From the Membership Committee

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From the Membership Committee

The IPA Membership Committee works hard each year to pursue three driving goals of recruitment, retention, and connection. Current committee members include:

Ashley Banta, IPA Student Representative
Angelica Castro Bueno, Student Liaison from Diversity and Social Justice Committee
Alissa Doobay, PhD, Co-Chair
Suzanne Hull, IPA Executive Director
Nicole Keedy, PhD, Co-Chair
Jenna Paternostro, PhD, Liaison to Early Career Psychologists Committee
David VanHorn, PhD, Committee Member

The committee continues to benefit from four ancillary members who assisted with projects such as reaching out to non-renewed members to encourage renewals and contacting Lifetime members to inquire about continued active engagement in IPA. These members include:

Ashley Freeman, PhD
Laura Fuller, PhD, ABPP
Lauren Garvin, PhD
Stacey Pawlak, PhD

The Membership Committee’s current Strategic Plan Worksheet, which guides committee efforts, is available for review in the overarching IPA Strategic Plan: www.iowapsychology.org (linked under the Committees tab).

As Co-Chairs of the Membership Committee, we have been honored to work with a committee that epitomizes the phrase “small but mighty.” Over the past year, this committee has successfully assisted in the recruitment of 40 new members, 19 of whom are student members. Additional goals met by the Membership Committee included:

  • Assisting with activities to promote connection at conferences
  • Requesting funding to support a number of social events across the state
  • Creating an infographic regarding benefits to student members (https://iowapsychology.org/student-benefits-expanded)
  • Posting thank-you videos and recognition to IPA leaders and committee participants
  • Updating welcome emails sent to new members
  • Sending emails and letters to prospect members and newly licensed Iowa psychologists
  • Preparing a letter to send to all licensed psychologists in Iowa regarding the benefits of IPA membership
  • Contacting members to encourage renewals
  • Conducting a full review of the list of Lifetime Members, involving direct outreach and various information-seeking methods to ensure an accurate listing of current membership

Last summer, the Membership Committee announced a committee initiative to form a Marketing Consultant Workgroup. This workgroup has worked independently over the past year, under the leadership of Dr. Jenna Paternostro, to identify and select consulting groups to assist with updates to IPA’s branding and website design. As an exciting step in the process, the Workgroup offered a first look at the new IPA logo to Spring Conference attendees. This rebranding process is moving into a final phase and we anticipate seeing a full brand reveal, including a newly designed website and updated marketing materials, within the next few months.

Each May, the Membership Committee Co-Chairs provide an update of membership numbers for a spreadsheet listed under the Member Resources tab of the IPA website, which members may access by clicking this link and entering their login information: https://iopa.memberclicks.net/member-resources?servId=9168.

Aside from a reduction in the Lifetime member total following the outreach project listed above, we have continued to celebrate membership growth for the past several years. We continue to have a high number (40%) of licensed psychologists living in Iowa as members of the association, which places us among the top of small state associations.

IPA Membership table

IPA Membership Trends Graph

The Membership Committee remains particularly proud of a gradual increase in recruitment of student members who have served as active contributors to IPA, and many of whom we hope will be future leaders of the association. Many thanks to members of Executive Council and IPA committees, all of whom devote countless hours to create a professional home for a vibrant and supportive psychological community. Thank you to all IPA members for being part of this phenomenal association!

The Gift of IPA Membership

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The Gift of IPA Membership

As we quickly approach the IPA renewal date, the Membership Committee would like to highlight a few of the many benefits of membership in this outstanding association.

Alissa DoobayNicole Keedy

Our association celebrated another strong year in 2023 and our membership numbers have remained robust. As of January 28, we have 304 members, 52 of whom are student members (quite an accomplishment – IPA has typically maintained a total 30-40 student members in recent history). In fact, IPA was recognized by APA for being one of the states with the highest proportion of licensed psychologists choosing to join their state psychological association – this is a testament to the wonderful community you all provide to psychologists across the state! Student membership has flourished since implementation of our Student Mentorship and Sponsored Student programs; thank you to those who responded to our recent call for sponsored student donations! IPA has continued to offer excellent professional development opportunities to members, including a fabulous spring wellness retreat called “Taking Care of Us,” our fall conference on Therapeutic Assessment, and additional trainings on Providing Affirming Care for Gender Diverse Youth, Ethics and Risk Management, and Clinical Psychopharmacology, among others. Members can access a wide variety of recorded trainings from this past year through our website. After the renewal process has ended, all renewed members will receive their annual code for four free online CEs to use in 2024!

