FUNDING: Three OppNet RFAs released August 17, 2010

From Pat Kobor, pkobor@apa.org:

 

Three additional OppNet FY2011 RFAs are available to the public.  At present, there are seven active OppNet funding opportunities.  For brief descriptions and links to these RFAs released on August 17, please see below.

 

OppNet, NIH’s Basic Behavioral and Social Science Opportunity Network, makes each of its funding opportunities available through one of its 24 member Institutes and Centers (ICs).  Consequently, the NIH IC that makes each FOA/RFA available to the public is not necessarily the NIH Institute or Center that ultimately will manage a funded OppNet project.  For more information about OppNet, visit http://oppnet.nih.gov.  To register for OppNet’s free conference October 28-29, 2010, visit, http://oppnet.nih.gov/news-102810.asp

 

 

RFA-HL-11-035

Basic mechanisms influencing behavioral maintenance (R01)

 

This OppNet FOA solicits (R01) research applications examining basic mechanisms of behavioral maintenance.  The intent of this FOA is to advance research on basic processes and mechanisms involved in sustaining learned behavior over time and in the context of dynamic environmental influences and changing psychological and biological states.  Maintenance of health behavior change is a critical problem in applied clinical research, and innovative strategies to address this problem require a better understanding of basic processes and mechanisms involved in long-term behavior maintenance.  This FOA requests applications that will improve our understanding of how newly learned, effortful, and goal-directed behaviors transition to less effortful, automatic, and essentially non-goal-directed behaviors that are more easily maintained over time.  A range of possible processes and mechanisms (e.g., neurobiological, cognitive, and environmental) may be proposed for study, and applicants are encouraged to study multiple mechanisms and their potential interactions.  Regardless of mechanisms or processes of interest, however, applications should test how these mechanisms and processes facilitate or impede the transition from newly learned, effortful, and goal-directed behaviors to less effortful, automatic, and essentially non-goal-directed behaviors.  A wide array of research proposals are potentially appropriate under this FOA, ranging from animal neurobehavioral models to human learning studies of social and environmental influences that facilitate or impede the transition to habitually maintained behaviors. 

 

RFA-HL-11-034

Development of comprehensive and conceptually-based measures of psychosocial stress (R21)

 

This OppNet FOA solicits Research Project Grant (R21) applications from institutions and organizations that propose to develop and validate conceptually-focused and comprehensive measures of psychosocial stress that can be applied across species and across the lifespan. Applicants submitting applications under this FOA are encouraged to incorporate variations in exposures, chronicity, environments (including toxicants and social environments), cognitions, and responses, as well as capture important factors for measuring stress in both humans and animals, in men and women, and across the lifespan.  Such studies should demonstrate that the measures, coupled with appropriate bridges between laboratory and population-based designs, advance our understanding of the components of psychosocial stressors that are most relevant to disease, and provide comparability across studies.

 

 

RFA-HL-11-033

Psychosocial stress and behavior: Integration of behavioral and physiological processes (R01)

 

This OppNet FOA solicits (R01) applications that propose to investigate the mechanistic pathways linking psychosocial stressors and behavior.  This research will facilitate investigation of multiple and potentially bidirectional pathways underlying the link between psychosocial stressors and behaviors that may ultimately impact biological function, health, and disease.  OppNet encourages applicants to use model systems and longitudinal approaches to design innovative and integrative studies to elucidate how psychological factors, social factors, and environments impact the processes by which stressors are coupled with and influenced by various behaviors.  Applications examining moderating factors such as individual demographic (age, gender/sex, ethnicity) and psychological (vulnerabilities, resilience) differences, risk factors, early exposure, and environments (including toxicants) are desirable.  This research will provide a deeper understanding of the psychological, environmental, and social processes that ultimately connect psychosocial stress to behaviors, physiological processes, health, and disease.

