Category Archives: News Stories

No Substantive Changes After Public Feedback on Proposed Rules from Psychology Board

After publishing over 19,000 words of new proposed regulations, the Louisiana State Board of Examiners of Psychologists conducted a public hearing on December 16. The board dismissed calls from the public for substantive changes.

Proposed rule changes include those for fees, registration and oversight of assistants, continuing education rules, training, credentials and scope of practice for neuropsychology, specialty designations, ethics for school specialists, and the rules for using an Emeritus title.

More than 20 individuals submitted criticism of the proposed rules, the majority of comments had to do with the oversight of assistants to psychologists.

As required by law, the State Board published a “Notice of Intent” of the changes in November 20 issue of the Louisiana Register. According to several sources attending the public meeting, the board members wanted to avoid “substantive” changes brought about by feedback, which would then require a second Notice of Intent.

Dr. Kim VanGeffen from the Public Affairs Committee of the Louisiana Psychological Association, noted, “The Board stated that they will be unlikely to make major changes to the Rules as, to do so, would require reposting the Rules and having another period of commentary. They may make what they would term minor changes.”

The Times asked Dr. Greg Gormanous, current chair of the State Board, to comment and he  agreed to provide individual feedback. ” I am offering my comment as an individual. Also I am stipulating that you include the entire quote,” Dr. Gormanous wrote.

“The public hearing on rule making initiated by LSBEP served its purpose. Written comments  were read into the record. The written comments were from many people who were attending virtually. LSBEP also requested oral comments from a member of the public who attended in person. When the hearing ended, the Board, being sensitive to public attendees, next devoted a substantial amount of time and discussed most of the comments. Those deliberations resulted in several important non-substantive tweaks,” he said.

The board appeared to ignore the requests to show evidence of a need for the new detailed oversight and management regulations for assistants, a problem voiced by many of those commenting.

Public comments also included details of managing assistants. According to VanGeffen, “The  Board explained that the process of registering assistants will require an ‘administrative review’  and not full approval of the Board,” said VanGeffen. “Some people commented that the current wording of the Rules suggests that one would have to employ the person first before submitting the application for registration.” Also, “Currently the Rules require that the supervisor be “on  site” while the assistant is performing services,” she noted. “There were a number of comments  about how this is not consistent with the new Medicare guidelines […]. “There were questions about whether ATAPs who are currently employed would be “grandparented.'”

The new regulations effort stems from the 2021 House Bill 477, legislation put forth by the  Louisiana State Board of Examiners of Psychologists, now Act 238.

HB 477, authored by Representative Joe Stagni, was a compromise measure following the downsizing of a 23-page bill introduced by the psychology board in 2020 and then again in 2021. Under pressure from opponents, the board agreed to substitute a fee bill, telling sources that without the increased fees the board would not be able to operate in the future. This  message resonated with the majority of those attending a special meeting of the Louisiana Psychological Association called for by petition of those opposing the measure.

According to the Notice of Intent, the proposed rule changes will increase revenue collections for the LSBEP by $21,000 for FY 23 and $18,050 in FY 24 and FY 25. The estimate is 420 assistants.

Also according to the Notice, the Board claims that benefits include a positive impact for licensed psychologists and also for competition.

“The proposed rule changes will benefit Licensed Psychologists by reducing their risks associated with hiring unqualified individuals to work with vulnerable populations…” And, “The proposed rule changes are anticipated to have a positive effect on competition and employment. Licensed Psychologists who utilize ATAP’s are able to serve a larger client base than if working independently.

Next, the Board is required to respond to all comments and submit a report to legislative oversight committees, House Committee on Health and Welfare and the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare, according to the Administrative Procedures Act.

“The agency shall issue a response to comments and submissions describing the principal reasons for and against adoption of any amendments or changes suggested in the written or oral comments and submissions. In addition to the response to comments and submissions, the agency may prepare a preamble explaining the basis and rationale for the rule, identifying the data and evidence upon which the rule is based, and responding to comments and submissions. Such preamble and response to comments and submissions shall be furnished to the respective legislative oversight subcommittees […]

Also, “Prior to the adoption, amendment, or repeal of any rule or the adoption, increasing, or decreasing of any fee, the agency shall submit a report relative to such proposed rule change or fee adoption, increase, or decrease to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature and the presiding officers of the respective houses as provided in this Section. […]

This review is to include numerous items including: “(3) The specific citation of the enabling legislation purporting to authorize the adoption, amending, or repeal of the rule or purporting to authorize the adoption, increasing, or decreasing of the fee. […] ” (ii) A summary of all comments received by the agency, a copy of the agency’s response to the summarized comments, and a statement of any tentative or proposed action of the agency resulting from oral or written comments received.”

The oversight subcommittees determine among other things, whether the rule change or action on fees is in conformity with the intent and scope of the enabling legislation, and whether the rule change or action on fees is acceptable or unacceptable to the oversight subcommittee.

The public meeting was held December 16 and according to the Administrative Procedures Act was required to be at least 35 days after the notice was published. The Notice was published November 20, 2022. According to the Act, “Any hearing pursuant to the provisions of this Paragraph shall be held no earlier than thirty-five days and no later than forty days after the after the publication of the Louisiana Register in which the notice of the intended action appears.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Louisiana Attorney Gen Jeff Landry Files Lawsuit On Government Involvement in Social Media/Speech

Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry and Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt have brought a lawsuit to show the federal government is colluding with social media companies to censor speech. This according to Landry’s office.

Attorney General Landry said in a press release on December 6, 2022, “Our case has exposed many ways the federal government colluded with social media companies to censor freedom of speech on their platforms. Chan’s deposition showed that the FBI was part of this incredible conspiracy. All Americans should be alarmed and outraged!”

Attorney General Schmitt said, “Missouri and Louisiana are leading the law in exposing exactly how the federal government colluded with social media companies to suppress speech online. Our deposition makes it clear that the FBI played an outsized role in working to censor speech ahead of the 2020 election.”

As part of the lawsuit, Landry and Schmitt deposed FBI supervisory special agent Elvis Chan. Chan testified that he and the FBI had quarterly meetings then monthly meetings with major social media companies in the leadup to the 2020 election. During these meetings, Chan
warned of the potential for a Russian “hack and dump” operation. The deposition testimony was able to show how the federal government and the FBI colluded with social media companies to sensor freedom of speech on their various social media platforms.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Governor Edwards Names Terri Ricks Head of DCFS

On December 21, Gov. John Bel Edwards named Terri Ricks the new secretary of the Department of Children and Family Services, according to the press release. Ricks has been serving as interim Secretary since former Sec. Marketa Walters stepped down last month. Gov. Edwards also named Amanda Brunson as Deputy Secretary. Brunson has been with DCFS since 2021, when she was hired as Special Projects Officer in the Child Welfare Division.

“I want to thank Terri and Amanda for their dedication and willingness to fill these important roles,” said Gov. Edwards. “No doubt there are many challenges facing child welfare agencies, including here in Louisiana, but I am impressed by the way Terri has taken her years of knowledge and put it into leading the department and finding solutions. Amanda likewise will be a vital asset as we work to give Louisiana’s children the services they deserve.”

According to the press release, Ms. Ricks has played an essential role in the leadership and management of DCFS and has been responsible for enterprise-wide efforts since 2016. Those efforts include leading the restructuring of DCFS in 2016 and fundamentally reframing the Family Support Division to include a greater emphasis on workforce initiatives, a shift to more family-centered child support, increased client access through more robust customer service, and increased poverty competency of staff. Ms. Ricks represents DCFS on the Governor’s Workforce and Education Subcabinet, a cross-agency collaborative effort primarily focused on harnessing Louisiana’s untapped talent. She also led the efforts to create the department’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) unit. Responsive to Louisiana’s needs, she has increased partnerships with community organizations, national foundations, and others to decrease poverty and increase equity and family stability.

 

 

 

Gov. Edwards Touts Positive Outcomes of Criminal Justice Reforms

In two press releases, Gov. John Bel Edwards touted the state’s improved criminal justice program after a November report by PEW and a bipartisan report by the Pelican Commission Institute highlighted significant improvements in Louisiana’s criminal justice reform outcomes.

In December, the Governor said the Pelican Institute, a conservative think tank, released an analysis of crime data in Louisiana that drew four conclusions:

1) Property crimes are decreasing in Louisiana 2) Increases in violent crime were a nationwide event in 2020, impacting almost every state 3) Violent crime increases in Louisiana were lower than in other southern states 4) Increases in violent crime are not correlated with criminal justice reforms or decreased incarceration rates.

