Originally published: . Volume 12, No. 11. Source pages: 5.
U.S. Congressman Garret Graves announced that East Baton Rouge, Lafourche and Livingston Parish Sheriff Offices are receiving a combined $94,261 from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to aid their efforts in preventing and controlling crime. Additionally, East Baton Rouge Parish is receiving $169,735 for law enforcement efforts. "It's no secret that there is a relationship between the uptick in crime across communities and the 'defund the police' movement. Now more than ever is the time to double down on providing resources to our law enforcement so they can keep Louisiana and our country safe. […]" The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program allows states and units of local government, including tribes, to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime based on their own state and local needs and conditions. Grant funds can be used any one or more of the following program areas: 1. law enforcement programs; 2. prosecution and court programs; 3. prevention and education programs; 4. corrections and community corrections programs; 5. drug treatment and enforcement programs; 6. planning, evaluation, and technology improvement programs; 7. crime victim and witness programs (other than compensation) 8. mental health programs and related law enforcement and corrections programs.
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Originally published: . Volume 12, No. 11. Source pages: 5.
From the Minutes Selected Items from August 2021 Minutes of the Louisiana State Board of Examiners of Psychologists (LSBEP)
Complaints Committee – a. Committee Report: Mr. Owens reported for the period 7/24/21 – 8/27/21 as follows: 0 new Request(s) for Investigation were received or initiated; there are a total of 13 open investigations, 11 are active (one from FY17-18; one from FY19-20; ten from FY 20-21; and one from FY 21-22. Two are under review and not yet noticed. There are currently no formal hearings scheduled; no disciplinary actions were finalized during this period and no applications received with criminal background. Legislative Oversight Committee – Dr. Gormanous shared a reference to an article published in the Wall Street Journal Article (8/24/2021) Covid-19 Rekindles Debate Over License Requirements for Many Jobs: Hair styling and medical fields are among the occupations where state rules can bar entry; Biden has pushed for changes. Dr. Gormanous reported that this article specifically mentions psychology and support for license compacts. Dr. Gormanous opined that although he generally supports state compacts, the psychology compact “PSYPact” by ASPPB has anti-trust impacts and the potential to negatively impact the LSBEP as well as the public. Dr. Gormanous reported that he will be watching for legislation regarding potential impacts related to this matter in future legislative sessions. Ms. Monic reported the Board banking accounts were compromised, due to a fraudulent check cashed inappropriately by the bank, on the Board’s account, causing delays in accounts payable and requiring transfer of funds to a new account. Dr. Gormanous emphasized for the record that this was not the fault of the LSBEP. Renewal Report – Ms. Monic provided the following renewal report: […] OPEN RENEWALS: July 1, 2021 Active Licensed Psychologist – 775 Provisionally Licensed Psychologist – 15 Licensed Specialists in School Psychology – 28 CLOSING RENEWALS: August 1, 2021 742 – Licensed Psychologists 59 – Renewing at 1⁄2 fee – $10,325 (amount does not include paper renewal or extension fees) 683 – Renewing at full fee – $239,050 12 – Provisionally Licensed Psychologist – $1200 25 – Licensed Specialists in School Psychology – $2500 Total Renewal Fees 8/1/2021 $253,075 Liaison to Professional Organizations – Dr. Gormanous reported that APA has conferred a taskforce to develop guidelines and address issues regarding approving masters level programs in psychology which will impact the LSBEP. Additionally, APA will be issuing a resolution on racism and is seeking individual or organizational comments. Dr. Gormanous reported that he shared the link to provide comments to BRASP, LPA and will also share with Dr. Gibson and Ms. Monic to share with board members. Psychologist Emergency Certificate (R.S. 28:2(30) and LSBEP Opinion #2) – Dr. Gibson discussed the impacts of La. R.S. 28:2(30) related to a prerequisite number of years required for a psychologist to issue an emergency commitment. Particularly that 1) since this was not a provision within the board’s practice act or regulations that there is a concern that there is a lack of awareness of the requirement by licensed psychologists; and 2) that the provision which prohibits a licensed psychologist from acting on the safety and welfare of their client and others, is harmful to individuals and the public. Dr. Gibson suggested the criteria was ambiguous and not based on any data that the public is better served by delaying the ability of licensed psychologists to fully engage in the scope of their practice by a requisite number of years and should be corrected. In the meantime, Dr. Gibson suggested educating psychologists through the jurisprudence examination, newsletter and website of the existence of this requirement.