Our Executive Council, committees, and other leadership have been hard at work implementing IPA’s Strategic Plan. The Diversity and Social Justice Committee has been increasing awareness and understanding of diverse populations and culturally responsive practices. The Finance Committee has been an excellent steward of IPA’s financial wellbeing. Our Advocacy Team continues advocate on behalf of all psychologists in the state by being a voice on legislative issues at the state and federal level, informing membership of action alerts on timely topics, and representing us during public meetings of the Iowa Board of Psychology. Recent Advocacy Team successes include a $10 million increase in Medicaid mental health rates and ensuring inclusion of testing codes, a $35 million increase in substance abuse treatment funding, and continued funding for Iowa internship and post-doctoral training sites. We are excited to announce the recent appointment of a new State Advocacy Coordinator. A big thank you to Dr. Melinda Green for your willingness to serve in this role! Internship and Postdoctoral training opportunities in Iowa are growing with support from our Training Director following the expansion of insurance reimbursement to psychology interns. After several years of dedication, the Policy and Procedures Manual workgroup is putting the final touches on our fully updated P&P Manual, which has been modernized to better reflect IPA’s current priorities, practices, and needs. These accomplishments are just the tip of the iceberg! If you are interested in learning more, this spring the Strategic Plan Committee will post our Year-End Strategic Plan report summarizing the goals and accomplishments of each IPA committee; this comprehensive report will be available on the IPA website under Member Resources.

We eagerly anticipate the opportunities 2024 will bring! Registration is already open for upcoming trainings on Cultural HumilityKetamine: Trends, Myths, Research, and Clinical Care, and Treating Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Our Advocacy Team has set their priorities for the next year, and our P&P Workgroup is eager to turn their attention to updating IPA’s By-Laws (hooray!). In the next year, you will see some changes to the appearance of IPA as we embark on an exciting rebranding campaign, which will culminate in a website update and redesign. Under leadership of Dr. Jenna Paternostro, the Marketing Consultant Workgroup is now actively working with a consulting group regarding the updating of our logo and overall branding. Branding encompasses visual and design-related strategies to ensure our mission reaches our target audience, which includes both Iowa psychologists and Iowans seeking psychological services. We invite you to review additional member benefits on our website, which you are encouraged to share with others who may be interested in joining our thriving community.

On behalf of the Membership Committee, our Executive Director Suzanne Hull sent recruitment letters in September (originally written by Dr. Jody Jones with updates from Dr. Laura Fuller) to every psychologist who became newly licensed in Iowa since September 2022 and we had three newly licensed members join within one month. Student members have collaborated with full IPA members to meet with students from every doctoral program in Iowa for recruitment efforts (with clear results – we had 7 sponsored student members join within the month following the meetings). Student member Angelica Castro Bueno, in collaboration with IPA Student Representative Ashley Banta, created a beautiful infographic to print for student recruitment and to include on our website – it is well worth a look: https://iowapsychology.org/student-benefits-expanded.

In 2023, IPA hosted social events in Des Moines and Iowa City and an after-conference social that were well attended. Many thanks to Dr. Ashley Freemen, Dr. Sarah Fetter, Dr. Valerie Keffala, Dr. Lauren Garvin, Dr. Laura Fuller, and Executive Director Suzanne Hull for organizing these events. We look forward to social events planned for 2024.

Thank you to our many members who have renewed your membership. Every timely renewal helps to lighten the workload of the Membership Committee. If you have not renewed, you still have time! All non-renewed members will lose access to member benefits within a few weeks of the renewal date of February 1. For any members who have not yet completed their renewal, the easiest way is to click the link to your invoice, located at the bottom of one of the renewal emails you have received this month.  That link will take you to an invoice that you may either pay online or download to print with your mailed payment. When renewing your membership, please take a moment to ensure your email address and profile on our website are up-to-date. You can do so by visiting www.iowapsychology.org and, without logging in, review your profile for accuracy under the “Find a Psychologist” tab.  You can then log in to your account and make edits as needed.

We appreciate your continued support of IPA and we look forward to another great year of connection, education, advocacy, and growth!

Membership Update July 2023

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Membership Update July 2023

The IPA Membership Committee comprises a group of committed and creative members whose efforts center around three driving goals of recruitment, retention, and connection. This blog post serves to provide a summary of recent membership trends and much-appreciated efforts by the Membership Committee to maintain a trend of growth. Current committee members include:

Ashley Banta
IPA Student Representative-Elect

Angelica Castro Bueno
Student Liaison from Diversity and Social Justice Committee

Alissa Doobay, PhD
Co-Chair

Eric Field
IPA Student Representative

Suzanne Hull
IPA Executive Director

Nicole Keedy, PhD
Co-Chair

Jenna Paternostro, PhD
Liaison to Early Career Psychologists Committee

David VanHorn, PhD
Newly Welcomed Committee Member

The committee also benefits from the assistance of three ancillary members who reach out to non-renewed members each year to assist and encourage renewals. These members include:

Ashley Freeman, PhD
Laura Fuller, PhD, ABPP
Lauren Garvin, PhD

The Membership Committee is guided by their unique Strategic Plan Worksheet, which is included in the overarching IPA Strategic Plan as linked on the home page of the IPA website: www.iowapsychology.org. Several successful efforts utilized over the past year have included recruitment meetings with Iowa’s doctoral psychology students, renewal outreach and assistance, updating application forms to promote inclusivity, connecting members with leadership opportunities, sending recruitment letters to newly licensed psychologists and conference attendees, maintaining the student mentorship and sponsorship programs, highlighting the contributions of student members, and recognizing the dedicated efforts of IPA’s leaders.

