Article archive / July 1, 2015

Originally published: July 1, 2015. Volume 6, No. 7. Source pages: 8.

Psychology Times Honored with 14 Awards from Louisiana Press Association at June Convention

The Psychology Times took home 14 awards from the 135th Annual Louisiana Press Association Convention held jointly with the Mississippi Press Association in New Orleans on June 18 to 20.

The Times earned a 2nd place in the prestigious Community Service Award, in Division C, for its promoting of vision and values through it community awards program.

For the second year in a row, the Times swept its division in Best Investigative Reporting, with the Times winning first, second, and third places, and earning the special Gibbs Adams Award, named in memory of long-time State Times-Morning Advocate investigative reporter.

The Times won its first place for “Emails Point to LAMP in Recent LSBEP Appointment, Not DHH.” The judges remarked, “This story demonstrates the importance of open-records requests. Traditional media outlets could learn some lessons from The Psychology Times.”

Other Gibbs Adams winners in their respective divisions were the New Orleans Advocate, the Livingston Parish News, the Ouachita Citizen, the West Side Journal, and Central City News.

Dr. Tom Stigall, for the second time, earned the top spot in Best Photo Package, with his composition of views from Antelope Canyon. The judges said, “Absolutely breathtaking. The absence of life forms is key to telling the story of the canyon.”

The Times cartoonist, Jake Nelson- Dooley, swept first, second, and third in Division C for Best Editorial Cartoon. First place went to the satirical cartoon, “Media Guide,” a response to the state psychology board’s publishing of media policies.

In news coverage, the Times earned a second place in Best News Coverage. Also the Times won a 2nd and 3rd place in Best News Story. The paper took home a 1st Place for Best Continuing Coverage of a Single News Event, for its reporting on the convoluted politics in the 2014 election involving Drs. Patterson, Comaty, and Chapman. The Times also won in its Division for the Best Overall Website.

Winning Newspaper of The Year honors in their respective divisions were The Advocate (Baton Rouge), The Times (Houma), the Ruston Daily Leader, the West Side Journal (Port Allen), and the Southwest Daily News.

This year’s Freedom of Information Award went to The Advocate (Baton Rouge) for fighting to protect reporters’ sources in a story about drug dealers in New Orleans. “For its work to protect the press freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment, The Advocate has earned this years’ Freedom of Information Award,” noted the association.

The prestigious award was created in part by Gordon Nelson, father of the publisher of the Psychology Times, and current journalism consultant to the Times, Bob Holeman, over three decades ago. Their paper, The Coushatta Citizen, also won the FOI Award the first time it was bestowed on a Louisiana newspaper.

This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.

Article archive / July 1, 2015

Originally published: July 1, 2015. Volume 6, No. 7. Source pages: 10.

Website Up & Running for Louisiana Academy of Medical Psychologists, Inc.

The Louisiana Academy of Medical Psychologists, Inc., has published a website and member application processes.

The site can be found at Louisianamedpsych.com, which lists members, membership information, meeting dates, and educational activities.

According to the website, the group hosted a six-hour CE training, “Emovera and Emotion Mining: Self-Help App Meets Collaboration-As- A-Service,” presented by Thomas Snyder, MD, PhD, from Boston. Also, the group hosted “The Basics of Addiction Management,” by Kension Roy, MD of New Orleans.

Application for membership is available on the site. Members must be licensed by the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners. Annual dues are $1500 and $500 for students enrolled in a post-doctoral masters in clinical psychopharmacology.

Members are listed on the website and include those from Northern Louisiana, from the Greater New Orleans, and from Southern Louisiana.

Also, members from the Greater Baton Rouge are listed as well as individuals other areas such as Tampa, FL.

The webstite was created last year and is managed by Ms. Gail Lowe.

This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.

Article archive / July 1, 2015

Originally published: July 1, 2015. Volume 6, No. 7. Source pages: 11.

Drs. Jill Daniel’s and Edward Golob’s Brainy Work Featured in Tulane Magazine Article on Neuroscience

Drs. Jill Daniel and Edward Golob, researchers in neuroscience and faculty in the Tulane University Psychology Department, had their work featured in the June issue of Tulane Magazine, “Brain Signals: The Mysteries of the Brain Lead Tulane Researchers Down Paths of Discovery.”