According to the announcement, one of the key goals of bipartisan criminal justice reform was to reserve prison beds and law enforcement resources for more dangerous offenders.  Incarceration numbers for Louisianans convicted of non-violent crimes have dropped significantly thanks to bipartisan criminal justice reform, but Louisiana now has more people incarcerated for violent offenses than before criminal justice reform. According to the Pelican Institute analysis, violent offenders are also serving longer sentences now than they were before bipartisan criminal justice.

“This report proves that bipartisan criminal justice reform has actually helped Louisiana
fight the nationwide increase in violent crime by focusing our law enforcement resources on violent offenders,” said Governor John Bel Edwards. “Don’t let lazy narratives fool you. We have gotten smarter on crime, and tougher on violent crime. Conservative, liberal, and non-partisan experts all agree that our reforms have been successful, because the data proves it. We still have a lot of work to do to bring down crime rates, but we’re better off thanks to bipartisan criminal justice reform.”

In November, the Governor’s office pointed out that the Pew Charitable Trusts published
Gov. Edwards Touts Positive Outcomes of Criminal Justice Reforms, continued a story highlighting the transformative impact bipartisan criminal justice reforms have had on Louisiana in the five years since taking effect.

Reporting for PEW, Michelle Russell wrote:

“This fall marks five years since Louisiana enacted its landmark criminal justice reforms. Signed by Governor John Bel Edwards in 2017, the 10 bills passed with strong bipartisan majorities and followed the recommendations of the Louisiana Justice Reinvestment Task Force, an interbranch body of justice system leaders and stakeholders.

“The new laws included changes to sentencing, corrections, and community supervision. In the legislation, policymakers focused on ensuring adequate prison space for those who pose a public safety threat, strengthening probation and parole practices, eliminating barriers to reentering society, and reinvesting savings to reduce recidivism and support victims. Using the most recent publicly available data, here are five findings about how Louisiana’s system has changed since the reforms took effect.

“The state’s prison population has fallen 24%, driven entirely by a decline in people convicted of nonviolent offenses.

“Louisiana’s reforms sought to steer people convicted of less serious crimes away from prison and shorten the time incarcerated for those who could be safely supervised in the community.  In the summer of 2017, before the new laws took effect, there were about 35,500 people under the Louisiana Department of Corrections’ jurisdiction held in prisons or local jails throughout the state. By the summer of 2022, that number had fallen nearly a quarter to about 27,000. A report recently presented to lawmakers showed that the declining prison population was entirely driven by a reduction in people convicted of nonviolent offenses. That number shrank by about 11,000 between 2016 and 2021. Over the same period, the number of individuals who were incarcerated for violent offenses increased by almost 1,400.”

Dr. Susan Tucker, psychologist, was involved in these reforms. She was previously the Assistant Warden, licensed psychologist, and program developer at the Bossier Parish Correctional Center, designed the Steve Hoyle Intensive Substance Abuse Treatment Program. The program first began at the Forcht Wade Correction Center Keithville, Louisiana, and was relocated to the Medium Security Facility for the Bossier Sherriff located between Benton and Plain Dealing, LA.

Tucker’s programs earned state and national recognition, including a legislative commendation, the Residential Substance Abuse Treatment grant, and the governor’s grant for prevention. In 2010 the Vera Institute of Justice, an organization dedicated to improving justice systems through research and innovation, noted that the program, “…should be a model for the nation.”

In 2015, the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation of the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University has named Dr. Susan Tucker and her treatment programs as one of this year’s recipients of the prestigious Bright Ideas awards for innovation. 

 

 

 

 

Gov. Appoints Dr. Fanning, Others to Boards

In June, the Governor announced that he reappointed Dr. John T. Fanning of Jefferson to the  Traumatic Head and Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund Advisory Board. Dr. Fanning is a clinical  psychologist. He will serve as a representative of an organization recognized for its work in  advocacy programs for persons with traumatic head injuries.

In September the governor announced additional appointments, including:

Rebecca L. Mandal-Blasio of Mandeville has been appointed to the Louisiana Behavior Analyst  Board. Ms. Mandal-Blasio is senior clinical director of Learn Behavioral LLC, Autism Spectrum  Therapies. She will serve as a behavior analyst nominated by the Louisiana Behavior Analysis Association.

Courtney B. Wright of New Orleans has been appointed to the Louisiana Behavior Analyst  Board. Ms. Wright works with Children’s Autism Center, LLC. She will serve as a behavior analyst nominated by the Louisiana Behavior Analysis Association.

Laura J. Fazio-Griffith, Ph.D. of Baton Rouge was reappointed to the Louisiana Licensed Professional Counselors Board of Examiners. Fazio-Griffith is a licensed professional counselor  and associate professor of counseling at Southeastern Louisiana University. She was nominated by the Louisiana Counseling Association and will serve as a counselor educator.

Amanda E. Johns, Ph.D. of New Orleans was appointed to the Louisiana Licensed Professional  Counselors Board of Examiners. Johns is an assistant professor with Nicholls State University. She will serve as an educator who is a licensed professional counselor and whose function is  the training of mental health counselors in accredited programs.

Roy A. Salgado Jr., Ph.D., of New Orleans, was reappointed to the Louisiana Licensed  Professional Counselors Board of Examiners. Salgado is a licensed professional counselor  supervisor and licensed marriage and family therapist supervisor. He is a professor of  counselor education and supervision at the University of Holy Cross. He was nominated by the Louisiana Counseling Association and will serve as a counselor educator.

Chastity A. Butler of Monroe has been appointed to the Licensed Professional Counselors Board of Examiners. Ms. Butler is clinical director of Seaside Healthcare. She will serve as a licensed professional counselor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

State Board to Take Control Over Psychologists’ Assistants

The state psychology board is proposing new rules and regulations to govern the use of  assistants to Psychologists. The notice for new rules was published in the November issue of  the Louisiana Register. The proposed rules include the conditions for the use of assistants , the responsibilities of supervising psychologists, and the disciplinary activities that the board may engage in for those registered as assistants.

The new oversight conditions stem from the 2021 House Bill 477, legislation put forth by the Louisiana State Board of Examiners of Psychologists, now Act 238.

HB 477, authored by Representative Joe Stagni, was a compromise measure following the downsizing of a 23-page bill introduced by the psychology board in 2020 and then again in 2021. Under pressure from opponents, the board agreed to substitute a fee bill, telling sources  that without the increased fees the board would not be able to operate in the future. This message resonated with the majority of those attending a special meeting of the Louisiana  Psychological Association called for by petition of those opposing the measure.

The language reads:

§2354. Fees

(4) The board shall charge an application fee for the initial registration of each assistant to a psychologist that shall not exceed fifty dollars. The board shall adopt rules in  accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act to implement the provisions of this Paragraph.

Sources from both the state board and the Louisiana Psychological Association that supported  the measure acknowledged that the new regulation was an attempt to raise revenue for the board, which has been struggling financially for a number of years.

The public may submit comments and criticism to the boards office by noon on December 12.  According to the notice, “LSBEP will conduct a Public Hearing at Noon on December 16, 2022, at  the board office located at 4334 S. Sherwood Forest Blvd., Suite C-150, Baton Rouge, LA 70816.  All interested persons are invited to attend and present data, views, comments, or arguments,  orally or in writing.”

The Louisiana Register’s Notice of Intent for new rules and regulations includes the following: 

§1101. Conditions for Utilization of Assistants
A. Upon employment of an ATAP, [Assistant to a Psychologist] but prior to assisting in psychological duties, the Supervising Psychologist shall submit a complete application for initial  registration, required registration fee, and documentation on such form and in such manner as  may be prescribed by the board to demonstrate that the registrant meets all of the following criteria:
1. is 18 years of age or older;
2. possesses a minimum of a high school diploma or its equivalent;
3. is of good moral character as determined by a criminal background check conducted under  the authority of R.S. 37:2356.1 and the provisions of this Part;
4. is not in violation of any of the provisions of the La. Revised Statutes Title 37, Chapter 28.  Psychologists; or the Louisiana Administrative Code, Title 46, Part LXIII; or any provision governing the practice of psychology under the jurisdiction of the board;
5. is qualified, or will receive supervised training commensurate with the services to be performed and is under the direct and continuous supervision of the Supervising Psychologist  as defined in this Chapter.
B. Prior to the approval of any registration, the registrant shall initiate a criminal background check from the Louisiana State Police, Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information in accordance with this Part, and the criminal history records information report must be received  and cleared by the board.
C. Upon review of the application, the board shall notify the licensed psychologist of record that the application and evidence submitted for registration is satisfactory and the registration has  been approved; or that the application or evidence is unsatisfactory and rejected; or other pending status. If the application is rejected, a notice from the board shall include the reasons for the rejection.