One particularly exciting effort by the Membership Committee in recent months included reaching out to leaders from a variety of IPA positions to form a Marketing Consultant Workgroup. The Membership Committee carefully considered the committee experiences and perspectives that would be desirable to fulfill the desired responsibilities of this workgroup. Under leadership of Dr. Jenna Paternostro, this group will seek proposals and select a consultant to assist IPA with branding (e.g., logo, brochure and website graphics, etc.), and other aspects of IPA’s marketing strategy. This workgroup includes:

Angelica Castro Bueno, Student Member
Alissa Doobay, PhD
Suzanne Hull, Executive Director
Sarah Fetter, PhD
Jenna Paternostro, PhD
Mark Poeppe, PsyD

We are excited to receive updates as this highly capable and enthusiastically formed workgroup aims to define and pursue their goals over the next year.

Each May, the Membership Committee Co-Chairs provide an update of membership numbers for a spreadsheet listed under the Member Resources tab of the IPA website. This spreadsheet and many additional members-only resources may be found by clicking this link and entering your login information: https://iopa.memberclicks.net/member-resources?servId=9168.

As the numbers and graph below illustrate, we have continued the trend of membership growth since 2020. With strong numbers in 2022, simply retaining the same number of members through renewal time would have been a notable feat. To have increased member numbers across multiple categories and to have nearly half of licensed psychologists living in Iowa as members of the association are commendable accomplishments by this devoted committee.

IPA Membership data chart

IPA Membership data graph

These trends demonstrate a high degree of success by the Membership Committee in pursuing their Strategic Plan objectives over the past year. It is noted that all leaders and committees in IPA participate in the efforts that assist in providing highly valued benefits to our members. We wish to extend our highest gratitude to these individuals whose commitment provide the foundation of a strong and growing association. Additionally, we wish to extend appreciation to all IPA members for contributing to a supportive, productive, and engaged membership that promotes a desire to remain connected through IPA!

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Renew Your IPA Membership

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Renew Your IPA Membership

Renew your membership with IPA in 2023!

headshot of Alissa DoobayHappy New Year to my IPA colleagues and friends! It is that exciting time of year full of new ideas, hopes, goals, and adventures. I sincerely hope that renewing your commitment to IPA is one of your goals for 2023. 

As an organization, we have had an excellent 2022. As of December 31, IPA Membership has grown to 309 total members. More specifically, we have 185 Full Members (12 of whom are Early Career Psychologists), 9 Academic Members, 7 Associate Members, 46 Retired or Partially Retired Members, 12 Out-of-State Members, and 50 Student Members. 

We have seen excellent professional development programming, including trainings on SPACE Treatment for Anxiety and OCD, Compassion-Focused Therapy, Disability as Diversity, LGBTQ+ Clinical Competencies, the Iowa Legislative Process, and many more. Members can access a wide variety of recorded trainings from this past year through our website, including psychopharmacology content from New Mexico State University.

Throughout 2022, our Diversity Liaison and Diversity and Social Justice Committee continued to host book clubs and expand our knowledge of cultural holidays and remembrances. Our incredible advocacy team has had success in efforts related to insurance reimbursement for supervised psychology interns, opposition of a bill that would have allowed attorneys in civil cases full access to all psychological testing materials and data, and the creation and funding of a new loan repayment program that applies to psychologists in Iowa. Members have been adding excellent content to our blog, and we have had some fun social events, including a “get to know your EC” game at our recent fall conference. Our student membership has grown substantially since implementing our Student Mentorship and Sponsored Student programs, and many of our committees now have student representation. This summary highlights only a few of IPA’s accomplishments over the past year. If you are interested in learning more, I encourage you to read the Year-End Strategic Plan report, which will summarize the 2022 goals and accomplishments of every IPA committee; this will be available on the IPA website under Member Resources.

We are eagerly looking forward to the opportunities 2023 will bring. IPA has already planned some excellent trainings, including the IPA Spring Conference: Taking Care of Us on April 28-29, and the 2023 Trust Workshop: Perplexing Problems in Psychological Practice on June 9. Additionally, our advocacy team has an exciting list of priorities set for next year, including advocating for reducing barriers for prescribing psychologists, increasing funding for psychological internships, requiring self-insured plans to self-identify, and protecting the use of the title “psychologist.” Please review additional member benefits on our website, which you are encouraged to share with others who may be interested in joining our community.  

As a member of IPA, I have a great sense of pride in our organization. I have pride in our accomplishments; our strategic plan; our advocacy; our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion; and our commitment to making affordable, high-quality trainings available to IPA members and other mental health professionals in our state. However, even more importantly, I experience pride and gratitude in our community – we have an outstanding community of intelligent, generous, compassionate, talented, creative, and dedicated members who improve the quality of life for Iowans every day with their actions. I hope that you, also, feel inspired to recommit to IPA through membership and volunteerism in our organization. 

If you have any questions about the renewal process, please contact me at alissa-doobay@uiowa.edu.

