Nadine J. Kaslow, PhD, ABPP

There is a culture shift such that board certification in psychology has the same status and level of expectation as board certification in medicine

Board Certification by ABPP is the expected standard for specialty practice in professional psychology at the entry level

The public recognizes ABPP as the premiere body for specialty board certification and evaluation of the maintenance of competence

Board certification by ABPP is expected by all organizations that hire and employ psychologists and by all groups that credential psychologists

There is differential pay and reimbursement for ABPP board certified psychologists

Students learn the value from their educators and trainers that board certification is the endpoint and view board certification as accessible

ABPP has strong senior partnerships with all relevant professional organizations, including education, training, credentialing, employment, and psychology groups

The ABPP Central Office has the human, financial, technological and communication resources needed to provide comprehensive service and to support to all relevant constituencies

At least ◦ 40-50% of (eligible) psychologists are board

certified by ABPP◦ 50% of employers and credentialing bodies require

ABPP board certification◦ 40% of the faculty in training programs are board

certified◦ 80% of all training directors are board certified◦ 50% of accreditation site visitors are board

certified The diversity in board certified psychologists

matches that of licensed professionals

The American Psychological Association (APA) has the data regarding board certification in their data base

Consumers ask if their psychologist is board certified and referrals from others are based on ABPP status

Student groups, such as the Association of Psychology Graduate Students, recognize the value of the credential and demand attention to preparation for board certification as an endpoint for training programs

APA, Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB), the Council of Chairs of Training Councils (CCTC), and others request active ABPP participation – ABPP is expected to be there in a leadership role

ABPP is a convener of major conferences ABPP is a recognized point of contact for the

public and media

The boards and academies are under one clear governance

ABPP has a state-of-the-art website ABPP has one full year operating expenses

in reserves ABPP has multiple funding streams to

support its activities The ABPP Foundation has 100K ABPP Central Office staff size is

commensurate with the demand of load

Culture change in psychology Higher standard of practice and a stronger

psychology profession Greater recognition by payors/employers,

with enhanced negotiating position for psychologists

More educational efforts for psychologists More diversity among board certified

psychologists  Students are the driving force for specialty

board certification

Better service to the public and greater ease of identification by the public of quality providers/services

Disappearance of vanity boards Better able to invoke change in policy and

in the profession  We finally reach “tip”, when more licensed

psychologists are board certified than not – this will afford us the momentum needed to assure long-term success

ABPP is more rigid, stagnant, bureaucratic Increased internal politics and factions Greater likelihood of litigation, as what is

now the essential credential is withheld/revoked

Greater scrutiny by government, especially restraint of trade, need for regulation

Huge workload of exam demand and infrastructure

Some “ABPP elitists” will be upset Disenfranchise some experienced

psychologists who believe their competence is being questioned

Resistance and push back from more and more powerful enemies

Other board certifying organizations hate us

Some boards/academies upset Too much workload for Central Office and

don’t expand it as needed

Psychologists Have more clarity regarding expectations Are more confident and more secure regarding

their livelihood Have a higher standard of living Have more respect by the community and other

professions Complete license/credentialing portability

across jurisdictions

We are busy, but adequately staffed We have multiple subcommittees that are

very productive in a quasi-independent fashion

Subspecialties have evolved and perhaps some have become specialties

We actively lobby and are actively lobbied We set a pace for policy We are quoted in the media We are a leader in new initiatives

We can focus our energy on new projects, initiatives, etc.

We have a large headquarters and our own building

We are not struggling with our sister organizations, but we are welcomed by them

We have a sense of excitement and enthusiasm about ABPP

Ensure that ABPP is the only specialty board credentialing body in professional psychology

Have vibrant, active, and sizeable specialties Add new boards as new specialties emerge

and there are enough people in the specialty Gain full endorsement of board certification

as an endpoint of education by APA Have ABPP Continuing Education Workshops

as the predominant continuing education vehicle for professional psychology

Ensure that each specialty board has ◦ An official journal, with associated on-line

continuing education credits that includes consensus statements and position papers

◦ On-line based continuing education book series written by key ABPP experts (workshop books, traditional books)

◦ A close affiliation with an APA division or some other focused professional society

◦ A role in the creation of specialty specific residency training programs

Have each specialty board publish consensus statements and related position papers

Ensure that each specialty board hosts an annual meeting (specialty board meeting, examinations, continuing education workshops)

Encourage each specialty board to hold a training model conference that creates a blueprint document for the specialty

Create large testing centers in geographical areas

Have some specialty boards test simultaneously so that greater numbers of exams are given at one time on a national basis

Take the lead in major conference initiatives that shift the landscape in psychology, possibly related to assessment and maintenance of competency

Assist in the changing of training models to ensure ABPP eligibility of all students completing training

Work with the Commission on Accreditation and the APA Education Directorate to require ABPP of training directors

Have widespread buy-in of the early entry program

Ensure that application upon completion of residency programs is expected/required

Infuse diversity and inclusiveness in all aspects of ABPP and board certification

Ensure that all jurisdictions recognize ABPP as a specialty credential and for mobility

Expand the Central Office

Partner with quality improvement organizations

Influence employers and payers to recognize the credential as essential to employment and credentialing

Work to ensure that payers and employers provide bonuses to those holding the credential

Prioritize individual and cultural diversity in our membership and examination process

Partner with American Hospital Association and others to get hospital requirements for ABPP on staff

Identify one or more granting organizations to support ABPP

Initiate public relations effort, including media attention and contact with the government, and make statements of public interest

Undertake public education campaign

Support an active mentoring system for each specialty board that includes◦ Workshops at meetings◦ Web-based materials◦ Workshop-related small books◦ List of local mentors◦ List of support/study groups

Conduct an outcome study of board certified psychologists and of the boards

Develop and institute a recertification plan Ensure that ABPP has a constantly changing

website that meets the needs of the public Support the low performing boards

Board certification is dominant within psychology

There is a national culture shift ABPP represents the most viable means of

demonstrating advanced competence in professional psychology

ABPP demonstrates the same level of importance in psychology as board certification has in medicine

ABPP has a strong connection with educational programs/community and students see certification as an endpoint

Agencies and hiring authorities, across settings, see ABPP as key to employment

ABPP is a leader on the national scene There is strong student drive demand for

attention to board certification There is strong central office and

infrastructure

There are different expected numbers of ABPPs in 2020

Training directors involved versus not a road that will be productive

Level of integration of boards and academies

Level of inclusiveness Level of exclusiveness

Only product that assesses hands-on competency – more fidelity in our assessments

History of developing these credentialing methods

Longevity of the organization Dedicated, hardworking, and imaginative

Board of Trustees Well respected Executive Director Strong Central Office Staff

Diversity in many different factors Diversity committee is a standing

committee of the organization Umbrella organization that has multiple

specialties being board certified Founded on psychology and have a

scientific knowledge base Increasingly at the education, training, and

credentialing tables No other peer organizations

Absence of a public recognition for both board certification and ABPP

Voluntary leadership has many competing professional demands

Lack of peer pressure and expectation Confusion to the public Not masters of our own fate Well kept secret in our own profession Too modest

Within psychology, seen as exclusive, elitist, and irrelevant

We have missed opportunities Lack a sufficiently diverse array of

communication medium that will appeal to all generations

Lack sufficient financial resources No or very little empirical evidence that

board certified psychologists are high quality

Impressive board High quality board certified psychologists Cadre of ABPP ambassadors American Psychological Association

Graduate Student (APAGS) article Liaison relationships with many key

organizations ABPP book Executive Director and Central Office staff Upcoming Continuing Education conference

APA events Meet and greet for Directors of Clinical

Training Some specialties have conferences Liaison relationships with key publishers

and editors

Agree upon a soft target for number of new board certified psychologists and work toward that goal

Partner with the most likely education, credentialing, and student groups to increase number of board certified psychologists and the value of board certification (e.g., APA Education Directorate, CCTC, ASPPB, APAGS)

Communicate the ABPP message through multiple venues, including success stories

Craft an internal document and blueprint to help specialty boards be more successful and to communicate most effectively with the public

Develop a cadre of ambassadors engaged in moving forward the ABPP agenda (academies, board certified psychologists in leading positions) and ensuring ABPP is more inclusive and diverse and create talking points for them

Devise strategies to help ABPP gain greater public recognition and improve its public relations

Education and credentialing community plan – Kendall*, Hibbard, N. Kaslow, Otto, Cox

Communication plan – Thomas*, Goldberg, Barlow, Lee

Specialty board plan – Sweet*, Eichel*, Ronan, Tansy

Ambassador plan – F. Kaslow*, Besyner, Davidson, Morris, Goldstein

Public recognition and relations plan – Linton*, Nezu, Douglas, Pollard

Checklist for specialty board Connect with education community Connection with ASPPB Cadre of ambassadors – engaging them, 1

page of talking points

Communication plan Pick group to partner with and develop

active partnership Set target number and plan to move toward

it