§1103. Responsibilities of Supervisors
A. The Supervising Psychologist:
1. is responsible for the registration and renewal of an assistant to a psychologist in conformity  with this Chapter on such form and in such manner as prescribed by the board;
2. directs the provision of psychological services to clients;
3. is administratively, clinically, ethically, functionally, and legally responsible for all activities of the Assistant to a Psychologist;
4. is accountable for the planning, course and outcome of the work. The conduct of supervision  shall ensure the welfare of the client, and the ethical and legal protection of the assistant;
5. is responsible for general communication regarding the needs of the clients and services rendered;
6. is responsible for continuing professional supervision of the ATAP;
7. provides general professional supervision of the ATAP that shall include one cumulative hour  per week as a minimum for direct supervisory contact:
B. Neglect in maintaining the above standards of practice may result in disciplinary action  against the supervisor’s license to practice, including suspension or revocation.

§1109. Exceptions to the Registration of an Assistant to a Psychologist
A. The provisions of this Section shall not apply to the following:
1. a medical psychologist utilizing assistants under the provisions of RS 37:1360.61 under the  jurisdiction of the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners.
2. an individual licensed under this part as a licensed specialist in school psychology who is  providing services defined under RS 37:2356.3.

§1107. Denial, Revocation, or Lapse of a Registration for an Assistant to a Psychologist
A. and take such actions permitted under RS  37:2351-2378, et al in matters involving the ATAP and/or their supervisor. The board has the authority to conduct investigations
B. The board may deny or revoke the registration of an assistant to a psychologist (ATAP) that is  in the best interest of public health, safety, and welfare for any unethical, unlawful, or other  unprofessional conduct under the jurisdiction of the board.
C. Immediate action may be taken to administratively suspend an ATAP’s registration in the  event information is received that the action(s) of an ATAP is causing harm to clients, is  otherwise likely to cause harm to future clients or patients, or the action(s) is unethical or  unlawful. Such action may be taken in instances including but not limited to falsifying  information in an application; and/or receipt of information involving an arrest, warrant for an  arrest, or conviction of the ATAP. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Who Profits? The 50th Percentile EPPP Cut-Off

In January a group of psychologists from the Louisiana Association for Psychological Science  submitted a complaint to the Louisiana State Board of Examiners of Psychologists saying that  the Board is inappropriately using the national licensing exam in a way that discriminates  against Blacks and other minorities, denying their property rights.

The crux of the matter is in the use of the 50th percentile as a pass-fail hurdle for the national examination. This cut-off automatically eliminates half of the candidates seeking a license, all of  which hold doctoral degrees and are otherwise qualified. The cut-off is recommended by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards  ASPPB) and uniformly accepted by the states.

The authors of the complaint said that the cut-off  of the 50th percentile increased the likelihood of “adverse impact” and therefore,  discrimination.

Authors cited the research of Dr. Brian Sharpless, PhD, associate professor at the American  School of Professional Psychology, who in 2018 used a Freedom of Information Act to obtain  exam results from the New York state board of psychology.

Sharpless gathered data on 4892 applicants and their exam scores over a 25-year period and  found that Blacks had a failure rate of 38.50% and Hispanics had a failure rate of 35.60%.  Whereas, Whites had a failure rate of 14.07% and Asians had a failure rate of 24%. Sharpless  has found similar problems in Connecticut. Whites had a 5.75% failure rate, Blacks had a  23.33% failure rate, and Hispanics had a 18.6% failure rate.

Differences in pass rates constitute adverse impact and according to the EEOC, can be taken as  discrimination, unless proven otherwise with careful research.

The request for an investigation was denied by the Louisiana board.

In this report, we review the context, conflicts of interest, and the involvement of the  Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards in the decisions of Louisiana gatekeepers.

Racial discrimination

By law, an applicant for a state psychology license must pass a national exam, but the law does  not indicate the cut-off for passing. That detail is set by the rules of the state board. In 1983 the  rule was that the applicant had to pass at the 25th percentile. Between that time and now the  cut-off has been changed to the 50th percentile. This score fails 50% of test takers, including  those who fall in the bottom half of the average range.

Several sources confirm that the higher the cut-off is set the more likely adverse impact will be  found and a discriminatory result.

According to an ASPPB report, the exam is developed by creating test items coming from a  sample of survey respondents who are psychologists. However, 85.4% of those responding are white, while only 2.6% responding are Black. Only 3.6% are Hispanic.

Furthermore, Louisiana contributed only 1/2 of one percentage point to the total respondents. In comparison, California contributed 21.6%, Michigan contributed 5.8%, and Ontario  contributed 6.4%.

Blacks and individuals from Louisiana are significantly underrepresented in the test  development process.

One Black candidate told the Times, “We’ve known for a long time that the test discriminates– we learned it in graduate school. But there’s nothing we, as students, can do about it.”

Michael Cunningham, PhD, Professor of Psychology, Africana Studies and Associate Provost at  Tulane, points to potential problems with item development.

“Like all standardized exams, people with the highest pass rates tend to very similar in racial  and ethnic backgrounds as the test developers,” he said. “For many standardized tests, experts  examine items for bias when there is an adverse impact of a question for males or females. In  these cases, when bias still exists after an item analysis, the question is excluded. I don’t think  similar considerations are done for racial/ethnic or SES backgrounds.”

One business psychologist said that in the private sector the ASPPB’s approach would not be  accepted. “Business owners would not take the risk of having adverse impact. We would be adjusting cut-offs and adding unbiased tests to the overall selection program, so that our clients could avoid adverse impact.”

An additional weakness in the use of the national exam is that there is no research connection  to outcomes, those that score better are not proven to be better psychologists. ASPPB acknowledges the exam limitations. On their webpage officials state, “There is no suggestion  that people who do better on the EPPP [the exam] will be better practitioners.”

Industrial-organizational psychologist Dr. William Costelloe, who works in the private sector,  agrees. There is no other choice these days, he told the Times, “… predictive validation studies must be conducted.”

Criticisms have been mostly dismissed by officials at the ASPPB. In an answer published in the  American Psychologist, APPB employees Drs. Matthew Turner, John Hunsley and Emil Rodolfa defended their decisions. “The standards emphasize that licensure/credentialing examinations  are built from a content validation framework, and this framework is used for licensure examinations across professions,” they said.

In April 2018, then ASPPB CEO, Dr. Stephen DeMers, met with members of the Louisiana State  Board of Examiners of Psychologists and representatives of Louisiana Psychological Association  (LPA).

About the meeting, Dr. Kim VanGeffen, Chair of LPA Professional Affairs, said, “Dr. DeMers  acknowledged that, currently, there is not really any research on the validity of the EPPP-2.  There do not seem to be any plans to obtain predictive validity…”.

Dr. Marc Zimmermann, past LSBEP board member, also attended. “He [Dr. DeMers] stated that  there is no predictive validity,” said Zimmermann. “… DeMers had the temerity to try to sell us  something that does not meet the standard that psychological tests being published are  expected to have.”

Additionally, there is little evidence of a public safety problem requiring a high cut-off.

“There is no evidence that the public is facing some sort of previously unheard of crisis in terms  of safety from currently practicing psychologists,” said Dr. Amy Henke, who spearheaded a  Resolution opposing the addition of a second exam. “Trainees are already held to high  standards through a variety of benchmarks.”

Statistics support her claim. Data from their own ASPPB Disciplinary Data System: Historical  Discipline Report show rates of disciplinary actions for psychologists to be consistently low. For  an estimated 125,000 psychologists in the US and Canada, the disciplinary rates remain around  1–2 per 1,000.

Who Profits? ASPPB Sells the National Exam

ASPPB’s main income producing product is the national exam, generating 94 percent of their  total revenues.

The ASPPB sells the EPPP, the national exam, to candidates who are required to take the exam by the state boards, and the state boards are members of ASPPB. 

According to the most recent information posted by the IRS, the exam and related services  generated $6,137,348 in 2018. This accounted for 94% of the Association’s 2018 income.

Exam income was $5,378,524 in 2017, and $4,916,406 in 2016. Total revenue for 2018 was  $6,505,651. Revenue for 2017 was $6,645,731 and $5,933,473 for 2016. GuideStar estimates  their assets at $11,013,348.

ASPPB is a 501(c) tax-exempt corporation whose official mission is to, “Facilitate communication among member jurisdictions about licensure, certification, and mobility of professional  psychologists.”

The “members” are the approximately 64 regulatory boards from across the United States and  Canada. These boards pay dues to ASPPB. The Louisiana Board’s records note they pay approximately $2,500 for annual ASPPB dues.

