Diversity, Social Justice & Inclusion Committee
The DSJI has been an integral part of DCPA for the past seven years, but over the last two years, they have managed to increase their scope and help DCPA prioritize multiple diversity initiatives. Currently led by Drs. Keri Kirk and Antoine Crosby, the DSJI aimed to advance the understanding of the impact of differences in race, ethnicity, culture, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, language and ability on our daily lived experiences as practitioners, students and community while advocating for social change.
The DSJI calls for promotion of diversity of our membership and association, in addition to implementing strategies to ensure not only recruitment but retention. The DSJI became a committee with diverse backgrounds (religion, sexuality, race, age, ethnicity, language and culture). DSJI created two innovative positions for student leadership within the committee. These positions allow for students to be seen and their voices to be heard. DSJI addresses equity, diversity and inclusion on campus, and provides externships and internships in addition to students concerns (academic and professional training). The student representative is provided with opportunities to lead student discussion panels and co- host webinars, network with psychologists in the field, access mentorship opportunities by several DSJI committee members and DCPA members with other psychologists, advocate for diversity and social justice issues.
Additionally, DSJI partnered with academic institutions and organizations such as Howard University, Greater Washington Urban League, and Georgetown University. The committee collaborated on statements and a series of educational webinars for educators, psychologists, counselors, students and members of the community. The DSJI team also addressed various media requests ranging from microaggressions to domestic violence. DSJI also created a multimedia resource library to provide DCPA members and the community social justice, LGBTQIA, religion, disabilities, and difficult conversations resources.
Lastly, the DSJI was instrumental in the DCPA Board receiving an anti-racist training that addressed biases, microaggressions, and learning tools to become better allies for the community. DSJI worked closely with the Professional Development Committee (PDC) to ensure the provision of monthly educational webinars to educate on anti-racism and allyship for clinicians and the public, to include racial trauma, microaggressions training, enhancing safety for clinicians and trainees and affirmation of LGBTQIA.
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Professional Development Committee
Led by Dr. Stephen Stein, the Professional Development component of DCPA is designed to meet the educational and professional needs of the membership. In addition to providing continuing education for licensure, a crucial objective of professional development is to provide training programs that address the emerging needs and challenges of the mental health profession and the community. The PDC worked closely with the DSJI to provide empathic attunement, awareness and clinical training, skill acquisition and capabilities designed to meet the challenges we collectively face. They also provided continuing education training on ethics and legality of telehealth, health and fitness, and nutrition and eating disorders. Some of the numerous workshops provided in collaboration with the DSJI committee include anti-racism and allyship trainings for our clinicians and the public, such as Anti-Black Racism; Race, Racism and Racial Trauma; De- Colonization of Mental Health: Nurturing Student Activism (with Howard University); Enhancing Safety for Psychology Trainees; and Racial Microaggressions.
STUDENT COMMITTEE
DC Psychological Association Student Committee is dedicated to enhancing the professional development of graduate students by providing opportunities in advocacy, leadership, networking, research, and training within the DCPA. The current chairs are Kira Charles and Vanessa Anayanso.
GOALS
The student committee will serve the following functions:
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Provide a formal communication network between psychology/behavioral health professionals. and graduate students in the DC area.
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Facilitate professional development in the field of psychology and specialty areas.
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Develop a training resource databank.
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Provide students with a forum to voice training needs and goals for DCPA.
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Allow students the opportunity to present their research locally.
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Foster student leadership within the DCPA.
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Provide students with the opportunity to advocate on Capitol Hill.
MECHANISMS
The aforementioned functions shall be fulfilled in the following ways:
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Promoting DCPA continuing education workshops, conferences and other professional development events (i.e. poster presentations and social hours);
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Establishing a mentoring program for current DCPA student members that will connect students with psychology professionals with the same interests and training background;
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Maintaining a ‘Student Resource’ page on the DCPA website to include direct links to various professional websites and resources (i.e. APA, APAGS), a compiled list of externship/internship sites, and other training opportunities;
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Maintaining a DCPA Student LinkedIn page and a listserv to disseminate relevant professional development activities and resources available to DC area graduate students; the LinkedIn page will also serve as an online forum for students to voice training concerns and goals;
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Fostering student leadership through service as campus liaisons between local graduate psychology programs and the DCPA.​
Early Career Psychologists Committee
The ECP Committee of DCPA provides services, support, and opportunities for Early Career Psychologists (defined as within 10 years of graduation from doctoral program) and currently led by Justin Collman, PhD. We believe strongly that the future psychology is based upon the seeds we help plant, and the openness, support, and encouragement we offer to those who will shape our future. We encourage and assist ECP representation in the governance of the association and field of psychology. It is our goal to create a community for ECP’s that can allow for greater involvement in the mental health community as a whole as well as enhance personal and professional growth.
