Division 31 Awards Recognizing Excellence in SPTA Leadership Each year Division 31 recognizes the significant contributions of volunteer psychologists, SPTA Executive Officers, and SPTAs.  Past Division 31 Award Winners The following awards are given annually: At the APA State Leadership Conference in Washington , D.C. · Outstanding SPTA Award · Outstanding SPTA Staff Member Also, theAPAGS/CAPP/Division 31 SPTA Award is given at each year's State Leadership Conference to recognize innovation and accomplishment in student programming and activities and is administered by APAGS.   At the Division 31/Practice Directorate Social Hour and Awards Ceremony at the APA Convention · Outstanding Psychologist Award · SPTA Diversity Award *Please submit nominations for the following two awards to Division 31's Past President by e-mail before January 15 of each year. APA Division 31 Award for Outstanding State, Provincial, or Territorial Psychological Association The award for Outstanding State , Provincial, or Territorial Psychological Association honors a psychological association that provides a model for other associations to emulate, by achievements and outstanding accomplishments, such as:  · Initiating innovative programming and services · Advancing the profession through advocacy and significant legislative accomplishments · Increasing membership growth and retention · Demonstrating strategies for promoting financial stability of the Association · A proven history of producing leaders in organized psychology · Promoting diversity within the Association · Contributing significantly to the public good APA Division 31 Award for Outstanding Psychological Association Staff Member The award for Outstanding Psychological Association Staff Member honors a person whose outstanding achievements may include: · Demonstrating excellent leadership skills · Advancing psychology through innovative or significant accomplishments · Inspiring greater involvement of members · Serving as an outstanding role model and mentor for other staff members · Providing community service of significant value to his/her psychological association and psychology *Please submit nominations for the following two awards to Division 31’s Past President by e-mail before June 15 of each year. Outstanding Psychologist Award The award for Outstanding Psychologist honors a psychologist whose distinguished contributions may include: · Demonstrating outstanding leadership in state, provincial, or territorial psychological association(s) (SPPA) · Advocating for psychology through state, provincial, or territorial psychological association(s)  · Impacting psychology and our clients through distinguished service · Serving as a role model for active participation in organized psychology.  · Being a volunteer SPPA member (Required) Submissions for Outstanding Psychologist must be written by a member of the SPTA and must be submitted by the Executive Director. SPTA Diversity Award This award will recognize innovative, creative and significant contributions by a State and Provincial Psychological Association to advance diversity for its members, in its leadership, and for the public. Such contributions may include: · Sponsoring C.E. workshops to enhance multi-cultural competencies and awareness.  · Planning community forums to address issues of diversity.  · Recruiting new members into the Association and increasing the diversity of the Association's membership, to include students and early career psychologists.  · Increasing representation of diverse groups in the Association's leadership.  · Mentoring programs for Psychologists of diverse backgrounds. · Educating members through newsletters and other publications on topics of diversity.  · Developing new and innovative programs contributing to increased knowledge of issues of diversity. This award recognizes innovation, accomplishment, and ongoing activities related to diversity in membership, governance and leadership, and programming. *Please submit nominations for the following award to: Jeffrey E. Barnett, PsyD, ABPP via email only by March 15th. Karl F. Heiser APA Presidential Award for Advocacy Coordinated and Administered by APA Division 31 Advocacy on behalf of psychology is a critical element in the growth and development of our discipline. To honor individuals who have been in the forefront of advocacy, Presidential Awards are given each year at the APA Convention to some of those who have worked so hard and to whom we owe so much. The Award is named for Karl F. Heiser, the person who succeeded in having the first state statute defining psychology adopted. Nominations are sought that identify people in the states/provinces or APA Practice Divisions who should receive recognition for their work in advocacy. The Karl F. Heiser Award honors those psychologists who have given voluntarily of their time to define the discipline of psychology statutorily by state and federal laws and regulations through advocacy. Such laws and regulations include, but are not limited to, licensure, freedom of choice, Medicare, Medicaid, Workers Compensation, disability determination, mandatory mental health/substance abuse coverage, civil commitment, hospital practice, prescriptive authority, child protection and elder protection, etc. Advocacy efforts that have stopped the passage of laws inimical to psychology may also be recognized. Since the award was established in 1992, many deserving psychologists have been