Dr. Daniel is Professor in the Tulane Psychology Department and Director of the Neuroscience Program at Tulane.

Her and her team’s research aims to help understand the mechanisms of estrogens and androgens and how these impact areas of the brain, according to her website. This includes the importance of cognition and memory. She and her group of master’s and doctoral students look at the impact of hormones on both the brain and cognitive funcition across the lifespan. Daniel publishes in journals such as Psychopharmacology, Hormones and Behavior, and Endocrinology. With her efforts, she hopes to guide understanding of how hormones help organize mammalian brains as male or female, and also what impact these have on the aging brain.

Dr. Edward Golob is Associate Professor in the Psychology Department and focuses his research on aspects of hearing that are important to humans. Examples include determining a sound’s location and recognizing speech and music. His research and his lab students are focusing on how auditory processing is affected by attention, short-term memory, and the relations between perception and action, according to his site.

The group is working to understand the cognitive and neurobiological changes that accompany normal aging, Alzheimer's disease, and speech fluency disorders. To do this they monitor the brain’s electrical activity using EEG and study patterns while participants are performing cognitive tasks. According to their site, they are also study MRI-guided transcranial magnetic or electrical stimulation.

Musicians have to learn complicated musical parts. And their brains are demonstrably different from non- musicians’ brains. “We can literally see that,” says Golob.

“We have over 400 people in the Tulane community who are involved in the neuroscience endeavors,” says Daniel. The long- range goal is to create a Tulane Brain Institute.

… interdisciplinary work flourishes in four main areas of strength: hormones and the brain, cognition (learning, memory and attention), the autonomic nervous system and its disorders, and neurodegeneration.

This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.

Article archive / July 1, 2015

Originally published: July 1, 2015. Volume 6, No. 7. Source pages: 12.

LaTech Grad Student Marcus Cherry Awarded First in Research Poster

Mr. Marcus Cherry, M.S., graduate student at Louisiana Tech was awarded the first place honors for his research and poster, “Personality and Coping Strategies as Predictors of Help-Seeking Attitudes among Military-Affiliated and Civilian Students.” Cherry’s co-author is Dr. Margaret Cochran, professor at Northwestern State in Natchitoches.

Cherry collected date from 282 participants in an online survey composed of a demographic questionnaire, the Big Five Inventory, the Revised COPE, and the Beliefs About Psychological Services Scale.

Cheery and Cochran found therapy use was significantly associated with higher help-seeking attitudes. He wrote that students who participated in therapy reported higher scores on the Beliefs About Psychological Services scale, when compared to the non-help-seeking counterparts.

In a second hypothesis, he examined results about personality and coping. Cherry and Cochran found that agreeableness, openness, self-help, approach, accommodation, and avoidance were significantly related to help-seeking attitudes.

Results also revealed an insignificant military affiliation main effect, a significant gender main effect, and an insignificant interaction between military affiliation and gender, according to the presentation. He also produced a multiple regression to better understand the variables predicting help-seeking attitudes.

Mr. Cherry’s professor at LaTech is Dr. Lore Dickey.

This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.

Article archive / June 1, 2015

Originally published: June 1, 2015. Volume 6, No. 6. Source pages: 6.

HB 573 by Representatives Hazel, Hoffmann, and Jackson, put forth 33 pages of changes and additions to the methods for dealing with complaints in the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners, but was revamped by substitute, and became HB 843.

The new substitute bill clarifies the causes for restrictions on licenses and discipline, including professional incompetency, medical incompetency, and unprofessional conduct.

The new law authorizes any staff member of the board, except the executive director, to act as the lead investigator for any complaint regarding a physician received by the board or any investigation regarding a physician initiated by the board upon its own motion. It provides that an initial complaint may be made by any person or by the LSBME on its own initiative and requires the initial complaint, except in cases of egregious conduct, to be made in writing and dated and provides for the minimum required content for the complaint.

The proposal prohibits the board, except in cases of egregious conduct, from taking any action upon receipt of an anonymous complaint or a complaint involving conduct that occurred more than three years from the date the complaint is received by the board.

Proposed law requires any final decision of the board to be supported by a preponderance of the evidence presented at the adjudicatory hearing.