But the associations goals appear to go beyond facilitating communication. In their 2016 “Game Plan,” they listed their primary goal as, “1. offering exemplary examination and credentialing programs.”

They report a total of $2,278,482 for compensation of key employees, other salaries and wages, contributions to pension plans, employee benefits and payroll taxes.

In 2018, the CEO, M. Burnetti-Atwell, received pay and benefits of $255,936. In 2017, Dr. Steven  DeMers, then CEO, received $270,784.

“With a lot of cash sitting on the balance sheet, the strategy is to maximize expenses,” said an  MBA in reviewing the information for the Times. “The extra profits are likely to go into perks  rather than price cuts,” he said.

Examples of this appear to include items like travel, which includes travel for spouses or  companions. The organization spent $949,483 on travel in 2018 and $1,169,743 on travel in  2017.

Some years ago, ASPPB appears to have embraced a more aggressive corporate strategy. An  insider told the Times, “In 2010 or somewhere around that time they [ASPPB] were in New  Orleans and they implied that they would be making a lot of money on the new test.”

In a Letter of Agreement from ASPPB to the boards in late 2012, ASPPB wrote that the exam is  “made available as a service to psychology licensure boards that are ASPPB members in good standing as signified by payment of membership dues.” ASPPB owns the intellectual property  rights to the EPPP and the data generated by the testing program, the authors also explained.

Prior to 2013 ASPPB contracted with Professional Examination Service (PES) for delivering the  EPPP. Each state or jurisdiction had a contract with PES. But in 2013 ASPPB informed the boards
that their contracts with PES were being “replaced with a contract between your jurisdiction and the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards.”

In the letter, ASPPB officials wrote, “ASPPB and PES have agreed that it would be simpler and  more appropriate for ASPPB to contract directly with the 64 psychology regulatory agencies that are members of ASPPB.”

ASPPB said that the change would be “mutually beneficial because ASPPB can now provide a  simplified agreement that is more specific to the needs of psychology licensure boards. In  addition, the renewal of contracts is expected to be more efficient…” And, “Finally, as voting  members of ASPPB, each jurisdiction exercises more oversight of this important examination  service by contracting directly with ASPPB for examination services.”

One undisclosed insider thinks the corporate objective for ASPPB is to be a central source for  regulation of psychologists. “They want to ultimately do all the licensing and regulating for  psychology,” said the insider. “They want to regulate all the telepsychology.” And, “They want to  be the Walmart.”

ASPPB protects its turf. “If you are not a member or staff of an ASPPB Member Psychology  Regulatory Board or an individual member, you are not eligible to access this section of our  website,” they write. Their conferences are also members only.

They communicate a strict policy of confidentiality, “The authority to correspond with other  individuals, committees or organizations and express the opinions or position of the  Association is reserved for the current President of the Association and/or the Chief Executive Officer or his designee and/or the Board of Directors.

“To ensure acknowledgment of this Spokesperson Policy, and to verify necessary confidentiality  compliance, the Association requires a signed confidentiality agreement by all Committee/Task  Force and chair members, …”

*****

Who profits from the 50th percentile cut-off? Not the public. There is no evidence of a safety  problem that would be corrected by a high cut-off score. On the contrary, this situation has  contributed to the severe shortage of psychologists in Louisiana, with only one for every 6,000  citizens.

Who profits? The IRS notes that the 501(c) 6 “… may not be organized for profit to engage in an  activity ordinarily carried on for profit (even if the business is operated on a cooperative basis  or produces only enough income to be self-sustaining).” The ASPPB is profitable.

These problems might start with the ASPPB, but legally and morally they land at the doorstep of every state psychology board. The situation hits Louisiana particularly hard. While only 4% of  licensed psychologists nationwide are African-Americans, Louisiana has a 34% Black population,  a group chronically underserved by mental health professionals. Louisiana is  specifically in need of psychologists who understand the Black experience. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jungian Analyst & Author Dr. Del McNeely Finds Psychotherapy in Decline

Jungian Psychoanalyst and author, Dr. Del McNeely, in her book, Mercury Rising: Women, Evil  and the Trickster Gods, explains the value of the Trickster archetype.

The Trickster plays a critical role in psychotherapy, says McNeely. As an archetype of transition,  the Trickster can guide the journey of “individuation” that is essential in psychotherapy. The  Trickster mediates between the conscious and unconscious world, Dr. McNeely points out, a  needed requirement in psychotherapy for truth and psychological growth.

In her book Becoming, she considers the issue that personal growth for the individual is being  dismissed by both the profession and the medical industrial complex. What does she think are  the main problems with today’s marketplace and the dismissive approach to individuals’ growth and development?

“I believe the more we uncover, the more light shines through onto the conscious world and the wider and deeper our vision becomes,” Dr. McNeely said.

“Medication can help us feel better, but it does not get us to any new information about our  complex selves. Only talking and opening to new thinking can do that. After listening to my  interview with Laura London, I wondered, ‘Did I get across the sense that individuating implies  that one becomes, not more introverted and self-obsessed, but more aware of one’s  responsibility to society?’ I do address this in the book, but I may not have focused much on it in the interview. A consequence of individuating is that one recognizes the importance of  contributing to one’s fellow human beings with empathy, compassion, and active participation  in society.”

Dr. McNeely recently heard an interview with a prominent psychiatrist who presides over an  eminent medical complex, and he spoke for one hour about the problem of the shortage of  Adderall and other anxiety reducing drugs. He talked about how this was attempted to be  handled, how people could minimize their concerns until the drug was replaced, but Dr.  McNeely said she was shocked he never once mentioned psychotherapy. This should be  distressing she noted, in view of the many studies that show how talk therapy is much more  successful than medication alone in treating anxiety, depression, insomnia, obsessive- compulsive, and other psychiatric disorders.

Does she have any ideas for how this can be remedied?

“You can’t accompany someone to a level of consciousness you have not attained yourself,” Dr.  McNeely said. “There is great satisfaction in resolving a complex that has held power over you  for years; to feel compulsions resolve and give way to conscious choices; to watch resentments  and hatreds unravel and disappear in good will; to feel gratitude replace bitterness; to see a  third solution to opposites that were impossible to resolve previously; to see the larger of  several possibilities; to recognize old ego problems you have outgrown; to have a wider vision, a larger container for truth; to find attitudes soften and bodily tensions relax.”

And what is her advice to psychotherapists in today’s culture?

“Experience in depth psychotherapy should be part of every psychologist’s training. Enjoy the  privilege of being present as people examine their souls,” said Dr. McNeely. “Psychologists  should plan financially to include a sliding scale payment plan in which long-term patients can  afford, as well as offering some pro-bono work for the benefit of the community. Enjoy  gratitude. Psychotherapists know the value of Jung’s approach through clinical results, that is,  watching people enlarge their consciousness and change their attitudes and behavior,  transforming their suffering into psychological well-being.

“However, psychology’s fascination with behavioral techniques, made necessary by financial  concerns and promoted by insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies, has changed  the nature of psychotherapy, and has attempted to dismiss the wisdom of Jung and other  pioneers of the territory of the unconscious mind,” Dr. McNeely said.

Dr. McNeely is a founding member of the New Orleans Jungian Training Seminar, an  organization that trains analysts as part of the Inter-regional Society of Jungian Analysts, and  she remains on the faculty. She is also advisor to the C.G. Jung Society of New Orleans.

“I consider the society a valuable asset to our culture, as we try to present a vision of  psychoanalysis to the public that is more than the Freudian model that was so popular in the  mid-1900s. Freud and Jung both understood the importance of the unconscious.”

What have been some of the most satisfying experiences she has had in mentoring and training others?

“In practicing analysis this observation of Jung has brought me great satisfaction as I can watch  person expand their range of awareness beyond their personal being and become more  conscious of their connection to a larger reality,” Dr. McNeely said. “Most people begin analysis  with uncovering their repressed early history (Freud) and continue on to discover the energetic  center that Jung describes. This is a transformation that is very rewarding for me.”

Dr. McNeely is distinguished in the community for her books and plays. Among her  publications, she has authored four books on Jungian psychology – Touching: Body Therapy &  Depth Psychology; Animus Aeternus: Exploring the Inner Masculine; Mercury Rising: Women,  Evil, & the Trickster Gods; and Becoming: An Introduction to Jung’s Concept of Individuation.

“I’ve also written a memoir,” she explained, “A Russian Lullaby, about my three years in the  Soviet Union. And my one-act play, Visions of Genius, addresses the relationship between Jung, James Joyce, and his daughter Lucia. It was performed on the  evening of March 18, 2016, to benefit the C.G. Jung Society of New Orleans.”