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Originally published: . Volume 12, No. 11. Source pages: 8.
Sen. McMath's bill was signed into Act 294. The new law requires public schools, for the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 school years, to provide expanded academic support to each student in grades four through eight who failed to achieve mastery on any statewide assessment administered pursuant to the state's school and district accountability system during the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 school years. Also, the new law requires each city, parish, or other local public school board to develop an education plan and supporting budget to provide expanded academic support to students using federal funds provided for educational relief relative to COVID-19. The new law allows a student identified as needing expanded academic support to be provided accelerated instruction or prioritized placement in a class taught by a teacher labeled as "highly effective."
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Originally published: . Volume 12, No. 10. Source pages: 2.
“Power corrupts“ is the shorthand version of Lord Acton’s famous quote. Within these two little words is a world of wisdom. A succinct warning about human nature––our own and that of others.
A historian and moralist, Lord Acton expressed this opinion in a letter to Bishop Creighton in 1887. "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men."
That power corrupts is a truism because it's true. It explains unexplainable behavior, such as horrible crimes against humanity. It also warns us of the challenges of law enforcement.
Lord Acton said it very eloquently but Zimbardo proved it in his Prison Guard experiment. All you have to do is give someone power and they go sort of nutty.
There may be some few people who are immune to the dark side of power but that is a dangerous hypothesis. The wise position is to expect that we are all corrupted by power.
Consequently, the only way to correct for this fundamental human problem regarding the corrupting influence of power is to install organizational structures that correct the tendency. Everybody knows that.
Oh wait, everybody doesn’t know that. None of this seems to have dawned on those in charge of the complaint cops at our state psychology board. They have had years, essentially, to clean up their mess that they started in 2014, and they keep doing the same wrong things, over and over.
Space and time permit me only a few of the most obvious problems that our board either doesn’t understand or doesn’t want to correct.
1.) Base rate blindness. The base rate for actual mistakes is very low in psychology which drives up the danger of false positives. Additionally, a low base rate means that it may be very difficult to impact the outcome measures no matter what you do. It's impossible to solve a problem that doesn't exist on a practical level.
2.) Misaligned incentives and conflicts of interest. No one misses the obvious financial conflicts of interest that are structured in to the complaints committee. There are also non-financial incentives, such as identity or job security.
3.) They don’t seem to understand job match. The job of an investigator is to understand whether a psychologist made a psychological services mistake. You can’t hire an attorney or a private investigator or any other non-psychologist to figure out the practice of psychology.
4.) No checks and balances, violations of due process. They don’t seem to have any true oversight or psychological firewalls, such as separation between the "investigation" and the "arrest." This lays open the process for contamination by confirmation bias, and other types of similar errors.
5.) Lack of transparency and system defensiveness. The board thinks they're transparent but they are not. They are defensive.
6.) No outcome research to guide the public safety efforts program. It doesn’t seem to matter to the board that nothing has changed over the last 20 years in regard to disciplinary actions. They have no theory, no strategy, and no valid measurements to guide their efforts.
7.) Unintended consequences that reduce overall public well-being and safety. One example of this is having a painful and costly complaints program helps to drive psychologists away from working in the court system, the highest source of complaints. We report in this issue that a Judge is begging for psychologists. Another unintended consequence is how a punitive, secretive and inconsistent law enforcement program helps to suppress information––information that would help true problem-solving.
I could go on and on about this especially after talking to a few of the victims of our complaint cops.