Much of the intent of HB 573 now appears to be absent from the new measure.

This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.

Article archive / June 1, 2015

Originally published: June 1, 2015. Volume 6, No. 6. Source pages: 16.

The Psychology Times’ Sunshine Meets Psychology Contest

Where the press is free and every man able to read, all is safe. –– Thomas Jefferson

The winning quote about the importance of freedom of information and open communication comes to us from Dr. Tom Hannie.

Dr. Hannie will receive $100 donation to his charity plus our eternal gratitude.

Thanks to all those who entered and to our judges.

This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.

Article archive / June 1, 2015

Originally published: June 1, 2015. Volume 6, No. 6. Source pages: 6.

House Bill 381 has been signed into law by Gov. Jindal and becomes Act 23. The measure allows an exemption to the behavioral health services provider licensure requirement for providers operating for the sole purpose of furnishing substance abuse or mental health treatment services to specialty courts certified by the La. Supreme Court.

The present law requires behavioral health services providers to be licensed by the Dept. of Health and Hospitals. The new law adds an exemption for providers operating for the sole purpose of furnishing substance abuse or mental health services to courts certified by the La. Supreme Court as specialty courts.

Facilities or services operated for the sole purpose of providing substance abuse or mental health services to courts that are recognized and certified by the Louisiana Supreme Court as specialty courts.

The measure, put forth by Representatives Jackson and Simon, passed the House 97 to 0 and the Senate 38 to 0.

This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.

Article archive / June 1, 2015

Originally published: June 1, 2015. Volume 6, No. 6. Source pages: 16.

Department of Psychology, Northwestern State University has an opening for an Assistant/Associate Professor or Full Professor

Position: Assistant/Associate Professor or Full Professor – tenure track: Earned doctorate in Psychology (Preferred Clinical Psychology) Salary: $54,000 to $57,000. Experience the culture and relaxed living in Louisiana’s oldest city.

Responsibilities: Responsibilities include teaching courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels, graduate thesis research and paper-in-lieu, advising, university and department service, and research/publication endeavors.

Start Date: Open until filled

Application: Send vita, transcripts, and 3 letters of recommendation: Northwestern State University, Department of Psychology Dr. Susan Thorson-Barnett, Chairperson ATTN: Search Committee 311 Bienvenu Hall Natchitoches, LA 71497. Review of application will begin immediately and will continue until position is filled. Northwestern State.

This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.

Article archive / June 1, 2015

Originally published: June 1, 2015. Volume 6, No. 6. Source pages: 6.

HB 194 Becomes HB 835 Passes House 99 to 0 Expands Law for Treatment of Victims

Representative Helena Moreno’s measure creates standards and procedures for the examination and treatment of victims of a sexually-oriented criminal offense and the subsequent billing for the services rendered as a result of the offense.

The newest version of the proposed law Proposed law requires all licensed hospitals and healthcare providers to adhere to the procedures set forth in proposed law in the event that a person presents or is presented for treatment as a victim of a sexually- oriented criminal offense.

Proposed law prohibits a hospital or healthcare provider from directly billing a victim for services rendered in conducting a forensic medical examination or for any healthcare services rendered to a victim as a result of the sexually-oriented criminal offense,

This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.

Article archive / June 1, 2015

Originally published: June 1, 2015. Volume 6, No. 6. Source pages: 8.

The psychology board held a special meeting on June 1 to entertain motions about what action they should take, given a conclusion they appeared to have already reached–that all candidate names should be included on the Louisiana Psychological Association’s list to the Governor.

Dr. Culross and Executive Director, Ms. Kelly Parker, said their reasoning was that all names should be listed, because the Memorandum of Understanding, which specified two names, was terminated last year. They said their interpretation of the statute, which is R.S. 37:2353, was that it means “all” names.

The statue notes: “All appointments shall be from a list provided by the Louisiana Psych- ological Association [LPA]. The list shall report the results of an election…”

Dr. Rita Culross said that the meeting had been called, “To discuss the results of the 2014 election that LPA reported to the Governor’s Office. It has been noted,” she said, “that LPA did not report the results of the full election to the Governor’s Office, but only reported the vote tallies for the top two candidates,” she said. She did not specify who noted this.