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Letters from the Membership Committee

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Letters from the Membership Committee

The following letter was sent to in-state and out-of-state licensees who have been licensed since September 1, 2021. We’re publishing here to remind everyone of the great benefits included in your membership. Also, you can share this blog post with anyone you know who you think should consider membership in IPA! A huge thank you to the Membership Committee (co-chaired by Dr. Nicole Keedy and Dr. Alissa Doobay) with a special thank you to Dr. Jody Jones for constructing and updating our recruitment letters to keep IPA thriving. 

IPA logo

Congratulations on obtaining licensure in Iowa! We are glad you are serving Iowans, and we would like to invite you to join the Iowa Psychological Association (IPA). 

Your membership in IPA will benefit you in many ways, including: 

Continuing education at discounted rates 

  • Spring and Fall Conferences: IPA sponsors top-quality spring and fall conferences each year in the state of Iowa, including a day with Dr. Russell Kolts on Friday, October 7 in West Des Moines. Members will pay a reduced rate to attend and learn about compassion-focused therapy from one of the nation’s experts on the topic. You may find information about this and other upcoming events at https://iowapsychology.org/upcoming-events.
  • Virtual CEs and recorded events: 
    • IPA members receive four (4) free CEsannually for recorded events available on our website
    • We also offer multiple virtual CE events at discounted member rates. Upcoming topics include:
      • Ethics, diversity, and the role of psychology in working with people who have disabilities
      • Iowa’s legislative process
  • Ethics CEs: Every other June, IPA offers 6 hours of continuing education in ethics. This is important for you because 6 hours of ethics training are required for each licensure renewal cycle. We’ve got you covered!
  • CE tracker: Avoid the last-minute scramble to find certificates of your CE credits at license renewal time! Our convenient CE tracker will keep them organized for you.

Advocacy and Representation

The IPA Advocacy Team monitors and addresses state and federal issues affecting the profession of psychology. That team includes our State Advocacy Coordinator, Federal Advocacy Coordinator, Director of Professional Affairs, Training Director, Lobbyist, and others interested advocating for psychologists. The IPA Advocacy Team provides:

  • Legislative influence to protect and enhance the profession
  • A voice in Congress when IPA leadership meets with members of Iowa’s Senate and the House of Representatives
  • Participation in our annual Legislative Day
  • Representation in APA (American Psychological Association) governance

Recent Advocacy Team successes include:

  • the creation and passing of a bill that allows predoctoral interns to become provisionally licensed and able to bill through their supervisors;
  • successful opposition of a bill, HF 2386, that would have allowed attorneys in civil cases full access to all psychological testing materials and data;
  • the creation and funding of a new loan repayment program for non-prescribing mental health professionals, including psychologists, to address IPA’s calls for improved recruitment and retention of psychologists in Iowa; and
  • organized Hill visits in July for IPA/APA members by our Federal Advocacy Coordinator (FAC) to attend during the APA Federal Summit on Addressing the Impact of Climate Change and Health Equity.

IPA is pleased to keep you informed about these statewide issues; in addition, IPA’s Federal Advocacy Coordinator provides regular communication regarding federal action alerts that could impact your work.

Connections, Networking, and a Professional Home 

Through IPA, you will make connections with professionals in the field across the state. In addition to the in-person relationship building you will gain through participation in conferences and other CE events, IPA provides:

  • Job postings: You can post job openings on the website for free as an IPA member.
  • IPA E-list: The E-list is a forum that allows members to share and discuss ideas, request informal consultation, and make referrals with colleagues across the state. 
  • Facebook: IPA members who are Facebook users can join our closed Facebook group where we have more social interaction.
  • The IPA Blog provides opportunities for members to learn more about IPA, psychology in Iowa, and their colleagues with regular blog posts on a variety of engaging topics! Check it out: https://iowapsychology.org/blog
  • Legislative actions and updates: You can receive first-hand information regarding legislative issues and action alerts, and you have access to the legislative advocacy team and lobbyists.

Professional Growth

Members have numerous opportunities for leadership positions within IPA, in addition to gaining access to communication tools and the wisdom of the professional community.  Increasing collaboration in the psychology community has been made available with opportunities for student mentoring.

Affordable Rates

IPA’s membership dues are low compared to the rates of other professional organizations, and with membership you gain the discounts for continuing education mentioned above. 

  • Full membership dues are currently $350—but we offer a discounted rate for new members of $200 the first year. 
  • If you received your degree in the last 3 years, you qualify for our Early Career Psychologist discounted rate – $0 the first year, $150 the second year, and $250 the third year.  
  • Psychologists in academic, non-clinical positions qualify for a discounted rate of $150.

In addition, if you join before December 31, 2022 your membership extends through all of 2023, meaning you will not renew your dues until February 2024!

Go to www.iowapsychology.org and click on “Join IPA Today.”