A well-designed program, taking into account base rates, Intervening variables, and measures of public well-being and safety, would work much better than the current program which probably has the main result of instilling fear in psychologists, suppressing valid information, and wasting money.
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.
Originally published: . Volume 12, No. 10. Source pages: 2.
On page 9 of our last issue we accidentally substituted Dr. Thompson's picture for Dr. Franklin. (They are co-authors.) We apologize for this confusion and we thank Dr. Drew for pointing out our error. We corrected it in the link. Please send your corrections to: psychologytimes@drjulienelson.com
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.
Originally published: . Volume 12, No. 10. Source pages: 3.
Gov. J Edwards issued a statement on September 30, following congressional approval of disaster recovery funding for Louisiana.
"Today is a day that many in South Louisiana, myself included, have long waited for, with the passage of aid for Louisiana following a number of disasters, including the devastating Hurricanes Laura, Delta, Zeta and Ida. There is desperate need for housing in areas that were devastated by these disasters, and that will be the focus of our work once we learn more about Louisiana's share of this appropriation. In addition to aid for areas affected by Hurricane Ida, the people of Southwest Louisiana will finally get funding they've long deserved following Hurricanes Laura and Delta last year. It's tragic that they've had to wait so long, but this federal assistance will help revitalize communities that have been struggling for a year now. I want to thank the members of the United States Congress, especially Louisiana's congressional delegation, and the White House for supporting this aid for our people, which is a good start to kicking Louisiana's long-term recovery into gear."
On September 30, U.S. Congressman Garret Graves of South Louisiana released the following statement.
"We are exactly one month from Hurricane Ida making landfall and our efforts to deliver hurricane recovery assistance for the citizens of south Louisiana is already paying off. We have folks living in tents back home without electricity while politicians are arguing in Washington DC about how many tens of trillions in debt is an acceptable amount when mortgaging our children and grandchildren's future. They tried to politicize the aid last week and despite the chaos, we were able to get some wins.
"This bill will provide direct assistance to individuals and families to help rebuild communities and homes. We were also able to secure complementary funding that invests in projects such as the Upper Barataria Basin project (St. Charles, St. John, St. James, Jefferson, Ascension, Lafourche and Assumption parishes), Morganza to the Gulf (Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes), Larose to Golden Meadow levee system (Lafourche Parish), and Grand Isle that will make our communities safer. This will also provide funding opportunities to improve protection in communities like Kraemer, Lafitte and many others. This bill will also help to kickstart our economy by opening up and dredging our critical navigation canals such as Mississippi River, Bayou Lafourche, Houma Navigation Canal, the Atchafalaya Basin Channel, Calcasieu Ship Channel and others. We will keep working with our community and parish leaders to help address their needs."
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.
Originally published: . Volume 12, No. 10. Source pages: 3.
On September 25, Gov. Edwards received notice that Pres. Biden has approved his request for an additional 15 days at 100 percent federal funding for Public Assistance Category A, Debris Removal, and Category B, Emergency Protective Measures for both Hurricanes Ida and Laura. In addition, Pres. Biden increased the overall federal cost share to 90 percent for FEMA Public Assistance funding for Hurricane Ida.
"It is a meaningful and important step to help communities across our state recover as much work remains to be done," the Gov. said.
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.
Originally published: . Volume 12, No. 10. Source pages: 4.
Louisiana Healthcare Connections announced on Sept. 29 that four organizations in some of Hurricane Ida’s hardest hit areas have been awarded $260,000 in funding to aid in critical relief and recovery efforts.
"We have checked in on our members in affected areas and have opened up a mental health hotline to the public, but funding community partners and healthcare providers to continue to supply so many needed resources is one more way we can help our communities recover.”
The following organizations will utilize funding to address the social service and healthcare needs of those affected by Hurricane Ida: 1) Bayou Community Foundations – a leading coordinator of relief donations for Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes as well as Grand Isle. Funds will be used to support critical relief, recovery, and rebuilding.