An Atheist, a Priest, and a Jungian Analyst Walk into a Bar, another one-act play, written and  directed by Dr. McNeely, was performed in 2019, also as a fund raiser for the C.G. Jung Society of New Orleans. The actors, all volunteers, gave a staged reading at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of  New Orleans where the Jung Society programs are held.

The play puts forth ideas about many controversial topics in the public awareness today,  explained Dr. McNeely. Examples are: the existence of God; the status of women; attitudes  toward abortion, the clergy and celibacy; college politics; student disquietude; intolerance of  different religions and races; the importance of imagination.

Dr. McNeely said in a previous interview with Laura London, “My books have come about when  something in my life spoke to me and wanted to be expanded upon, like the Trickster complex,  women’s poetry, etc. But I think my main object in writing and speaking is to convey the experience of contentment that comes when we expand consciousness and that connection to  a larger self is made and felt.” She further stated in the interview, “That was a fundamental motive in writing Becoming. I feel  so strongly that someone has to convey this message to young people. You can learn through  talk-therapy to change most problem areas that cause trouble in your life. It takes longer but is  in the end healthier and more rewarding than taking medications and drugs to change behavior faster. Find an analyst you feel compatible with and talk on a regular basis. Talk over your concerns, your feelings about the therapy and the therapist as well, your doubts, dreams,  failures, pride, hopes, traumas, loves, losses … all.”

Dr. McNeely received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Louisiana State University and has  held the Diplomate in Clinical Psychology through the American Board of Professional  Psychology for over 50 years. She studied at the C.G. Jung Institute Zürich and completed her training as an analyst with the Inter-Regional Society of Jungian Analysts in the United States.

How did she choose her career path?

“I began a lengthy psychoanalysis while in graduate school with a Freudian, the brilliant Ed  Knight,” Dr. McNeely said. “I then applied for training at his suggestion but was turned down  because the New Orleans training institute could not take another woman and non-MD at that  time. But several years later I learned about the Jung Institute in Switzerland and realized it was  even more to my inclination, and I was accepted there for training.”

“In graduate school of psychology at LSU, I had the good fortune of having some wonderful  clinicians as professors, like Tom Richards, Joe Dawson, Paul Young and others. They taught  that our best work required developing our most conscious selves. The therapist’s instrument of change is oneself. We were encouraged to seek therapy, to know  ourselves,” Dr. McNeely said.

Where did she get her training in Jungian Analysis and what was it like?

“After spending a year in Zurich, I could not afford to keep living abroad and had to continue  analytic training in the United States. Upon returning to the US, I learned about the newly  formed, InterRegional Society of Jungian Analysts and continued my training there,” she said.

“The training usually takes about 6 years, but I spent much longer due to taking time off to  marry and accompany my husband on his engineering job in the Ukraine. I was in training at  the InterRegional Society of Jungian Analysts from 1974 to 1986. I found the material more  difficult when I was first exposed to Jung’s ideas in Zurich, and so different from the Freudian  and behavioristic programs I was familiar with.

“But then I began to love the readings and discussions, and never tired of doing psychotherapy and analysis. And observing the growth of consciousness in each person. Training included seminars and classes, individual supervision of case work, mentoring and examinations by  committees who observed our progress, and continuing individual analysis,” Dr. McNeely said.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Changes Proposed for Fees, CPD, Neuropsychology, and Emertius

The Louisiana State Board of Examiners of Psychologists is proposing changes to fees, the continuing education rules, training, credentials and scope of practice for Neuropsychology specialty designation, and the rules for using an Emeritus title.

The proposed changes were noticed in the November issue of the Louisiana Register.

Changes to the continuing education requirements include the addition of two hours required credit for training in multiculturalism or diversity.

C. Within each reporting period, two of the required hours or credits of continuing professional development must be within the area of multiculturalism or diversity in accordance with the  limitations specified in §807.

Additionally, changes to continuing education include the board becoming a sponsor of training and new language for those wanting approval to offer continuing education.

The board also proposes to reinstall the Emeritus title for retired psychologists who are no  longer practicing psychology.

According to the notice:

§905. Psychologists Emeritus: Retired

A. A psychologist emeritus: retired is eligible to renew their emeritus status license provided  they submit such renewal application along with the annual renewal fee at the reduced rate  established under Chapter 6 of this Part; and are fully retired from the practice of psychology,  not rendering psychological services in any form, and are not engaging in any activity that might be construed as the practice of psychology within the state of Louisiana.

B. A psychologist emeritus is eligible to renew their current license until July 31 of each year upon submission of the required renewal fee and renewal application form and on showing that the licensee:

1. has been a licensed psychologist for a minimum of 20 years; 2. has no outstanding  complaints or ethical violations; 3. s subject to the LSBEP ethics code; 4. is retired from the  practice of psychology; 5. is only able to use the title psychologist emeritus: retired; 6. is not  required to complete CPD unless they want to reinstate as specified in Subsection C below.

C. A psychologist emeritus: retired is eligible to reinstate their status to Licensed Psychologist  and resume the independent practice of psychology in Louisiana upon submission of a  reinstatement application for licensure including the required reinstatement fee and fulfillment  of all continuing professional development requirements as defined under this Chapter, provided they are not in violation of any of the provisions of the Louisiana Revised Statutes,  Title 37 Chapter 28. Psychologists.

D. A psychologist emeritus returning to full practice after five or more years shall be subject to an oral examination prior to reinstatement to the status of licensed psychologist.

E. A licensee who renews their emeritus status shall be exempt from continuing professional development requirements. The Emeritus title was removed by the 2014-2015 board, because it confuses the public, said 2014 board chair Dr. Rita Culross.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Mixon Honored for LGBTQ+ Advocacy

The Louisiana Psychological Association named Dr. Clifton Mixon for their 2022 Award for  Psychology in the Public Interest, announced at the Spring meeting.

“This award is given to an individual who has made significant scholarly or practical contributions to the health and well-being of the general public through their work in psychology,” said Dr. Amanda Raines, spokesperson for the association.

“This year we are recognizing Dr. Clifton Mixon. Despite being early in his career, Dr. Mixon  serves as an active member of the LPA legislative committee, which meets weekly during the  legislative session. In the 2021 legislative session, he took on a leadership role coordinating LPA’s efforts in advocating for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community. Dr. Mixon has ensured that  LPA is aware of legislation impacting the LGBTQ+ community and that such efforts remain an  active priority for LPA’s advocacy. He even testified on behalf of psychologists who care for  those in the LGBT+ community twice in the legislature this past year. In addition to his roles  within LPA, he serves on several community organizations to advance and promote the well-being and interests of individuals in the LGBTQ+ community,” said Dr. Raines.

According to information from Oschner, Dr. Mixon received his undergraduate and master’s degrees from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge and Southeastern Louisiana University  in Hammond, respectively. He received a doctor of philosophy in child and adolescent clinical psychology from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio.

His publications include: Incremental Benefits of a Daily Report Card Over Time for Youth with  Disruptive Behavior: Replication and Extension. School Mental Health. 12:507-522; Leveraging  Technology to Facilitate Teachers’ Use of a Targeted Classroom Intervention: Evaluation of the Daily Report Card.Online (DRC.O) System. School Mental Health. 11:665-677.

Dr. Mixon is licensed by the Louisiana State Board of Examiners of Psychologists and has been  on staff at Ochsner since 2019. Dr. Mixon’s expertise is in treating children and adolescents with acute, chronic or recurring medical problems and providing affirming care to gender diverse youth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interview with a Dean

Dr. Mary Treuting on Being Dean of LSU Alexandria College of Social Sciences

Mary Boone Treuting, PhD, Professor of Psychology and a licensed psychologist, and who  served as Chair of the Psychology Department at Louisiana State University Alexandria (LSUA),  was promoted to the role of Dean of the College of Social Sciences last year. For this feature, we were able to interview Dr. Treuting and discover some of the challenges and joys of moving

from Professor and department chair to Dean at LSU Alexandria.

Dr. Treuting has served at LSUA since 1994 and was the founding director of the LSUA Center  for Teaching Excellence in 2010 and the Center for Academic Success in 2014, which housed  LSUA’s First Year Experience. 

She was the recipient of the Bolton Award for Teaching Excellence and has held three Endowed Professorships. She is the current holder of the F. Hugh Coughlin Endowed Professorship.

According to the University, the College of Social Sciences offers programs designed to “help  students shape their society and make a meaningful mark on the world.” Degree paths include Criminal Justice, Disaster Science, History, Political Science, or Psychology. Also offered are  courses in Anthropology, Geography, Social Work, and Sociology.