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Membership Update 2022

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Membership Update 2022

headshot of Nicole Keedyheadshot of Alissa DoobayAs Co-Chairs of the Membership Committee, we were recently forwarded correspondence by Dr. Bethe Lonning, IPA’s Director of Professional Affairs, that she received from Dr. Lawrence Perlman, Member at Large for APA’s Division 31 (Division for State, Provincial, and Territorial Psychological Association Affairs). Dr. Perlman requested updated information regarding IPA’s membership numbers. In the message, Dr. Perlman stated that his research of state associations found Iowa to have notably high success for recruiting and retaining members with a budget of our size, which he labeled a “remarkable achievement.” He intended to highlight IPA’s accomplishments in a Division 31 presentation at APA’s annual convention.  Dr. Doobay provided the following totals for each membership type to Dr. Perlman, as of August 1, 2022: 

Full Member: 147
Academic:     9
Advocacy-Exempt:     9
Early Career Psychologist:   18
Student Member:   39
Lifetime/retired:   44
Out-of-State:   10
Associate:     6
Total IPA Members: 282

Number of IPA Members who are Licensed Psychologists in Iowa: 176
Number of Licensed Psychologists in Iowa (and living in Iowa): 489
Percent of Iowa Licensed Psychologists in Iowa who are members of IPA: 36% 

We have known for several years that IPA has celebrated one of the highest percentages of licensed psychologists who reside in the state and who are members of their state association. Receiving recognition from APA’s Division 31 confirmed and reinforced the collective efforts of various IPA committees and leaders in the association who have assisted in both recruitment and retention of our devoted and active members. 

graph of IPA Member Trends from 2000-2022

With this blog post, we hope to share our joy upon receiving this uplifting recognition with all IPA members. Iowa’s psychologists are a uniquely involved and connected group and we continue to grow.  As shown in the graph, our membership numbers have risen over the past two years, creating an incredible sense of pride for IPA leadership. We have many people to thank for their tireless work that maintains the strength, productivity, and many benefits of this outstanding association. 

As always, our connection serves as a driving force for our success as an association. Thank each of you for your contributions to the organization and your efforts to maintain meaningful connection with other members. Please continue to share your experiences with prospect members who could also benefit from joining what many members consider to be their professional home. As we grow in numbers, we expand our diverse experiences, we broaden geographical representation in Iowa, and we strengthen our ability to advance the mission of the association. Many thanks to each of you for your part in this growth.

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Updates to the IPA Blog

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Updates to the IPA Blog

Although Spring hasn’t quite sprung yet in Iowa, we are in a season of change for the IPA blog! In response to feedback from our members, we’ve made a couple changes.

Having to take that extra step to log in was prohibitive in accessing our content. As of today, the blog is now available without having to log in. This will make it easier to go directly to the posts that interest you and will make it easier to share links to posts. Please note, this also makes blog posts visible on search engines and to the public.

Prompted by constructive feedback from a member, we updated accessibility of the blog and the website.

  • Video captioning is now available during all IPA Zoom meetings and presentations. Anyone joining can request to turn on closed captioning and the host will approve it.
  • Alternative text has been added to all images on the IPA website retroactively and will be added to all images in the future.
  • We ran an accessibility check against Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and made recommended changes.
  • We adjusted website settings to ensure a sufficient contrast ratio between background and foreground elements to assist low vision users.

As you can see, the WEB committee has been busy! We are also looking to add another 1-2 members to our committee. If you’re interested, please contact Katie Kopp.  

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IPA Service: Get a Great Return on Your Investment

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IPA Service: Get a Great Return on Your Investment

Nicole Keedy headshotThe Membership Committee strives to increase member participation in activities that promote the IPA mission and Strategic Plan. A primary Membership Committee objective is to assist IPA’s standing committees in reaching their desired capacities. Over the past year, our Finance, Psychopharmacology, and Diversity and Social Justice committees have benefitted from the participation of some of the newest IPA members, including student members. This effort has been greatly appreciated. Meanwhile, the majority of IPA committees continue to seek members.

The success of IPA requires each of us to consider how we can best contribute to the association. Prior to serving initially as Co-Chair of the Membership Committee and now, additionally, as President-Elect of IPA, I recall declining repeated requests to increase participation in the association, explaining that my time was too limited. Upon reflection, however, I recognized that IPA only functions as an association due to the volunteerism of a number of dedicated members who ensure that we are able to successfully organize and advocate for the profession of psychology and the well-being of the Iowans we serve.

Over the past two years, I have witnessed our leaders, committee chairs, and committee members – people with busy schedules and family lives – offer countless hours to support the organization. I have also witnessed several leaders reach a point at which they reduced their responsibility after many years of significant time committed to the organization, feeling an appropriate desire to pass the torch, so to speak. As a result, we continuously need new people to commit to serving IPA, both to decrease the workload for each person serving IPA and to facilitate sustainable participation in leadership.

Serving in IPA committees and leadership is immensely rewarding, offering the chance to understand the functioning of the organization as well as the overarching strategy and mission. Our ambitious mission is accomplished through the hard work and devotion of the volunteers who lead this organization.