2) Teche Action Clinic – a leading primary care provider in Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes. They operate nine clinics and six school-based health centers in the areas affected by Hurricane Ida. 3) Northshore Community Foundation – serves a four- parish area, including Tangipahoa Parish which was the hardest-hit parish outside of the bayou region. Funds would be used for critical relief, recovery and rebuilding services to benefit the Medicaid population. 4) Funds for People of the Bayou – a local nonprofit. Funds will be used to provide assistance to those who have lost their homes in Terrebonne parish, in addition to providing water, ice, gas, hot meals, and helping to coordinate FEMA assistance.
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.
Originally published: . Volume 12, No. 10. Source pages: 6.
Senate Bill 151, authored by Sen. Regina Barrow was signed by the governor making it Act 351. The measure establishes a "Foster Youth's Bill of Rights" to be implemented by the Department of Children and Family Services. The Department is to support the rights of youth, ages fourteen through eighteen, who are in foster care in this state.
Act 351 includes 18 elements of rights including the following:
(1) The right to privacy concerning the youth's personal and confidential information.
(2) The right to attend all court hearings regarding the care to be received.
(3) The right to be in a stable and supportive setting that is free from neglect and emotional, verbal, physical, and sexual abuse or exploitation, and that is the least restrictive to meet the youth's needs.
(4) The right to participate in all case plan meetings, to include supportive adults of the youth's choice to be on the planning team, and to be provided a copy of the youth's case plan every six months or whenever changes are made to the plan.
(5) The right to have the youth's medical and mental health needs met on a regular and timely basis.
(6) The right to be provided adequate trauma-based counseling and therapeutic services throughout the youth's time in foster care.
(7) The right to be provided the contact information of the youth's caseworker, attorney, and CASA volunteer, and to attend meetings with them on a regular basis.
(8) The right to have access to a telephone to talk to or visit with approved friends and relatives, including siblings, at least once a month.
(9) The right to access materials necessary for school and to further the youth's education, including access to a computer or other electronic devices and to the internet when needed to complete assignments, the right to receive tutoring services, and the right to a access information regarding college admissions.
(10) The right to access information regarding testing accommodations for any learning or developmental disability or special health need.
(11) The right to be involved in extracurricular activities, including school clubs, dances, field trips, and sports teams, and to be provided with supplies and uniforms required for team participation.
(12) The right to remain in the youth's school of origin.
(13) The right to attend a driver's education class.
(14) The right to obtain employment and transportation to employment within the vicinity of foster care placement.
(15) The right to refuse involvement in religious-based activities and the right to continue the youth's cultural, religious, and ethnic traditions and belief systems.
(16) The right to be free from discrimination of any kind on the basis of the youth's race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national, ethnic, or social origin, property, disability, birth, or other status. […]
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.
Originally published: . Volume 12, No. 10. Source pages: 6.
Act 434 requires if, during the time a health insurance issuer conducts a review or audit for purposes of reconsidering the validity of a claim filed with the issuer and a health care provider submits a request either orally or in writing to a health insurance issuer, the health insurance issuer shall provide a copy of all documentation transmitted between the health care provider and the health insurance issuer at no cost to the healthcare provider, within two business days of the request. Allows electronic access to the documentation.
Act 434 provides that any health insurance plan, except the La. Medicaid Program, that issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2022, shall not restrict the method of payment from the health insurance issuer or its vendor to the health care provider in which the only acceptable method for healthcare services rendered requires the health care provider to pay a transaction fee, provider subscription fee, or any other type of fee or cost in order to accept payment from the health insurance issuer.
The new law also requires a health insurance issuer initiating or changing payments to a healthcare provider using electronic funds transfer payments to notify a health care provider if any fees are associated with a particular payment method […]
The new law provides that violations of new law are deemed unfair methods of competition and subject to provisions regarding unfair or deceptive acts or practices […] cannot be waived by contract.
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Originally published: . Volume 12, No. 10. Source pages: 11.
The University of Louisiana Lafayette Psychology Department is hosting a research showcase on October 6, 2021 from 9 am to 4 pm.