In the fall of 2018, the LSUA Psychology Department was named one of two academic  departments chosen by on-campus students as a 5-Star department, according to officials. The  Bachelor of Science in Psychology was also recognized as one of the nation’s best Online  Psychology Programs by Affordable Colleges Online. LSUA’s program was ranked 38th in the  U.S. and is the highest ranked online psychology program of any Louisiana school.

The Psychology Times asked Dr. Treuting what has it been like for her since she took over as  Dean?

Dr. Treuting: This first year has been quite an adventure as our university has moved into a new academic structure. Much of our time has involved updating policies and processes and  ensuring that students are getting what they need.

A new area for me has been reaching out to the community and showcasing our faculty and  students. I have become more involved with community groups and the usefulness of our degree programs for the workforce. We are continuously looking for ways to connect our  students to careers in their given fields of study and to let the community know about the  quality education that is the LSUA Experience!

I’ve had wonderful mentors from my time in graduate school at LSU through the various  positions held at LSUA. Our current administration is supportive and encouraging, and that  positivity can be felt across campus. We have just had our 8th straight semester of enrollment  growth. In a time when other campuses are seeing enrollment declines, we are poised for  continued progress. Being a part of this endeavor is exciting.

PT: What have been her major goals in this new position?

Dr. Treuting: I want to spread the word about LSUA and the quality education our students  receive here. Major goals include highlighting and increasing student research opportunities,  and promoting degree programs both within the state as well as nationwide, with our online component. I also have made it a priority to reach out to our neighboring parish of Avoyelles,  our second largest student contributor, to raise the LSUA profile in those communities. Our  faculty strive to infuse the curriculum with creative and innovative approaches. LSUA’s Online Psychology program was recently named #2 in the nation for affordability. We believe that students may come to us for our lower costs, and lessor debt, but stay with us because of our  quality programs.

PT: What are the three main challenges she has been faced with?

Dr. Treuting: Of course, Covid has been a challenge for Higher Education in general. LSUA was able to meet those challenges because our faculty worked diligently to ensure students continued to move forward with their degrees and progressed toward graduation.

A second challenge involves staffing and ensuring students are getting the highest quality  education possible. Our traditional class sizes are small, the online components supported by  LSU-Online have increased our reach across the state and nationally. LSUA has a dedicated  group of faculty and staff, and I have enjoyed working with multiple disciplines to ensure we are meeting the needs of our students.

I think a third challenge is one of time. Being out in the community, interacting with a multitude  of stakeholders takes time. I have continued to teach in a limited capacity, but wish I could  clone myself to increase my productivity. There are so many good programs in our community  and so many possible collaborations. I love the brainstorming that goes along with creating  unique student opportunities. We have put together a Dean’s Advisory Council made up of a  wonderful group of students who have actively participated in ideas for strengthening our  programs. Combining ideas across multiple disciplines is intriguing, and a bit challenging, but  also immensely rewarding. Fundraising is a new area for me, but one that I am embracing in  order to meet our goals.

PT: What has she enjoyed the most?

Dr. Treuting: I love the freedom to think broadly and futuristically. The reception and support by our community is palpable. LSUA is poised to not only be innovative in our approach but also our administration is very supportive of a growth mindset and continuous improvement- two of the themes the campus has adopted.

PT: Is she still involved in the psychology department? If so, in what ways? What does she miss  most?

Dr. Treuting: Oh YES!! Our psychology department is an important part of the College of Social  Sciences. Of note, it is one of the largest and fastest growing programs on the entire campus. I  am working with other psychology faculty as we continue to grow and develop that program. I  have maintained my faculty status as a full professor of Psychology. Additionally, within the  college, Psychology has been joined by other degree programs, Criminal Justice, History,  Political Science and Disaster Science. Our college theme is “Shaping Societies” since our common thread is helping students gain the knowledge and skills that will shape their world  within the social context. I miss teaching the most, but am still able to teach at least one  psychology class each semester. I do miss more involvement with psychology students.

PT: Did her background in psychology help prepare her for this new role?

Dr. Treuting: I use “psychology“ every day! I have no doubt that my background in psychology  has prepared me well for this position. I see the Dean’s role as one that assists faculty and  students in the pursuit of their goals. My job is to support them and try to figure out ways to  fulfill their ideas and allow growth to happen. We have so many creative minds; our faculty are  developing new courses and setting up useful internships, which in turn help our students find  their own path. I have been asked to speak to Business Leadership groups, teenagers, prison  employees and women’s groups on topics ranging from emotional intelligence to emotional  health and leadership. Psychology plays a significant role in my world. Active listening, problem  solving, conflict management, and empathy are all frequent skills I depend on to get things done. This is true for programs in Criminal Justice, History, Political and Disaster Science as well  as Psychology.

One of the things I often tell students who are considering Psychology as a major is that if you  plan on working with people, a Psychology degree can be extremely beneficial. We don’t know  what the future holds in terms of specific jobs, but we do know that the science of behavior is  useful in many social settings. I had no ambitions of being a dean, but had an evolution from  psychologist to professor to department chair and now to Dean. It has been a fun career and I  have enjoyed each of these roles immensely.

Dr. Treuting has broad experience and background. She has taught extensively including Educational Psychology, Psychology of Adjustment, Child Psychology, Adolescent Psychology,  Developmental Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, Personality, History of Modern Psychology, and Senior Seminar in Psychology.

Her publications include, “Acceptance of response cost methods: Teachers’ and psychologists’  reactions,” in the Canadian Journal of School Psychology, and “The behavior untervention rating  scale: Development and validation of a pretreatment acceptability and effectiveness measure,”  in the Journal of School Psychology.

She has served as a coordinator for a Title III Federal Development Grant-$1.8 million.

She has made many presentations and conducted training on topics that include, “Emotional  Intelligence: An Essential Facet of Leadership,” Invited Presentation, CENLA Leadership; “Roles  for Faculty in Student Success and Retention,” Presentation at Fall Teaching Institute, Louisiana  State University at Alexandria, and LSUA 1001 Faculty- Peer Mentors Workshop, and “Creating a  Culture of Faculty Engagement,” Workshop Presentation at National Teaching Professor  Conference, Boston.

She delivered “Resilient Woman Working: Women Leading from the Middle,” Louisiana Association of Women in Higher Education, Annual Conference, Conference of Louisiana  Colleges and Universities, and “Standardized Tests: Linking Assessment to the Classroom,”  Faculty Workshop for St. Frances Cabrini School, Alexandria.

She also has extensive community service. Examples include serving on the Foodbank Board  Capital Campaign – Current Board of Directors Central Louisiana Food Bank; she served as the  Executive Committee-Secretary, Diocese of Alexandria, Vocations Advisory Board; and for CENLA A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Community, Theology, Service) Catholic Outreach. She has served as  Retreat Director, Holy Savior Menard Advisory Council, Bishop Appointment and on the  Alexandria Museum of Art – Board Member (secretary), as well as with the Habitat for Humanity  and with Hospice.

What else is happening in her life?

“My family is very important to me,” said Dr. Treuting. “My three sons are grown, are educated,  married and settled in to their own lives. I am the proud ‘Omie’ of 4 adorable grandchildren and my husband and I now have the freedom to travel and experience life on a new level. I am full of gratitude!”

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Nemeth Honored by Am. Board of Prof. Neuropsychology

The American Board of Professional Neuropsychology has named Dr. Darlyne Nemeth for the  2021 Distinguished Service Award in recognition for Leadership, Training, Practice Innovations  and International Relations. Dr. Nemeth is a psychologist and medical psychologist and founder of the The Neuropsychology Center of Louisiana in Baton Rouge.

Dr. Paula Cooper, past-president of the American Board of Professional Neuropsychology  noted, “Nemeth has been a pioneer in the area of Clinical Neuropsychology for over 30 years  and was the first in Louisiana to establish a private practice Neuropsychology Laboratory in  1977. She also established the first Neuropsychology Laboratory at the Louisiana State  University Student Mental Health Service in Baton Rouge.

“Dr. Nemeth was instrumental in the movement to have Clinical Neuropsychology recognized  as a specialty area in the State of Louisiana,” said Dr. Cooper.

“Dr. Nemeth is currently serving as Co-Secretary General for the World Council for  Psychotherapy (WCP) and has been a WCP/DPI/NGO Delegate to the United Nations. Dr.  Nemeth has been nationally and internationally recognized for her Hurricane Anniversary  Wellness Workshops, which, in cooperation with many government, religious, and professional  Organizations, were offered to the victims/survivors of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the  Summer 2006 and was offered in August, 2015 for the 10th Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina,”  said Dr. Cooper.

