Suggested changes to the Membership Section of the Constitution

The chairs of the membership and constitution committees have collaborated and are proposing the following changes to Article II of the AAP Constitution, revised 6/2011.  This section concerns the definition, minimum standards and categories of membership.  Changes are proposed for two of these sections.  The election ballot disseminated in the spring will include the opportunity to vote for or against these revisions.

Items “b” and “e” of Section 3 currently read: 

Section 3.  Minimum standards for membership shall be:

b.     Specific training in psychotherapy with a minimum of 100 hours of supervision.

e.  Licensure in the governmental jurisdiction(s) in which they engage in independent practice, or when they practice under a governmental jurisdiction that does not require licensure that they meet the requirements for licensure as specified in the Academy’s Policies and Procedures Manual.

It is recommended that “b” be modified by the addition of the following sentence.   Licensure shall be an acceptable means of documenting supervision as long as the applicant’s license requires at least 100 hours of supervision.  

- January 2014 Newsletter

This motion was passed by the Executive Council in 2007 and has been implemented by the membership committee.  The suggested constitutional change is a codification of the EC action and the procedures of the membership committee.

No change is suggested for “e”. 

Section 4 defines the categories of membership of those psychotherapists not yet eligible for full membership in the Academy.  It currently reads:   

 Section 4.  In the interest of promoting the development of experienced psychotherapists, the following categories of affiliation and association are offered for those with the intent of becoming full members.  Minimum standards shall be: 

a.      Student Affiliate – Ongoing enrollment in a graduate degree program in one of the professional fields listed in Section 3.  Acceptable recommendations from at least two faculty members, supervisors, or Academy members; and agreement to work with an Academy member mentor.

b.      Post-Graduate Affiliate (maximum four years) – Completion of a doctoral or professional degree in one of the professional fields listed in Section 3.  Engaging in the practice of psychotherapy under appropriate supervision; acceptable recommendations from at least three faculty members, supervisors, or Academy members; and agreement to work with an Academy member mentor.

c.      Associate Member (maximum two years) – Meets all of the requirements for full membership, with the exception of either 100 hours of supervision and/or 100 hours of personal psychotherapy; and agreement to work with an Academy member mentor.

                      

In the last EC session, it was recommended that the categories of Post-Graduate and Associate be combined into a new Associate category.  No change is suggested to the requirements for Student Affiliate.  

An Associate member would be defined as (see next page):

 b.   Associate Member (maximum five years)- 

• • ‘Completion of a doctoral or professional degree in one of the professional fields listed in Section 3.
• • Actively involved in the practice of psychotherapy with               supervision as appropriate to the pursuit of licensure.
• • Completion of or actively engaged in obtaining 100 hours of                   personal  psychotherapy.
• • Acceptable recommendations from at least three

faculty members, supervisors or Academy members

• • Agreement to work with an Academy member mentor.

This change is proposed to simplify the categories of membership. The current Associate category is rarely used and is obsolete.  Once licensure has been obtained, the supervision requirement for full membership is met.  At the present time, there is only 1 Associate member of the Academy but there are 8 Post-Graduate Affiliates. 

Warmly,

Margaret Nichols, Chair, Constitution Committee

Nelia Rivers, Membership Chairperson