recognized. The 1992 recipients of the award were honored primarily because of work they did before 1975. The 1993 recipients were those who worked to ensure passage of legislation in the later 1970s through the early 1980s. The recipients from 1994 on have been recognized for legislative advocacy benefiting the profession and the public in more recent years. Nominations are sought from state and provincial psychological associations based on the criterion above. Individuals may be nominated regardless of dates/years when their contributions were made. The awardees will be chosen from the nomination pool by a distinguished panel of psychologists who have already been recipients of the award. If you are nominating more than one person, please submit a separate nomination for each nominee. A commemorative pin and certificate is presented to each winner by the APA President at a special convention event at the APA Convention. Please nominate individuals who have a significant history of advocacy efforts as defined above and provide a statement that clearly documents the specific pieces of legislation passed and signed into law which their advocacy made possible. Send nominations with specific details for each nominee by March 15 to: Jeffrey E. Barnett, PsyD, ABPP Karl F. Heiser Award Coordinator Electronic submissions only will be accepted. Please forward all nominations to Dr. Barnett at: drjbarnett1@verizon.net. *Please submit nominations for the following award to:  APAGS Outstanding SPTA Award, 750 First Street NE , Washington, DC 20002-4242 .   All applications must be postmarked by January 31. APAGS Award for Outstanding State Provincial or Territorial Psychological Association of the Year This $1500 cash award recognizes a State Provincial or Territorial Psychological Association for superior performance in promoting graduate student development, involvement, and joint APAGS/SPTA membership. This award is funded jointly by the American Psychological Association of Graduates Students (APAGS) and the Committee for the Advancement of Professional Practice (CAPP) with support and contribution by Division 31, State Psychological Association Affairs. Eligibility To be considered for this award, a State Provincial or Territorial Psychological Association must have an active doctoral student membership from regionally accredited universities. SPTA’s that are previous recipients of this award are not eligible to apply again for a period of five years. Deadline Applications must be postmarked by January 31. How to apply To apply for this prestigious award, at least one APAGS member and one SPTA member or staff person must collaborate on the required application materials (see below) that describe the SPTA’s proposal to meet the needs of graduate students and offer enhanced opportunities for professional development within the SPTA. The APAGS Award Selection Committee will review all applications and select the recipient. The APAGS Award Selection Committee will take into account both past and current activities. Funds must be used to develop new programs and opportunities for graduate students or to build upon and enhance existing student activities. Award Criteria This award is intended to promote continued development of programs and activities that meet the needs and interests of students in their states/provinces, and to enhance collaboration with APAGS that promotes joint APAGS/SPTA membership. A qualified SPTA must demonstrate an exemplary level of commitment to providing opportunities for graduate student development. Applications will be evaluated based upon how well the SPTA actively incorporates students and student issues into the governance and activities of the association, develops and implements innovative programs that target the needs of students, promotes joint APAGS/SPTA membership, encourages socialization of students into the profession, and helps students to shape their own professional identity. In addition to recognition as the “APAGS Outstanding State Provincial or Territorial Psychological Association of the Year” and a monetary award of $1500 that must be used to support future student activities, the winning SPTA will be presented with a plaque during the annual awards ceremony at the APA Practice Organization’s State Leadership Conference and acknowledged in APAGS publications and at the APAGS Open Meeting and Awards Ceremony at the annual APA Convention. Required Application Materials ·         A cover letter (2 pages max.) that includes the name of the award for which you are applying, a brief summary of the nominated SPTA’s membership data (i.e., number of members, student members, APA members, APAGS members), and a brief statement describing how the SPTA is committed to student development and values the contributions of graduate students. ·         A descriptive list (2 pages max.) of recent/ongoing student programming activities and student involvement in the SPTA’s governance, activities, and advocacy efforts. ·         A formal proposal (3 pages max.) that includes a description of association goals with regard to enhancing graduate student development, a discussion of anticipated student initiatives, and a statement indicating how award funds would be used to support future student activities. Five copies of these materials should be sent to:  APAGS Outstanding SPPA Award, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242 All applications must be postmarked by January 31.