I have learned about leadership and advocacy from highly effective members of our Executive Council (EC). When I agreed to run for the position of President-Elect in the summer of 2020, I was willing but less than confident in my ability to step into this leadership role. As time has passed, I have had the opportunity to observe and learn from IPA’s strong council members, and I have witnessed a reassuring and steadfast level of support between members of EC that ensures collaboration for all major decisions.

I have greatly appreciated the connection I share with many outstanding psychologists across the state, whom I now consider friends. As we have collectively traversed the changes associated with a pandemic, a number of IPA members have offered thoughtfulness and compassion that reflect the unique level of understanding that people in our field have to offer. I have been incredibly grateful for my connection to these IPA members, especially over this tumultuous year.

The primary aim of this blog post is to encourage each of us to consider how we may help IPA serve its mission. Members may contribute in a number of ways and I hope you will consider your ability to offer one or more of the following:

  • Mentor a student
  • Write a blog post
  • Contact a committee chair to provide ancillary support (writing and editing documents, writing a diversity spotlight, etc.)
  • Join a committee – student committee members are welcome!
  • Prepare to run for a position on the Executive Council

Below is a list of the standing committees for IPA, with their desired capacities and strategic plan goals. Please consider joining a committee or contacting committee chairs to ask about supportive assistance you may be able to provide without regularly attending the meetings. Committees that have met capacity are likely to welcome more members. At the same time, all committees have important and meaningful goals that support the IPA mission. Members interested in joining Executive Council (EC) may contact any EC member, including myself, to learn more about the EC roles. You may also find information on our website about our committees (www.iowapsychology.org/committees) and Executive Council (www.iowapsychology.org/governance). 

Disaster Relief – Recently established committee welcoming new members

Chair: Ashley Freeman, Ph.D.
Strategic plan pending

Diversity and Social Justice – Desired capacity met

Co-chairs: Joyce Goins-Fernandez, Ph.D., Nicole Holmberg, Ph.D.
Strategic plan goals:

1. Increase psychologists’ cultural competence via educational opportunities
2. Increase members awareness of and involvement in diversity and social justice issues               
3. Foster an inclusive and welcoming environment
4. Promote advocacy regarding diversity and social justice issues


Early Career Psychologists – Needs 2+ members (Time commitment: 1-2 hours per month)
                Chair: Maggie Doyle. Psy.D.
                Strategic plan goals:
1. Enhance Connection Between ECPs
2. Support the professional development of ECPs

Ethics – Needs 3+ members (Time commitment: 1 hour per month)
                Chair: Marla Shapiro, Ph.D.
                Strategic plan pending

Finance – Needs 1+ members (Time commitment: 1-2 hours per month)                
                Chair: Jennifer Kauder, Ph.D.
                Strategic plan goals:
1. Ensure the fiscal accountability and stability of the association               
2. FC promotes, researches, and explores opportunities for financial growth for IPA

Membership – Needs 1+ members (Time commitment for committee members is 1-3 hours per month and for ancillary members is 1-5 hours per year)
                Co-Chairs: Alissa Doobay, Ph.D., Nicole Keedy, Ph.D.
                Strategic plan goals:
1. Enhancing Connection Between Members
2. Recruiting New Members
3. Retaining Members 

Psychopharmacology – Desired capacity met
               Chair: Elizabeth Lonning, Psy.D., MSCP
               Strategic plan goal:
1. To promote the training of advanced trained psychologists for prescriptive authority in Iowa.

Public Education – Needs 3+ members (Time commitment: 1-5 hours per month)
               Co-Chairs: Amanda Johnson, Ph.D., Warren Phillips, Ph.D
               Strategic plan goals:
1. Destigmatize Mental Health Issues and Seeking Help for Mental Health Issues
2. Increase accessibility of scientifically based information on psychology and mental health issues
3. Increase awareness of how and where to access affordable and diverse and inclusive mental health services in Iowa for the public
4. Increase understanding of the value of Psychology and Mental Health services (both from a quality of life and financial perspective)

Strategic Planning Committee – Desired capacity met
               Chair: Benge Tallman, Ph.D.
               Strategic plan goals:
1. Provide oversite of the strategic planning initiatives using SP Worksheet
2. Ensure development, maintenance, and reevaluation of the Strategic Plan and IPA Policies and Procedures

Program Planning Committee – Desired capacity met
               Chair: Nicole Keedy, Ph.D.
               Strategic plan goals:
1. Provide quality training and programming for IPA membership
2. Ensure completion of essential administrative tasks for events           
3. Community building and networking through continuing education opportunities   
4. Motivating member participation in IPA events

WEB (Website, E-Communications, and Blog) – Needs 2+ Members (Time commitment: 1 hour per month)
                Co-Chairs: Suzanne Hull, Executive Director; Katie Kopp, Ph.D.
                Strategic plan goals:
1. Community building online (E-List, Facebook Private Group and Blog)
2. Awareness and dissemination of information to members
3. Website maintenance, updates, and oversight

 

I encourage you to consider joining efforts with your fellow IPA member volunteers by contacting a committee chair or EC member and enjoying the rewards of increased connection with other amazing Iowa psychologists, psychology associates, and students. Member contact information is available through the member directory when you log in to the website (www.iowasychology.org). I am also more than happy to connect you with a committee chair or EC member if desired. 