“Dr. Nemeth recently hosted an International meeting in Moscow that described the  contributions of Luria and Reitan to child Neuropsychology. We congratulate Dr. Nemeth for all  her accomplishments in the field of neuropsychology.” “I can tell you that I was quite surprised  to receive this award,” said Dr. Nemeth. “Typically, such awards are given to people who are  board certified. When I was young, however, board certification was not something that was emphasized. In fact, my mentor, Ralph Reitan, Ph.D., did not encourage board certification at  all. Of course, at the end of his life, he appeared to have many, many credentials. For me, this  was indeed a great honor. It certainly reflects the many years I have mentored students,  presented at national meetings, and even published a few articles,” Dr. Nemeth said. 

“One such article was 3q29 Deletion Syndrome and Neuropsychological Functioning: Fraternal  Twin Case Study, which was published in Applied Neuropsychology Child, of which I serve on  the Editorial Board. Another important presentation was on the role of the treating psychologist: Nemeth, D.G., Olivier, T.W., Whittington, L.T., & May, N.E. (2010, February). The  role of the treating neuropsychologist in forensic cases. Poster session presented at the 38th  Annual Meeting of the International Neuropsychological Society, Acapulco, Mexico. I wrote this  because, at that time, too many treating neuropsychologists wandered into the realm of forensics. They didn’t stay in their role. I found this very frustrating,” Dr. Nemeth said.

Dr. Nemeth has presented at the International Neuropsychology Society, National Academy of  Neuropsychology, APA, as well as other professional meetings.Dr. Nemeth has co-edited/coauthored five books. Her book, Innovative Approaches to Individual and Community Resilience: From Theory to Practice was published by Elsevier Press in July 2017 and was  awarded the PROSE Award in February 2018. Dr. Nemeth’s most recent book, co-edited by  Janna Glozman, Ph.D., D.Sc., titled, Evaluation and Treatment of Neuropsychologically  Compromised Children: Understanding Clinical Applications Post Luria and Reitan, was  published by Elsevier/Academic Press in April 2020.

At its 106th Annual Convention, Dr. Nemeth was elected to Fellowship status, having been  nominated by Drs. Gerry Goldstein, Linus Bielauskas, and Stanley Berendt, making her the first  Clinical Neuropsychologist from the State of Louisiana to have been elected as a Division 40  Fellow. At that time, of the more than 4500 Division 40 members, including 108 Fellows, only 11  Fellows were women.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Gormanous Drops His Lawsuit after Motion is Denied

Attorneys representing both sides agreed to a dismissal of the lawsuit by Dr. Gregory Gormanous that alleged the state psychology board, on which he serves, was failing to provide  accommodations for his disability by denying him the opportunity to attend through virtual  sessions.

A Stipulation of Dismissal with prejudice was filed on July 29, closing the proceedings after Judge Terry Doughty, United States District Court, denied Dr. Gormanous’ Motion for Preliminary  Injunction.

In Judge Doughty’s analysis, he wrote: “This Court agrees with Judge Drell that the ADA would  supersede Louisiana’s Open Meetings Law but denies Gormanous’ request for preliminary injunction in this case for other reasons. This Court finds that the accommodations offered by LSBEP to Gormanous were reasonable. The Governor’s emergency COVID-19 order expired on March 16, 2022. LSBEP offered  accommodations recommending social distancing and masks, a reserved table with a single seat at least six feet away from others only for Gormanous, and/or  one-way broadcasting of meetings. These are reasonable accommodations that would protect Gormanous and allow him to attend the meetings in a manner that would not impede on his  health issues. […]”

“Additionally, LSBEP has valid due process concerns with respect to applicants and/or persons undergoing disciplinary procedures. LSBEP’s powers include the power to examine for, deny, approve, revoke, suspend, and renew the licenses of applicants, candidates, and psychologists.  Conducting hearings by Zoom raises due process concerns for applicants, candidates, and  psychologists. These important due process protections of applicants, candidates, and psychologists appearing before LSBEP shows a very valid concern by LSBEP of Gormanous’  request.

In his June 6 filing in the United States District Court Western District of Louisiana, Dr.  Gormanous asked for a Preliminary Injunction in his favor against defendants Jaime T. Monic, in her official capacity as Executive Director of the LSBEP, and the LSBEP as a political entity. He  alleged that Ms. Monic and the LSBEP have unlawfully discriminated against Dr. Gormanous by (1) failing to provide a reasonable accommodation and (2) using eligibility criteria that tends to  screen out people with disabilities.

Dr. Gormanous is 74 years old and has various medical conditions, including chronic  obstructive  pulmonary disease (COPD) and a pacemaker, that make him highly susceptible to  COVID-19, noted authors of the June 6 Motion.

In a June email to colleagues, Dr. Gormanous wrote, “Supporting discrimination does not align  with the ideals of psychology. Throughout this ordeal, I have unsuccessfully tried to minimize LSBEP’s expenditures of scarce limited human & financial resources. I tried to resolve issues  with a civil inquiry beginning in JUN 2020. During the FEB 22, 2022 meeting, I was met with  cognitively rigid replies. Statements like I was asking the ED to break the law by attending by  Zoom. As a result, LSBEP’s flawed decision-making process necessitated litigation that continues to result in their spending unnecessary legal fees.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Business Psychologists Continue to Press State Board on Single Hurdle EPPP and Racial Discrimination

As follow-up to their January complaint that the Louisiana State Board of Examiners of  Psychologists is inappropriately using the national licensing exam as a single hurdle, resulting in discrimination against Blacks and other minorities, a group of psychologists have submitted a position statement to the Board.

In the statement, the psychologists give seven ethical and legal points, and argue that using the  EPPP is not only illegal but also inherently discriminatory,” and that, “The test is racist, and its  use must be restricted.”

In one conclusion they write, “The State Board must immediately offer an alternative path for  licensing that relies on either a reduced cutoff score OR specific board supervision for individuals who are so marred by systemic racism that they perform poorly on standardized  tests.”

In January, the psychologists, Drs. William Costelloe, Julie Nelson, and Marc Zimmermann,  business psychologists who have extensive experience with high stakes selection testing in the  private sector, submitted “A Request for Investigation,” stating that members of the Louisiana  State Board of Examiners of Psychologists are operating outside of their area of competence in regard to selection–testing and racial discrimination. The request was rejected by the Board. In  a letter dated March 7, Ms. Jaime Monic, the Executive Director, said that the members do not  have jurisdiction over themselves. Also, she said, they are not engaged in the practice of psychology as board members.

However, they are open to reviewing this issue, Ms. Monic wrote. She said to send any  information and they would review it. The psychologists have sent several documents.

In the most recent position statement, authors wrote:

“We have seven ethical and even legal concerns regarding the current Psychology licensing  procedures and how they affect Black psychologists, other people of color, and many others from historically disenfranchised groups. These criticisms are noted explicitly for Black  psychologists. They may also apply to people from linguistic, cultural, and religious minorities,  including people who identify as nonbinary.

“First, although we are not lawyers, we note the overwhelming psychometric and legal  problems with the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP). This test is used  in all 50 states (though not Puerto Rico), and states use a criterion of 500 to pass. The test relies on content validity alone with no evidence of other validities. As Sharpless (2018) noted in a  review, “It is unknown if scores are associated with relevant performance criteria” (p. 161).  While this was acceptable in the 1980s (Kane, 1981), it is not acceptable now, as Kane (2016)  notes.

“There is no evidence that the test predicts competency, adequacy, or professionalism. We are  unaware of any evidence published in peer review sources that currently link this test to the  objective performance criteria of licensed, professional psychologists.

Quite ironically, and perhaps hypocritically, the standards required of our profession for testing  others, for example, in Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, are not applied to  psychologists when they must regulate themselves. These include what courts consider  minimally necessary: test stability, evidence of findings in peer-reviewed publications, and  predictive error rate.

“Beyond this, in Griggs v. Duke Power, the Supreme Court ruled that if employment-related tests  had a disparate impact on protected groups (illustrated below), the organization requiring the  test must prove that the test in use is “reasonably related” to the duties performed on the job.  There is no peer-reviewed evidence that the EPPP is reasonably related to the responsibilities of practicing psychologists. There is no published evidence that it measures skill knowledge and much less skills competency.”

According to the June minutes from the Board, “Dr. Gibson reported that additional information has been sent to the Board, by the individuals raising concerns about the use of the EPPP. Dr. Gibson recommended that a committee be formed to comprehensively study the concerns  addressed in the complaint about the EPPP and its bias against minority populations and that in order to avoid the perception of bias, board members with close ties to ASPPB should not be  members of the committee.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Claire Houtsma Recognized for Early Career Contribution in Suicide Prevention

Dr. Claire Houtsma, a research scientist in suicide prevention, was honored this spring by the Louisiana Psychological Association with their Early Career Psychologist Award.