Dr. Emily Sandoz of the Louisiana Contextual Science Research Group Will present the "Welcome and Research Lab Overview."
The welcome is followed by a Symposium on College Student Well- Being with presentations as follows:
1. The Associations of Self-harm and Suicidality with Mental Health Symptoms in College Students, presented by Hung Chu Lin, Manyu Li, Courtney Stevens, Stephanie Pinder-Amaker, Justin A. Chen, & Cindy H. Liu; Developmental Science Lab;
2. Music And Math: The Effects of Key and Tempo on Mathematics Anxiety, by Mateo Chavez, David R. (Rick) Perkins, Valanne MacGyvers; Music Lab;
3. Mindset and the College Experience by Valanne MacGyvers and Audra Jensen; The Achievement and Social Cognition (TASC) Lab;
4. Bystander Intervention Against Sexual Violence: The Role of Bystander Drinking Behavior by Amy L. Brown and Dylan John; Sexual Violence Research Lab.
A Second Symposium on Social and Community Concerns.
Symposium 3 is Psychological, Cognitive, and Physical Well-Being.
Several panel discussions are also planned.
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.
Originally published: . Volume 12, No. 10. Source pages: 16.
With the autumn equinox behind us, thoughts turn to fall. A cozy fire, leaves changing color, and birds migrating south for the winter are classic symbols of the changing of the seasons. But with the Covid-19 pandemic still going strong, will those birds fly south the same way, or at all?
What effect does the pandemic have on migratory birds?
For some birds the lack of human activity has caused a surge in breeding. According to an article from Audubon, "the Kentish Plover, a small shorebird that breeds on the beaches of Venice’s Treporti peninsula, is typically very sensitive to the presence of people. In 2020, however, this shy species spread its nesting sites along the unusually quiet shorelines, laying eggs in spots where they had not been recorded in recent years.”
With less human activity, some birds have become more common in areas previously dominated by humans. With most city residents homebound, the noise and traffic levels have decreased greatly, helping the cities become more welcoming to birds.
According to a report by CBN news, “Warblers, hummingbirds, hawks and other migratory birds across Canada and the U.S. hung out in cities during the pandemic lockdowns in the spring of 2020, treating urban-dwelling humans to far more visits than usual, …”
The lack of human interference opened up many new habitats for the birds, which, in theory, can be expected to increase population size.
Not all birds have been lucky during Covid- 19, because volunteers who mark nesting sights, such as those protecting the Snowy Plover, were forced to stay home. With many of the volunteers and staff who monitor the nesting sites unavailable, and more people going outside, trespassing on nests become more common during Covid. This affects not only the Snowy Plover, but other birds who nest on the dunes. An article by the Audubon society, “With Monitoring Limited, Someone Drove Through a Snowy Plover Nesting Site,” recounts the unfortunate scenario.
Even without Covid, migration is a challenging time for birds. They must travel long distances, deal with predation, and lack of food or water. Dropping temperatures also take a toll. There are also modern obstacles, such as communication towers and tall buildings. Authors at All about bird.org, part of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, explain “Many species are attracted to the lights of tall buildings and millions are killed each year in collisions with the structures.”
And with fall starting, the effect of the pandemic on this year's migration will soon become clear. Everyone can help.
According to Abcbirds.org, some of the best ways to help birds in their migration include: reducing plastic use, buying bird friendly coffee, and adding birdbaths or feeders to help birds re-fuel. And, keep those cats under control, the experts remind pet owners.
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.
Follows "State's Worst Surge of the Pandemic" Governor Extends Indoor Mask Mandates for Another Month
On September 28, Gov. Edwards extended Louisiana's statewide indoor mask mandate for another four weeks, until October 27, as the state's overall COVID-19 outlook improves following the state's worst COVID-19 surge of the entire pandemic. The statewide mask mandate includes K-12 schools and college campuses.