The board’s interpretation and conclusion was not questioned by any of the board members. Also, Dr. Culross instructed the public members not to participate. The board voted on a motion to instruct LPA to submit a new list with the names of all those running for the position.

If the new list is sent, Dr. Jesse Lambert, a member of the Louisiana Academy of Medical Psychologists (LAMP), will be included. Dr. Lambert received 71 votes in the election. Dr. Beverly Stubblefield received 173 votes and Dr. Karen Boggs, 132. Neither of these are in LAMP. LPA submitted the two top vote getters, as has been the typical procedure, to the governor in January or early February. No appointment has been made.

Controversy over control of the psychology board has existed for several years. LAMP members, who are licensed as medical psychologists under the state medical board may also hold a license as a psychologist under the state psychology board. Medical psychologists (MPs) have maintained a 60 percent majority presence on the psychology board due to what many consider political influence. MPs comprise onlly about 5 percent of all licensed psychologists.

The board violated open meetings law by instructing the public attendees not to participate until after the board voted and also by improper notice. (See related story this issue.)

Psychology Board at the emergency meeting, listening to Dr. Joe Comaty (facing away). L to R: Dr. Zimmermann, Ms. Parker, Dr. Culross, Dr. Burnett, and Dr. Griffith. (Photo by Susan Dardard.)

This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.

Article archive / June 1, 2015

Originally published: June 1, 2015. Volume 6, No. 6. Source pages: 9.

An April report authored by human rights activists triggered a New York Times article which in turn prompted the American Psychological Association (APA) to hire an independent investigator to look into allegations that APA secretly worked with the Bush administration regarding interrogation techniques. The allegations include that APA attempted to form ethics guidelines that could allow certain uses of psychological science in enhanced interrogations in the military.

The April report, “All the President’s Psychologists: The American Psychological Association’s Secret Complicity with the White House and US Intelligence Community in Support of the CIA’s ‘Enhanced’ Interrogation Program,” is authored by Stephen Soldz, Ph.D., Nathaniel Raymond, and Steven Reisner, Ph.D.

The April 30 New York Times article “Report Finds Collaboration Over Torture,” was authored by James Risen and the story also appeared on the front page May 1, 2015 of the paper edition.

James Risen is the author of a 2014 book, Pay Any Price: Greed, Power, and Endless War, where he pointed to similar involvement by APA. APA had said the claims are not true. For this recent allegations, APA said, in an April 30 statement, “… APA senior governance and staff take the allegations of support for torture and the public misunderstanding they have created very seriously.” They will hire outside attorney David Hoffman of the firm Sidley Austin to conduct and independent review.

The APA Board of Directors wrote members on Friday, May 22 saying, “Many APA members have shared their concerns with us about the allegations reported in national media that APA supported the CIA's “enhanced interrogation” program during the Bush administration’s war on terror. Allegations that individual psychologists and/or APA supported this torture program are extremely disturbing to us and to others in our APA community.”

In this most recent report, “All the President’s Psychologists,” authors point to 16 key emails from Scott Gerwehr, a researcher at RAND Corporation and later a defense contractor, who is now deceased. The emails include several from Geoffrey Mumford, director of science policy at APA, and included Kirk Hubbard, a psychologist at the C.I.A. who left to work for Mitchell Jessen and Associates, the firm involved in the enhanced interrogation procedures for the military. The emails show communications between these and other individuals about a number of topics.

The full report, which includes the text of the 16 emails, is available online.

This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.

Article archive / June 1, 2015

Originally published: June 1, 2015. Volume 6, No. 6. Source pages: 9.

Following the House Civil Law and Procedure Committee’s decision to return the Louisiana Marriage and Conscience Act to the calendar, Governor Bobby Jindal issued an Executive Order to protect religious liberty and prevent the state from discriminating against those with deeply held religious beliefs, noted a May 19 press release from the Governor’s Office.

“In Louisiana, the state should not be able to take adverse action against a person for their belief in traditional marriage,” Governor Jindal said. "That’s why I’m issuing an Executive Order to prevent the state from discriminating against people, charities and family-owned businesses with deeply held religious beliefs that marriage is between one man and one woman.” The order can be found at the Louisiana Register, number BJ 2014 – 8.

This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.

Article archive / June 1, 2015

Originally published: June 1, 2015. Volume 6, No. 6. Source pages: 10.