Last year, the Membership Committee began rewarding committee participation with two prize drawings at the end the year, and we hope to continue this tradition every year. If you joined an IPA committee or leadership position in 2021 or if you take a new role by the end of 2021, please send me an email (nmhoch@gmail.com) and I will place your name in a drawing for one of the coveted IPA pint glasses or up to 6 free CEs from our pool of online training. Individuals who were already serving and have maintained their participation in these roles will be entered in a separate drawing for the same prize options.

On behalf of the IPA Membership Committee, we send enormous gratitude to our outstanding group of leaders and committee members who have devoted time and energy to IPA, and we sincerely hope to continue adding new names to the list!

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The Value of IPA Membership

IPA river inspired pattern

The Value of IPA Membership

headshot of Alissa Doobay

January is often a time of reflection, prioritization, and rededication to what brings the most value and meaning to our lives. We all have finite time, energy, and resources, and we know the importance of being intentional about how we expend those. Throughout the year, it is easy to get caught up in a multitude of tasks, engagements, and responsibilities, some of which may drain rather than replenish us. This January, I am recommitting to tasks, activities, organizations, and relationships that match my personal values and bring joy and meaning to my life, and I invite you to do the same. 

Being a member of IPA and serving in a leadership role in this organization are excellent ways to develop community, gain leadership and advocacy experience, serve others, and advance the psychological wellbeing of the people of Iowa. I will acknowledge that, although I have been a member of IPA for more than 15 years, it was not until I joined leadership that I really began developing relationships with other IPA members. By serving as co-chair of the Membership Committee, I have had the pleasure of getting to know so many of our fabulous members who are doing amazing work throughout the state. I am so grateful for that opportunity!

Several current IPA members have shared with me the value they see in their membership and leadership in IPA as well, which I have included below. 

My membership in IPA is priceless. The only reason I might not renew membership is if I move out of Iowa! Through IPA I am able to connect with colleagues from across the state, find referrals for patients via the E-List, and learn about all sorts of important advocacy opportunities, trainings, and changes to state codes and statutes that may impact my practice. I also really appreciate the wonderful psychologists who have served as leaders and chairs of various committees over the years: they work hard and do amazing things that benefit all of us! –Dr. Stacey Pawlak
 

My favorite things about IPA are the wonderful colleagues and the versatility of what membership offers- it offers something for every psychologist. As a clinician in a large teaching hospital, I especially appreciate the referral connections around the state and beyond and the timely updates and advocacy. –Dr. Laura Fuller, IPA Secretary

I really appreciate the support from IPA in all regards of my practice, but especially in pursuing prescriptive privileges. I would not be where I am at in the process without the encouragement and connections I find in IPA. – Dr. Katie Kopp, IPA WEB Co-Chair and Blog Editor

Serving in IPA leadership has been an immensely rewarding experience. I have had the privilege of learning about leadership, advocacy, and the power of collaboration and support from an ambitious and effective group of leaders. I value the connections I have made with psychologists across the state with diverse backgrounds and interests, and future opportunities to form new bonds as our membership continues to expand.  –Dr. Nicole Keedy, IPA President and Membership Committee Co-Chair

I have never belonged to an organization that works as hard, as consistently, and as effectively for its members and the community at large as IPA. I’ve been a member of and watched this organization evolve over the past two decades and I have never been more honored or proud to be part of an organization!  IPA ‘s advocacy has resulted in so many important legislative triumphs including, but not limited to, provisional licensure for psychologists, prescription privileges for appropriately trained psychologists, and more recent legislation (in concert with other groups) helping to ensure telehealth parity for mental health services. IPA provided information and emotional support for Psychologists adjusting to telehealth provision and the isolation we have all felt during the pandemic and continues to provide timely updates and advocacy on state and federal initiatives, including ways to combat the seemingly constant threats to Medicare reimbursement and, more recently, guidance on how to comply with the “No Surprises Act”. IPA provides access to powerful training on numerous topics including ethics, diversity, equity, and inclusion and supports Psychologists’ professional and leadership development through these trainings and through committee and council participation. There has never been a time in my life that I can recall when “community” was more important for growth and, honestly, survival. If you’re a Psychologist here in Iowa, you’re not alone. Reach out to IPA and I promise you will find welcoming and wise support, just as I have. I have made so many lasting friendships with people I love in this organization. IPA has truly become part of my professional DNA. –Dr. Warren Phillips, Public Education Committee Co-Chair and Former IPA President

As you review you reflect on your values and commitments this year, I hope you feel inspired to renew your engagement with IPA by your membership in this organization, as well as by considering additional ways to become more involved in IPA efforts. To that end, we encourage everyone to complete the new interest survey created by the Membership Committee, which lists several IPA positions and activities, both large and small, and allows you to indicate your interest in becoming involved in those endeavors. Additionally, you are always welcome to reach out to me, Alissa Doobay, at Alissa-doobay@uiowa.edu, if you have questions regarding membership or ways to increase your involvement in IPA. I am eager to see what IPA membership can accomplish with your support in 2022! 