"There is no doubt that our COVID-19 situation in Louisiana has improved since the peak of our fourth surge, which was largely driven by the Delta variant, and for that I am deeply grateful. Even so, the amount of COVID in Louisiana is still incredibly high, at 243 cases for every 100,000 people. This is why, to support continued decreases COVID- 19 hospitalizations, cases and deaths, I am extending Louisiana's statewide mask mandate for another four weeks, including in our K-12 schools and on college campuses," Gov. John Bel Edwards said. "Masks have been proven to help slow the spread of COVID-19, with recent federal data from the Centers for Disease Control showing that schools without masking requirements are 3.5 times more likely to have a COVID- 19 outbreak than schools where children and staff members are masked. We must do everything we can to protect ourselves and those around us who are vulnerable, including wearing masks indoors and getting the safe, effective and totally free COVID-19 vaccine."
"On August 4, the day that the mask mandate was put back into place, only 37% of Louisianans were fully vaccinated against COVID-19. As of today, that is up to more than 45%. While that improvement is something to be proud of, it is not enough. In the month of September alone, Louisiana reported that 1,4XX [sic] people died of COVID, which is tragic, as many of these deaths were likely preventable," Gov. Edwards said.
"We have to get Louisiana's vaccine rate up even more so that we have strong vaccine protection in our communities. Just over half of all people in Louisiana who are eligible for the vaccine are fully vaccinated. That's why masking right now is important still." "Our COVID-19 indicators continue to move in the right direction and that is critical, but we are still wading in COVID," said Dr. Joe Kanter, State Health Officer at the Louisiana Department of Health. "All 64 parishes are currently at the highest possible level on our community risk scale. With the highly transmissible Delta variant circulating throughout the state, masking indoors is how we stay safe and protect our loved ones."
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.
ULL College of Liberal Arts Centennial Psychology Department at U. of Louisiana Lafayette Celebrates 100 Year Anniversary
The psychology department at the University of Louisiana–Lafayette (ULL) is marking its 100th anniversary. The birthday celebration is part of the centennial of the College of Liberal Arts, UL- Lafayette’s oldest academic college.
"Once the home of all academic subjects across the campus," officials note, "the College was founded in 1921. UL Lafayette has greatly expanded the scope and depth of academic opportunity over the last 100 years, and the College remains at the University’s core, offering a broad array of comprehensive programs in the humanities and social sciences."
Activities to celebrate the milestone are happening now and will continue throughout the 2021– 2022 academic year.
Head of the Psychology Department at UL Lafayette, Dr. Amy Brown, said, "The Psychology Department’s major events this academic year in honor of the COLA Centennial are our research showcase next week and “Psychology Week” next spring. Psi Chi has organized a “Psychology Day” every spring for years, but we are expanding it this year to feature a larger number of speakers, events, and themes," she said.
Dr. Brown noted the popularity of the psychology department. "We are the largest major in the College of Liberal Arts, with over 700 majors. In addition to the traditional psychology major, students can elect a psyc pre-med concentration. This is intended for students who want to attend medical school to become physicians, and who want to have a strong foundation in psychological science. Medical schools seem to be increasingly valuing the behavioral sciences in general and psychology in particular (given that doctors ultimately have to deal with human patients and are better at their jobs if they understand some psychology!). The concentration is new, and we graduated our first two psyc pre-med majors in May," she said.
"In addition to the undergraduate major," Dr. Brown said, "we offer a master of science degree in general psychology. The master’s program is aimed to better prepare students for doctoral study in (any area of) psychology."
Dr. Emily Sandoz, the Emma Louise LeBlanc Burguieres/BORSF Endowed Professor of Social Sciences, and Graduate Coordinator of the Psychology MS Program, agrees.
"So many young people in our community find themselves interested in understanding, predicting, and influencing behavior, regardless of their primary academic focus or ultimate career path," she said. "Our Psychology program teaches students to approach this interest from a scientific perspective, applying critical thinking, knowledge of existing research, and novel data collection to inform their decisions. This orientation is so universally useful that it prepares students to be effective in any number of roles on any number of paths," said Dr. Sandoz.
Dr. Brown also pointed out another fun bit in department history. "The Psychology Department has had a female department head for the past 51 years," she said.