Psych Board Continues to Violate Open Meetings Law Public Participation, Notice, Request for Documents all Flag

On Monday, June 1, the psychology board held a special meeting where the chair, Dr. Rita Culross, told the public members, “There will be no comments during the board’s discussion of our agenda item.”

Open Meetings Laws protect the public’s right to observe and influence the power and directions of government officials. Direct participation is protected, “…each public body conducting a meeting which is subject to the notice requirements of R.S. 42:19(A) shall allow a public comment period at any point in the meeting prior to action on an agenda item upon which a vote is to be taken.”

There was no indication that the chair, or the Executive Director, attempted to correct the violation to public participation.

The meeting was also improperly noticed. The agenda did not give the substance of the topic to be discussed, which is required by law so participants can prepare. Since the board’s website was not functioning, the meeting was also not posted on its web site. There was no announcement made at the regular board meeting on Friday, May 29, the preceding workday.

The board is also in violation regarding public records request. On May 21 the Times submitted a request to the state psychology board for documents and communications regarding the board’s role in SB 113. The Times received a letter dated May 21, but postmarked May 26, from the Executive Director, Ms. Kelly Parker. She wrote back noting a variety of delays. “… your request for emails will require a search through the Office of Statewide Email and this may impact response time. State offices will also be closed in observance of Memorial Day…” And, “Finally, we reserve the right to consult with our legal counsel regarding your request to guarantee we release the appropriate documents.” She also noted that the required fee must be paid before release.

According to state law R.S. 44:32, “… the public record shall be immediately presented to the authorized person applying for it.” If it is not immediately available for some reason or reasons, “… the custodian shall promptly certify this in writing to the applicant, and in his certificate shall fix a day and hour within three days, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and legal public holidays, for the exercise of the right granted by this Chapter.”

The Times has previously pointed out violations to the board but problems still remain. Last year the board created a media policy that further blocks transparency and accountability.

This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.

Article archive / June 1, 2015

Originally published: June 1, 2015. Volume 6, No. 6. Source pages: 10.

The Times is researching the methods used by Boards’ in the community. If you have been treated in what you consider an unfair, unethical, or illegal manner while involved in an interaction, especially an investigation, by any one of our several boards, we would like to talk with you, off-the-record and confidentially. Contact the Times or publisher J. Nelson. All sources will be protected.

This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.

Article archive / June 1, 2015

Originally published: June 1, 2015. Volume 6, No. 6. Source pages: 10.

The Louisiana School Psychological Association is holding a State Advocacy Day where school psychologists express a voice for children, families, and school psychology. The day is planned for June 2, from 8 am to 2 pm in the Rotunda Room at the State Capitol.

President of the Louisiana School Psychological Association and Government and Public Relations Chair, Dr. Chavez Phelps, told the Times, “Our main objective is to explain the vital role of school psychologists. Also, we will outline our model for comprehensive and integrated school psychological services.”

Topics the group hopes to express include the definition of a school psychologist, safe schools, ways to integrate school psychological services to improve child and school outcomes, and current research on the relationship between mental health and academic achievement in youngsters.

The group will also be preparing to discuss how schools and communities can work together on safety issues.

“Our main goals are to increase visibility to develop partnerships with elected officials and other key players,” Dr. Phelps explained.

The group’s directions and model come for the National Association of School Psychologists and includes best practices for data-based decision making, services for both the student and the system, and foundations which include diversity, research, and ethics.

Dr. Chavez Phelps, school psychologist and Director of the ReNEW Therapeutic Program in New Orleans. Phelps originally came to Louisiana as an intern in the LAS*PIC from Indiana State University. His background includes helping youth in residential treatment facilities, alternative high schools, juvenile justice centers, and adolescent mental health hospitals.

School psychologists Jill Landry (L) and Joanna Sonnier (M) and Kevin “Dance Card” Jones at the 2013 Louisiana School Psychological Association convention. Jill Landry is in Lafayette Parish and Joanna is in Vermillion. Dr. Jones is Professor at LSU Shreveport. School psychologists are gathering at the Capital this week.

Dr. Chavez Phelps speaking at a past convention of the Louisiana School Psychological Association. Dr. Phelps is the current president of the association.

This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.