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What does IPA do for you?

IPA topographic inspired pattern

What does IPA do for you?

The Iowa Psychological Association (IPA) has been working diligently on your behalf to promote and advocate for the science and practice of psychology in Iowa. In the past year we’ve made significant progress toward many of our key initiatives and we continue to work tirelessly for all licensed psychologists in our state. In this letter we will provide some updates regarding IPA’s recent advocacy work and victories, recognize IPA psychologist leaders, provide updates regarding strategic plan initiatives, and highlight upcoming continuing education opportunities.  

IPA’s advocacy efforts have been in overdrive the past 18 months. IPA’s Advocacy Team includes the State Advocacy Coordinator (Paul Ascheman, PhD), Federal Advocacy Coordinator (JoAnna Romero Cartaya, PhD), IPA Training Director (Matt Cooper, PsyD), and IPA Lobbyist (Amy Campbell). The newest member of the IPA Advocacy Team is Dr. Bethe Lonning, IPA’s Director of Professional Affairs (DPA). Dr. Lonning has done an excellent job in her unique role which includes advocating for the needs of psychologists regarding the professional practice of psychology and serving as a liaison between IPA and professional associations, governmental agencies, Managed Care Organizations (MCOs), private insurance agencies, and other institutions. Dr. Lonning has been a trailblazer during her inaugural year as DPA. She has served as an invaluable resource for many Iowa psychologists regarding issues related to insurance reimbursement, CPT codes, payer credentialing, and Medicare and telehealth guidelines. IPA is also grateful for the support of the Iowa Psychological Foundation who provided a generous grant to help fund the DPA position and Dr. Lonning’s work.  

IPA’s Advocacy Team successfully advocated for several important issues throughout the pandemic. Along with other IPA leadership, the IPA Advocacy Team has initiated numerous conversations with Federal and State legislators to advocate for issues related to equivalent telehealth reimbursement, Psychology Workforce Training Programs (e.g., Graduate Psychology Education and Minority Fellowship Programs), expanding the Postdoctoral Training Program in Iowa, supporting the implementation of prescribing authority for specially trained psychologists, and continuing to advocate for and protect the value of the psychology license. IPA’s advocacy efforts have been recognized at a federal level as Dr. Cartaya, in her role as IPA Federal Advocacy Coordinator, received the APA Advocacy Champion Award during the APA Practice Leadership Conference in March. Iowa psychologists are fortunate to have such a talented and passionate group serving as a strong voice for psychologists. 

The IPA Strategic Plan Committee has been busy planning for the future of psychology in Iowa. One of the goals of the IPA strategic plan was to strengthen the involvement of all IPA committees and increase collaboration among Iowa psychologists. During the strategic planning process several key organizational themes emerged as central to IPA’s mission and purpose. These themes include Education and Training; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Building Connections and Community; Advocacy; and Financial Stability. We are excited about the ongoing implementation of these themes within the strategic plan which will help IPA continue to grow and meet the needs of IPA members and all psychologists in our state. If you have not reviewed the IPA Strategic Plan and the IPA/IDPH survey report, we strongly encourage you to do so by following links on the IPA website’s home page.

We are delighted to announce revisions to the IPA Ethics Committee, chaired by Dr. Marla Shapiro (marla.shapiro@unitypoint.org) and the formation of the new Disaster Relief Committee, chaired by Dr. Ashley Freeman (afreeman0530@gmail.com). You can learn more about how to join an IPA committee on the IPA website.  

The IPA Program Planning Committee (PPC) has spent a great deal of time brainstorming, planning, and delivering world-class continuing education opportunities to psychologists and other mental health providers. On IPA’s website, IPA members have access to a video library of exciting Continuing Education (CE) presentations and a CE tracker that will help you keep your CEs organized for licensure renewal. More recently, IPA partnered with New Mexico State University’s (NMSU) Clinical Psychopharmacology Post-Doctoral Master’s Degree Program to offer affordable and relevant Continuing Education (CE) to all mental health providers. See below for a list of upcoming training opportunities:

  • 11/18/2021-Best practices for assisting the farming population with their behavioral healthcare needs (Michael Rosmann, PhD; Lauren Welter, PhD; Isaac Hooley, PhD)
  • 12/11/2021-Introduction to psychopharmacology for psychologists: The basics of pharmacology (NMSU Staff)
  • 04/04/2022-04/05/2022- IPA Spring Conference, SPACE: Parent-based treatment for childhood and adolescent anxiety and OCD (Eli R. Lebowitz, Ph.D.) 

We appreciate the opportunity to share this important information with you. As IPA members and leaders, we are passionate about mental health issues and we will continue to advocate on behalf of all Iowa psychologists. Thank you for being IPA members and thank you for all that you do!

headshot of Valerie Keffala
Valerie J. Keffala, Ph.D., IPA President
Nicole Keedy headshot
Nicole H. Keedy, Ph.D.
Headshot of Benjamin A. Tallman, Ph.D.
Benjamin A. Tallman, Ph.D.

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