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GOVERNMENT RELATIONS COMMITTEE
CHAIR: Vacant
The primary objective of the Government Relations Committee (GRC) is to engage in legislative advocacy on the behalf of members of DCPA, the profession of psychology, and recipients of psychological services, as well as in areas in which the perspective of psychological science would be relevant. Both federal and local advocacy efforts are undertaken by this Committee. Additionally, the GRC will provide basic training in conducting advocacy to graduate students and psychologists within Washington DC
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Membership & Marketing Committee
CHAIR: Vacant
The Marketing and Membership Committee of DCPA is dedicated to engaging, retaining, and recruiting association members by monitoring the changing trends, wants and needs of the members of DCPA. The committee's efforts are geared towards fostering community by planning social events, developing membership tools, and distributing marketing materials to engage the DCPA community and membership.
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Ethics Committees
CHAIR: DOUGLAS FAVERO, PHD
The DCPA Ethics Committee is available to answer ethical questions for DC psychologists.
ETHICS COMMITTEE
The basic purpose of the DCPA Ethics Committee is to support and uphold ethical sensitivity and practice among members of the District of Columbia Psychological Association. We serve primarily as an educative and consultative body to our membership, the DCPA Board of Directors and, as appropriate, to the public. We are not an investigative or punitive body. To achieve our goal of providing education, consultation, and support, the committee provides seminars, consultation groups, and individual consultation. For more information contact Doug Favero at robertfavero@aol.com.
Procedures for Individual Ethical Consultation
Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct
COMMITTEE MISSION STATEMENT
The American Psychological Association’s Ethical Principles and Code of Conduct provide a foundation for psychologists' systematic and public application of professional expertise to social issues. Therefore, the overarching mission of this committee is to cultivate and channel engagement, connection and collective responsibility in relevant areas of social justice among DCPA members and the communities we serve.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
We aim to create opportunities for genuine exchange where a diversity of voices and perspectives can be shared.
1. While we value a variety of perspectives, we recognize power and privilege differentials and prioritize marginalized voices.
2. We aim to provide spaces where we can explore and address cultural conditioning and other systemic forces such as racism, sexism, and poverty that promote divisiveness, exploitation and inequity.
3. We aim to connect with the community in visible, accessible and meaningful ways.
4. We recognize the reciprocal benefits of community engagement.
5. We recognize research emphasizing that our social connections and sense of belonging are fundamental human needs, powerfully and intricately linked to our wellbeing.
6. We identify values-based and research-driven platforms for activism.
7. We aim to honor the APA Ethical Principles of Beneficence, Fidelity and Responsibility, Integrity, Justice, and Respect for People's Rights and Dignity.
ACTIONS
1. We will identify priority issues and areas of focus around which to raise awareness, advocate and organize actions.
2. We will self-educate to address our own blind spots and areas of insufficient knowledge, so that we can respectfully be in solidarity with members of our DC community.
3. We will provide training and professional development opportunities for our membership in identified areas of focus.
4. We will partner with organizations in a way that is driven by organizational needs and the priorities of affected community members.
5. We will partner with professional organizations representing different voices and life experiences.
6. We will increase access to mental health services within DC by:
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Assembling resource lists and directories accurately reflecting members’ areas of expertise and community needs.
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Providing support groups, workshops, and empirically supported information in response to community needs, concerns, and crises.
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Making specific outreach efforts to the most vulnerable within our communities.
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Engaging in policy dialogues, making public statements, and advocating for legislation in ways that fulfill our ethical principles and multicultural guidelines and in response to current events.