These female department heads are: Dr. B. Geraldine Lambert (1970-1981); Dr. Aline Garrett (1981-2003); Dr. Theresa Wozencraft (2003-2007); Dr. Cheryl Lynch (2007-2019); and Dr. Amy Brown (2019-present).
Dr. Sandoz has experienced some enjoyable memories over the years with ULL.
Some of her most enjoyable moments include, "… from the student role to the professor role are definitely the research collaborations," she said. "In classes, students are taught to understand existing knowledge, but with research, students are empowered to create new knowledge for the world. Watching new researchers orient to this possibility, and bring their unique perspectives to bear on research questions, experimental design, and data analysis is phenomenally inspiring.
She has also enjoyed her role as graduate coordinator. "I am incredibly proud of our graduate program, which fills an important need. We prepare students with the research training, discernment, and experience to achieve in ways that are personally and professionally meaningful at the doctoral level and beyond."
Dr. Valanne MacGyvers, Asst. Professor and director of the Achievement and Social Cognition (TASC) Lab, believes in the importance of a strong research and education program for the psychology department at the university.
Her TASC Lab focuses on the psychological factors associated with the achievement of excellence. In particular, she is most interested in academic excellence, in how self- and other-perceptions influence the achievement of excellence.
"In education," Dr. MacGyvers explained, "there is a construct that helps educators plan lessons that enhance student learning, and the more interactive the learning is, the better the students learn. At the lowest levels of Bloom's Taxonomy, we are looking for knowledge, understanding and application. That is what we do in the classroom for the most part," she said.
"Adding in lab or research experience provides our students with a chance to reach the more advanced and interactive levels of learning, what Bloom referred to as analysis, synthesis and evaluation," said Dr. MacGyvers. "For example, yesterday, as my lab members were presenting their summaries of research articles, and I asked them for specific bits of information, they began to understand the research we were reviewing better and were able to begin to see how that research would help us as we designed the research project we were working on. It is in the doing of psychology that psychology comes to life for our students.
An interesting fact in overlap between Lafayette's psychology department and organized psychology in Louisiana is the emergence at Lafayette of the Louisiana Psychological Association in 1948.
The effort to create a state psychological association had started 16 years earlier when Drs. E. Terry Prothro from Lafayette, Dorothy Seago from Tulane, Kenneth Hait also from Lafayette, Paul C. Young, Louisiana State University, joined later by Drs. Bernard Bass, Ron Pryer, and Ed Timmons, and others, all who would assume the presidency for the Louisiana Psychological Association.
Dr. Brown said that UUL was known as Southwest Louisiana Institute (SLI) in 1948.
The Times asked Dr. MacGyvers what are her best experiences and memories are so far at ULL?
"I am not sure that this is a fair question to ask me, I have been here for going on 28 years!" she said.
"I love those moments when research turns out findings that make me understand people better. Like the moment I found out that people who do not support women breastfeeding their babies in public places are low in empathy. Essentially, our data revealed that those who criticize breastfeeding mothers are jerks! What a beautiful moment! We could empower moms to go ahead, because it is much easier to discount the jerks in the world.
"The other sort of great moments are when my students blossom into confident researchers and instructors. When they find their path and move boldly into their future. I love that. I know I am watching them walk away, but I also know that they are empowered to be fully themselves and that I had a role in that development," Dr. MacGyvers said.
"I guess that is really the crux of my best experiences, empowering others to be their best self."
Currently she is the President of the PBK Association of Southwest Louisiana and "proud mama to four furbabies." Dr. MacGyvers, along with a team of graduate students and undergraduate students, is engaged in a number of research projects, some large and some smaller, which will include mindset as a variable of interest.
Dr. Amy Brown is an Associate Professor and her research focuses on social psychological aspects of sexual victimization including victim blame, stigma, and prosocial bystander intervention. She is also interested in the role of alcohol in these processes.