Dr. Houtsma is the Suicide Prevention Coordinator at Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System. She is a licensed Clinical Psychologist and the Core Investigator at South Central Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center.

Dr. Houtsma is also Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral  Sciences, Tulane University, School of Medicine, and Research Assistant Professor in Section of Community Population Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, School of Medicine.

The Times asked Dr. Houtsma what she views are her most important contributions at this point in her career.

“My most important contributions have probably been in the area of firearm suicide  prevention,” Dr. Houtsma said. “My research related to firearms has been designed to clarify  contexts under which risk for firearm suicide is heightened, as well as to develop and test  interventions that reduce risk for firearm suicide. I am particularly proud of my projects that  have involved active collaborations with Veteran and civilian firearm owners,” she said.

“Through my work with the Veteran-Informed Safety Intervention and Outreach Network  (VISION), I collaborated with firearm owning Veterans and civilians to create a suicide prevention learning module, including a PowerPoint slide deck and brief video, that can be used in Louisiana firearm training courses,” said Dr. Houtsma. “I am currently working with a number of firearm course instructors to test the acceptability and effectiveness of this learning module.”

Spokesperson for the Louisiana Psychological Association, Dr. Amanda Raines, said, “The impact that Dr. Houtsma will make on the field of psychological science is best reflected in her timely  and innovative program of research. At a time when suicide remains the 11th leading cause of  death in the United States, her program of research aims to identify and examine risk factors that underlie firearm suicide,” Raines said. “In addition, her body of work focuses on the  development and dissemination of novel methods of prevention and intervention. To date, Dr. Houtsma has published 28 peer-reviewed articles and presented her work at various local and  national conferences. Further, she serves as a co-investigator or principal investigator on six  federally funded projects.”

Dr. Houtsma’s work is ongoing. “I am also in the midst of recruiting for a study that will examine the feasibility and acceptability of peer-delivered lethal means counseling among  firearm owning Veterans,” Dr. Houtsma said. “This study will evaluate whether conversations about implementing safer firearm storage practices are acceptable among Veterans and  whether they actually lead to behavior change. I feel these projects are among the most important contributions I have made so far because they focus on a population at high risk for firearm suicide, use a partnered approach in research design and implementation, and provide  practical outcomes that may help save lives now,” she said.

Dr. Houtsma has authored numerous important studies. For her article, “The Association  Between Gun Ownership Dr. Claire Houtsma Recognized for Early Career Contributions in  Suicide Prevention, continued and Statewide Overall Suicide Rates,” the aim was to “expand on extant research by examining the extent to which gun ownership predicts statewide overall  suicide rates beyond the effects of demographic, geographic, religious, psychopathological, and  suicider-elated variables.” According to the abstract, “By extending the list of covariates utilized,  considering those covariates simultaneously, and using more recent data, the study sought to present a more stringent test. Gun ownership predicted statewide overall suicide rates, with the full model accounting for more than 92% of the variance in statewide suicide rates. The correlation between firearm suicide rates and the overall suicide rate was significantly stronger  than the correlation between non-firearm suicide rates and the overall suicide rate.”

Another article by Dr. Houtsma, “The Association Between State Laws Regulating Handgun Ownership and Statewide Suicide Rates,” examined the impact of three state laws––permit to  purchase a handgun, registration of handguns, and license to own a handgun on suicide rates. According to the abstract, “They used 2010 data from publicly available databases and state  legislatures to assess the relationships between the predictors and outcomes. The Results  largely indicated that states with any of these laws in place exhibited lower overall suicide rates and suicide by firearms rates and that a smaller proportion of suicides in such states resulted  from firearms. Furthermore, results indicated that laws requiring registration and license had significant indirect effects through the proportion of suicides resulting from firearms. The latter  results imply that such laws are associated with fewer suicide attempts overall, a tendency for  those who attempt to use less-lethal means, or both. Exploratory longitudinal analyses indicated a decrease in overall suicide rates immediately following implementation of laws  requiring a license to own a handgun.”

In Dr. Houtsma’s “Moderating Role of Firearm Storage in the Association Between Current Suicidal Ideation and Likelihood of Future Suicide Attempts Among United States Military  Personnel,” researchers hypothesized that how soldiers store their firearms would moderate  the relationship between suicidal ideation and the self-reported likelihood of engaging in a future suicide attempt, and that this relationship would be explained by fearlessness about  death, noted the abstract. “There were 432 military personnel who endorsed current ownership of a private firearm and who were recruited from a military base in the southeastern United States (94.5% National Guard). Firearm storage moderated the relationship between suicidal  ideation and the self-reported likelihood of engaging in a future suicide attempt, but this relationship was not explained by fearlessness about death. Individuals who reported keeping  heir firearms loaded and stored in an unsecure location exhibited higher mean levels of fearlessness about death. Findings highlight the need for research examining contributors to  suicide risk in the context of firearm storage and provide support for suicide prevention efforts  involving restricting means.”

Dr. Houtsma regularly shares information and research at conferences across the country. Examples include:

Houtsma, C., Powers, J., Raines, A. M., Bailey, M., Constans, J. I., & True, G.  (November, 2022). Adaptation and evaluation of a lethal means safety suicide prevention module for concealed carry courses. Symposium talk submitted to the National Research  Conference on Firearm Injury Prevention, Washington, D.C.

Houtsma, C., Sah, E., & Constans, J.  I. (November, 2022). The firearm implicit association test: A validation study. Symposium talk  submitted to the National Research Conference on Firearm Injury Prevention, Washington, D.C. 

Houtsma, C., Tock, J. L., & Raines, A. M. (November, 2022). When safe firearm storage isn’t  enough: Comparing risk profiles among firearm suicide decedents. Symposium talk accepted at  the annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT), New York  City, New York.

Houtsma, C., Anestis, M. D., Gratz, K. L., Tull, M., Butterworth, S. E., Richmond, J., & Forbes, C.  (November, 2021). The role of opioid use in distinguishing between suicidal ideation and attempts. Symposium talk presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral  and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT), Virtual Conference.

Houtsma, C. (August, 2021). Feasibility and acceptability of Caring Contacts for suicide prevention among veterans recently separated from military service. Symposium talk presented at the Mississippi Health Disparities Conference, Biloxi, Mississippi.

Dr. Houtma is the investigator or coinvestigator for numerous grant projects including: Demonstration Project – Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention (OMHSP) Title: Measuring Feasibility and Effectiveness of a Lethal Means Safety Suicide Prevention Module in  Concealed Carry and Firearm Safety Classes, and Veterans Rural Health Resource Center FY22  Project – Office of Rural Health (ORH) Title: Preventing Firearm Suicides Among Rural Veterans  by Engaging Military Caregivers.

In her career so far, what is she most thankful for?

“I am endlessly thankful for the mentors who have helped me reach my goals,” Dr. Houtsma  said. “My graduate school mentor, Dr. Michael Anestis, provided me with the skills, encouragement, and support I needed to become a successful, research-oriented graduate  student. He has continued to be a mentor to me after graduate school and I am so grateful to know I can reach out to him for guidance as I navigate my career. I am also thankful for the  mazing mentors I gained during my clinical internship year. Drs. Amanda Raines, Laurel Franklin, Gala True, and Joseph Constans were critical in Dr. Claire Houtsma Recognized for  Early Career Contributions in Suicide Prevention, continued helping me transition from trainee  to early career psychologist,” she said.

“The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is a fantastic workplace,” Dr. Houtsma said, “however,  it is not always clear how to forge a research career in this setting. My mentors at the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System have provided invaluable assistance, reassurance, and  support in moving my research program forward within VA. I feel very lucky to have such amazing people on my team and I wouldn’t have achieved success as an early career  psychologist without them,” she said.

Does Dr. Houtsma have any advice for other early career psychologists?

“I would encourage other early career psychologists to stay in close contact with their mentors,” she said. I have found it immensely helpful, not only in navigating the minutia of research  studies, but also in determining how to balance work-life priorities. I realize not everyone has  the opportunity to gain desired mentorship in a naturalistic way, so I would encourage early  career psychologists to reach out to others in your field who have careers you admire. I have  gained mentorship from individuals at other institutions, simply by reaching out via email or  Zoom. It’s very hard to make it on your own in this field and the good news is, you don’t have  to!”

What has Dr. Houtsma enjoyed the most?

“Working with and learning from Veterans and firearm owners,” she said. “My work with VISION  as exposed me to the world of community-engaged research and I have found this to be an  extremely informative and rewarding experience. Being able to connect with individuals for  whom firearm suicide is a very real and personal experience reminds me why I’m doing this  work and reinforces my passion to find solutions,” said Dr. Houtsma.