach to mental and behavioral health care. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 9(2), 67.
Baker, etc…. Media Coverage of “Current Status and Future Prospects of Clinical Psychology: Toward a Scientifically Principled Approach to Mental and Behavioral Health Care,” https://www.psychologicalscience.org/publications/pspi/pspi-archive/media-coverage
Kent, D. (1992). “Accreditation Summiteers In Agreement On Change,” Observer, Association for Psychological Science, Washington DC, Vol. 5, No. 3, p. 1. https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/accreditation-summiteers-in-agreement-on-change
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS).