Women's Programs Office

American Psychological Association

Women’s Programs Office

2009 Semi-Annual Report

Staff:Shari Miles-Cohen, PhD, Senior Director; Tanya Burrwell, Assistant Director; Josephine Gyamerah, Women’s Programs Assistant, Gabe Twose, Women’s Programs Intern.

I. Information Item

A.Background: brief overview and purpose of committee

The Women's Programs Office (WPO) works to improve the health, education, well-being, and status of women psychologists and consumers of psychological services. WPO activities span the science, practice, education, and policy arenas. The Office works to:

1. coordinate APA's efforts to ensure equal opportunities for women psychologists
2. as practitioners, educators, and scientists;
3. analyze initiatives and trends affecting women within APA and within psychology;
4. eliminate gender bias in research, diagnosis and treatment, and education and training;
5. promote the inclusion of women in research studies and encourage the analysis of sex and gender in the conduct and reporting of the results of research;
6. improve women’s access to health and mental health services and promote the inclusion of psychosocial and behavioral factors in women's health research and practice;
7. monitor the welfare of women as consumers of psychological services, analyze the impact of governmental initiatives on women, and promote the development and application of psychological knowledge.

B.Report on the activities for current reporting period-- The following report focuses on activities of the Women's Programs OfficeJanuary 2009-July 2009. Additional information and copies of publications are available at

Staffing

In March 2009, the WPO welcomed intern Ms. Ge’Vonna Keyes to the WPO team; Ms. Keyes helped plan and develop of materials for the LIWP. We truly appreciated Ms. Keyes’contributions to WPO and we wish her the best of luck in all future endeavors.

In April 2009, the WPO welcomed back Ms. Josephine Gyamerah and its newest and youngest member, Alexander Josiah Gyamerah (born January 2009).

Also, in May 2009, WPO welcomed back former WPO staff member Mr. Gabe Twose., in the role of WPO intern for summer 2009. We are pleasedto have the opportunity to work with Mr. Twose again.

Governance Support:

WPO provided staff support for the Committee on Women in Psychology (CWP), which met March 20-22, 2009.In addition, the WPO continues to provide staff support for the follow-up activities related to the Task Force on Mental Health and Abortion, the Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls, and theCWP Leadership Institute for Women in Psychology (LIWP).

Leadership Institute for Women in Psychology (LIWP):

In March 2009, the Women’s Programs Office convened a follow-up workshop for the participants of the inaugural CWP Leadership Institute for Women in Psychology (LIWP) in Washington, DC to provide further leadership and advocacy training. Also, in April 2009 the WPO launched the Leadership Survey for Women in Psychology, which was distributed to 4,400 women psychologists and garnered a 25% response rate.

On June 4th, 2009, the WPO hosted the first Webinar (web-conferencing call) for LIWP participants. Ms. Krysta Jones, Senior Legislative and Federal Affairs Officer for the PI-GRO, led the presentation on public policy process and lobbying. The CWP LIWP future activities include additional Webinars on topics of interest to the program participants.

The second annual CWP Leadership Institute for Women in Psychology (LIWP) will convene on August 4, 2009 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. As with the inaugural LIWP, the second LIWP will also focus on the leadership training needs of a select group of mid-career women psychologists who are APA members in good standing, at least 10 years post-PhD, PsyD, or EdD; and, hold the rank of Associate Professor or above in academic and academic medical settings. For additional information, please contact Dr. Shari Miles-Cohen at or Ms. Josephine Gyamerah at .

Governance Survey:

WPO staff, CWP, and the Center for Workforce Studies (CWS) staffcontinue to discuss issues regarding the governance survey including options for data collection and the future of the survey.

Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls:

The Report of the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls was released February 2007. WPO is completing a draft curriculum for teachers to address issues discussed in the report. Dr. Miles-Cohen also met with the District of Columbia Charter School Board Director and with the director of a local residential facility for abused and neglected girls to discuss testing the curriculum with their students. In addition, WPO plans to pilot the curriculum in the public school system in neighboring jurisdictions, Montgomery County, MD, Prince George’s County, MD, and Arlington County, VA. However, due to budget constraints, the projected launch date for this initiative has been postponed. WPO continues to work to secure external funding to further promote the report. The report is available at For additional information, please contact Dr. Shari Miles-Cohen at .

Task Force on Mental Health and Abortion:

The Report of the Task Force on Mental Health and Abortion was received by the APA Council of Representatives in August 2008. Task Force members and WPO staff worked with the Public and Member Communications Office to develop talking points for the report. Staff continues to work with PI-GRO and the Public and Member Communications Office to disseminate the report. Additionally, staff are currently collaboratingwith PI-GRO on the development of a factsheet for advocacy related purposes. The full text of the report is located at For additional information, please contact Ms. Tanya Burrwell at .

Post Partum Depression Consumer Brochure

WPO has disseminated more than 4,000 PPD consumer brochures, having received requests from a variety of providers and organizations ranging from social work graduate students and clinical psychologists who own private practices to small direct service support centers and emergency triage centers across the United States. This brochure is available at

The WPO received a grant from the American Psychological Foundation to develop translations of the brochure in Spanish and French, and Chinese. CWP chair-elect Dr. Lydia Buki secured reviewers for the Spanish translation of the brochure. In addition, WPO reached out to the minority psychological associations for assistance trans-creating the Chinese, French and Spanish language brochures into culturally and linguistically appropriate materials. For additional information, please contact Dr. Shari Miles-Cohen, at or Ms. Tanya Burrwell at .

Women’s Psych-E

WPO staff continues to write and disseminate Women's Psych-E, a free monthly electronic newsletter that focuses on psychological aspects of women's health and well-being, research initiatives and opportunities for psychologists, announcements about meetings and conferences, WPO and the Committee on Women in Psychology (CWP) news, and general information about women and psychology. (To subscribe, send an email to the editor, Ms. Josephine Gyamerah at .) Recent issues are available at:

WPO staff began preparing the new edition of Womenin the American Psychological Association which provides data on the numbers of women participating as members and serving in leadership roles in psychology, including in divisions; in state associations; on the boards and committees that make up APA’s governance structure; in the publications process as editors, associate editors and reviewers; and in APA’s central office. Recent budget constraints and staff shortages have caused some ongoing reports/initiatives to be halted and/or postponed. The revision is expected to be complete by Fall 2009.

2009 APA Convention Events:WPO will provide staff support for the following APA Convention events in Toronto, Ontario, Canada:

1. 2nd Annual APA Leadership Institute for Women in Psychology (LIWP)

Tuesday, August 4, 8:00 a.m. – 6:50 p.m., Tudor Room 8, Fairmont Royal York Hotel

Chair: Helen Coons, PhD, LIWP Planning Committee Chair

2. Business Meeting: Committee on Women in Psychology Network Meeting.

Friday, August 7, 8:00 – 9:50, Library, Fairmont Royal York Hotel

Chair: Jane Simoni, PhD, CWP Chair-elect

3. How We Did It --- Discussions with Women APA Journal Editors

Friday, August 7, 11:00 a.m. – 12:50 p.m., Manitoba Room, Fairmont Royal York Hotel

Chair: Karen F. Wyche, PhD

4. Symposium: Innovations in Reducing Incarceration and Recidivism: Working with Diverse Groups
Friday, August 7, 12:00–1:50 p.m., Metro Toronto Convention Centre, South Bldg, Room 712

Chair:

5. Research and Training Funding --- Discussions with Representatives from Federal Agencies

Saturday, August 8, 11:00 a.m. – 12:50 p.m., Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Constitution Hall 105

Chair: Lula A. Beatty, PhD

6. Division 35 Social Hour/ 2009 CWP Leadership Awards presented byLydia P. Buki, CWP Chair

Saturday, August 8, 5:00 p.m. – 6:50 p.m., Ballroom Fairmont Royal York Hotel