Psychological scientists are served by science Divisions though convention presentations and other programs. Still there is a common view among some academics and researchers that APA is largely a practice guild with little interest in science. The Science Directorate is promoting the new Decade of Behavior. This initiative will help to refocus the spotlight in federal programs on the psychological and behavioral aspects of human health and welfare. It will help them spread the word to the academic departments and research labs that APA is the place to be for psychological science.
Psychological practice continues to face the challenges of a changing health care industry.
Psychology practices are suffering from intrusive management and competition from other professionals. The Practice Directorate is addressing the problems facing practice with a multi-pronged strategy of legislative and regulatory advocacy, litigation, aid to states, and education of practitioners and multiple publics. I particularly applaud the efforts of the Directorate to engage in cooperative projects, such as the intervention program with breast cancer patients with Blue Cross, which demonstrate the value of psychology to the health care community. Psychological interventions are effective and are cost-saving in the long run. We have the data to back up these claims and we need to continue to take this message to the health care community.