A Think Tank on Psychology's Future was convened on June 3, 2011, prior to the start of the 74th Annual Convention of the New York State Psychological Association (NYSPA). This Think Tank of 30 psychologists, each selected for their specific expertise, was the product of the Integrated Healthcare Initiative and Task Force initiated by NYSPA President, Donna Rasin-Waters, PhD, and a springboard from the American Psychological Association (APA) 2009 Presidential Summit on the Future of Psychology.
The NYSPA was honored to have as participants, Katherine Nordal, PhD, Executive Director of the APA Practice Organization (APAPO), along with Susan McDaniel, PhD, Nancy Ruddy, PhD, Bob McGrath, PhD and James Bray, PhD, all national-level advocates for the future of psychology. They joined NYSPA members to brainstorm and develop priorities for how psychology can be "on the train" of healthcare reform given its upcoming challenges in service delivery.
Participants were divided into six small groups each focusing on a different aspect of psychology. The Groups and their participants are noted:
1. PRACTICE
4. ADVOCACY & PUBLIC EDUCATION
Bill Barr, Roy Aranda*
Virna Little*, Abigail Batchelder
Katherine Nordal, Elena Eisman
Nick Tolchin, June Feder
Yasmeen Yamini-Benjamin, Peter Kanaris
2. RESEARCH
5. TRAINING & CONTINUING EDUCATION
Chris Allen, Tanya Gesek
Mike Femenella, Jean Lau Chin
Paul Krebs*, Susan McDaniel
Alexa Polverino, Bob McGrath
Jeanette Sawyer Cohen, Nancy Ruddy*
3. FINANCIAL STRUCTURE 6. DIVERSITY
Valerie Abel*, Rich DioGuardi, James Bray,Natasha Brown*, Eric Neblung, Beverly Green, Miguelina Rodriquez, Marianne,Jackson, Kristin Talka, Janice Williams
*identified group representative to Think Tank Executive Comm.
General themes that emerged and overlapped among groups highlighted the necessity for psychology as a profession to be a "leader" in establishing policy and forming models in developing healthcare systems.
Specifically, we have seen APA advocate with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to include psychologists as providers in Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) in the Medicare Shared Savings Program. Similarly, NYS needs to be at the forefront in policy making focused on the roll out and interpretation at the state level of the 2010 federal law, The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). This means that NYSPA's immediate goals and proposed next steps include a focus:
1. On building collaborations and partnerships with other statewide organizations such as The Community Health Care Association of NYS (primary care associations), and nursing organizations (advanced practice nurses, ) both of which will provide primary care and integrated treatment of behavioral/mental health services within future emerging delivery systems.
2. On making sure that psychology has a voice in setting regulations, and sitting on the regulatory boards of the NYS ACOs and State Health Exchanges (SHE) as they evolve at the state level.
At its conclusion, the Think Tank identified representatives from each of the six groups to continue to work with the Integrated Healthcare Task Force in these six areas to ensure that NYS psychologists have options towards developing competencies in integrated behavioral health.
This effort will continue through 2011 as a Presidential Initiative, with the progress regularly reported to the NYSPA membership.
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