Dr. Sandoz directs the Louisiana Contextual Science Research Group, "using specific theoretical perspectives grounded in behaviorism with an emphasis on Relational Frame Theory and the psychological flexibility model in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy."
She is an Associate Editor for the Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science and also for Frontiers in Psychology.
Dr. Brooke Breaux (R) and her students attending a previous southeastern psychological conference. Dr. Breaux is part of the faculty at University of Louisiana Lafayette, celebrating 100 years of Psychology.
Dr. Theresa Wozencraft here presents to a group of psychologists at a past conference. Dr. Wozencraft chaired the psychology department at Lafayette from 2003 to 2007.
Dr. Emily Sandoz presenting at a previous conference.
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.
According to a report from the CDC, suspected suicide attempts by teenage girls have increased by 51% during the COVID pandemic.
During the 2020 pandemic, emergency room (ER) visits for suspected suicide attempts began to increase among adolescents aged 12–17 years, especially among the girls.
The CDC collected data during February and March, 2021, and found that suspected suicide attempt ER visits were 50.6% higher among girls aged 12–17 years than during the same period in 2019. Among boys aged 12–17 years, suspected suicide attempt ER visits increased 3.7%.
The findings are based on data for ER visits for suspected suicide from the National Syndromic Surveillance Program, which includes about 71% of the nation's emergency rooms in 49 states.
Earlier data reported by the CDC showed that the proportion of mental health-related ER visits among children and adolescents aged 12 to 17 years had increased by 31% during 2020 compared with 2019.
The results of the most recent study were published in the June 11 issue of the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
"Young persons might represent a group at high risk because they might have been particularly affected by mitigation measures, such as physical distancing (including a lack of connectedness to schools, teachers, and peers); barriers to mental health treatment; increases in substance use; and anxiety about family health and economic problems, which are all risk factors for suicide," the authors said.
The findings also suggest there has been "more severe distress among young females than has been identified in previous reports during the pandemic, reinforcing the need for increased attention to, and prevention for, this population," the CDC authors wrote.
These new findings underscore the "enormous impact the COVID-19 pandemic is having on our country's overall emotional wellbeing, especially among young people,” the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention (Action Alliance) said in a statement.
"… the findings from this study suggest more severe distress among young females than has been identified in previous reports during the pandemic, reinforcing the need for increased attention to, and prevention for, this population."
Dr. Blauvelt, licensed clinical psychologist in private practice in Baton Rouge, said, "Researchers have proposed many hypotheses for the increase in suicide ideation and attempts among adolescents: social media use, increasing social isolation, academic pressure, suicide contagion, and mental health problems. There is no easy to understand reason for the increase, but there are many things we can do to respond to this epidemic."
Dr. Blauvelt serves as the project director for The Fisher Project, a statewide suicide prevention program funded by a COVID-19 Emergency Response to Suicide Prevention SAHMSA grant. In this role she provides clinical supervision to peer support specialists, monitors adherence to evidence-based program protocols, and intervenes in emergency situations.
"Talking openly about suicide with adolescents can be a powerful intervention," said Dr. Blauvelt, "and it does not need to be done by a licensed mental health professional. Programs like Talk Saves Lives and SafeTALK teach people to recognize warning signs of suicide, to engage a person who is having thoughts of suicide, and to help connect them with appropriate resources. Just listening is a powerful first step in suicide prevention."
"Many teens who die by suicide have never participated in mental health services. […] There is a lack of mental health staff in schools, and a lack of training for school staff to essentially be gatekeepers when they encounter students displaying warning signs for suicide."
"There is elevated risk for Black, LGTBQ, and trans youth. These populations experience trauma, violence, and discrimination in excess of other populations." She also explained, "… restricting access to lethal means prevents suicide. Teens who live in a home with a firearm are significantly more likely to die by suicide. Research consistently shows that firearms are implicated in more suicides than homicides each year. In Louisiana, there is a gun ownership rate of about 53%."
Dr. Blauvelt earned her PhD is from Louisiana State University. The Louisiana Psychological Association named her for its Psychology in the Public Interest award.
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