Advocacy Summits provide psychologists, including researchers, students, and practitioners, unique opportunities to meet with their members of Congress and advocate for critical federal policies that advance our advocacy priorities.
The APA Advocacy team provides participants interactive training in federal advocacy skills and how to be effective advocates for psychology in their own communities.
Advocacy Summits have already made a difference for psychology. In 2021, more than 500 psychologists from across the country advocated for federal legislation to expand health equity and invest in telehealth, invest in psychological research and clinical training programs, diversify the psychological workforce, and increase access to mental health services and social emotional learning programs in K–12 schools.
Recent Summits
APA Services hosted its 2022 Advocacy Summit: Addressing the Impact of Climate Change on Mental Health and Health Equity. Psychologists and graduate students joined APA Advocacy staff to learn more about the relationship between climate change and mental health and meet with members of Congress to advocate for climate legislation.
Advancing the role of psychology in education and student well-being
Psychologists and graduate students joined APA Advocacy staff to learn about student mental health and meet with members of Congress to advocate for school psychological programs.
Stand for science to advance psychology
Without additional funding dedicated to psychological science, future advances in health, science, technology, and education will be significantly harmed as federal agencies are forced to use future appropriations intended for new research to cover existing awards.
Hundreds of psychologists warn Congress of an access cliff for patients who rely on telehealth and advocated for congressional support for two key telehealth issues: expanding access to telehealth services—including audio-only services—for the provision of mental health care for Medicare patients, and extending telebehavioral health reimbursement parity in ERISA self-insured group health plans.
Strengthening federal support for psychology trainees during COVID-19
APA hosted its first digital Advocacy Summit during 2020 Digital Hill Day to expand advocacy efforts focused on increasing affordability of graduate study and the importance of student loan forgiveness for front-line health care providers, researchers, and psychologists impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.