 

 

William N. Elwood, Ph.D.

william.elwood@nih.hhs.gov

301-402-0116

 

OppNet Facilitator

OppNet is NIH's Opportunity Network for basic behavioral and social science research grants: http://oppnet.nih.gov

 

Register for our conference on October 28-29, 2010: http://oppnet.nih.gov/news-102810.asp

 

jobs: Lafayette College, Department of Psychology

The Department of Psychology at Lafayette College invites applications for two tenure-track assistant professor positions beginning Fall 2011.  (1) Developmental Psychology.  Applicants for this position should be able to teach child development and related courses.  (2) Sensation and Perception.  Applicants for this position should be able to teach a laboratory course in sensation and perception and other related courses.  Applicants must have a Ph.D. in psychology or other relevant field, teaching experience, and a productive research program.  All faculty members are expected to involve undergraduate students in research and to mentor them in independent scholarship.  Applicants for either position should have the ability to teach introductory psychology, introductory psychology laboratory, quantitative methods, and/or research design, in addition to the specialty area courses listed above.  The Psychology Department is especially interested in applicants with broad and diverse experiences, training, and scholarly interests who can contribute to enriching diversity in the curriculum and enhance the vibrant learning community at Lafayette College.  The department is part of the College’s Natural Science Division and jointly administers the interdisciplinary Neuroscience program with the Biology Department. Faculty members are encouraged to contribute to the college’s other interdisciplinary programs as well, especially the Common Course of Study.  We offer competitive start-up funds and space for research in a well-equipped psychology and neuroscience facility.  Lafayette College is a highly selective private undergraduate college with academic programs and resources characteristic of larger institutions.  The College is located approximately 70 miles from both NYC and Philadelphia.  Send cover letter, vita, statement of teaching philosophy and research interests, and arrange for three letters of recommendation to be sent to Andrew Vinchur, Department Head, Department of Psychology, Lafayette College, Easton, PA 18042.  E-Mail applications are welcome at psychapps@lafayette.edu.  We will begin to review applications on October 1 and continue until the positions are filled.  More information about our department is available at http://psychology.lafayette.edu/ and at http://neuroscience.lafayette.edu/.  Lafayette College is committed to creating a diverse community: one that is inclusive and responsive, and is supportive of each and all of its faculty, students, and staff.  All members of the College community share a responsibility for creating, maintaining, and developing a learning environment in which difference is valued, equity is sought, and inclusiveness is practiced.  Lafayette College is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from women and minorities.

**********************************
Jamila Bookwala, PhD
Associate Professor
Department of Psychology
305 Oechsle Hall
Lafayette College
Easton, PA 18042

610-330-5285 (voice)
610-330-5349 (fax)
bookwalj@lafayette.edu (electronic)
http://sites.lafayette.edu/bookwalj/ (webpage) 

INFO: GPE Grants Announced

 

Graduate Psychology Program 2010 Awardees Announcement is below and at: http://www.hrsa.gov/about/news/pressreleases/100813graduatepsychology.html

 

If you are one of the below or know of any of those below with a geropsychology focus, could you let me know?  Thanks, Debbie…..  

***

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced $2.6 million in training grants to expand mental and behavioral health care services for vulnerable and underserved populations.

The grants are funded under the Graduate Psychology Education Program (GPEP): Workforce Training to Improve Access to Mental Health Services, a program of HHS’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).  The GPEP awarded grants to 19 accredited health professions schools and other public and private entities for FY 2010-2012.  The award amount of $2.6 million for FY 2010 represents a 60 percent increase in GPEP funding over FY 2009.

As of June 30, 2010, 3,483 U.S. communities had mental health shortages, impacting access to services for approximately 84 million people.

 “The ability to provide mental health services in integrated care settings is essential to quality patient centered care,” said Secretary Sebelius.  “This funding is another step in President Obama’s commitment to mental health parity.”

GPEP-funded programs foster an integrated approach to health care services, address access for populations in need, and evaluate program outcomes.  Psychologists receive interdisciplinary training from providers representing more than 30 health professions and medical specialties, and develop competencies to treat vulnerable populations such as older adults, children, chronically ill or disabled persons, and victims of abuse or trauma, including returning military personnel.

“The GPEP has increased the number of graduating students who choose to practice in communities where workforce shortages exist and where mental health services often are most needed,” said HRSA Administrator Mary K. Wakefield, Ph.D., R.N.  

Graduate Psychology Education Awards

Grant	City	State	Award
Board of Trustees, University of Arkansas	Fayetteville	AR	$    79,250.00
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles	Los Angeles	CA	$  190,000.00
Regents of the University of Colorado/University of Colorado at Colorado Springs	Colorado Springs	CO	$  139,032.00
Alfred I. Dupont Hospital for Children/NCC-DV	Wilmington	DE	$    98,647.00
Georgia State University Research Foundation	Atlanta	GA	$  119,581.00
Medical College of Georgia, Research Institute, Inc.	Augusta	GA	$  105,849.00
Boston Medical Center Corp.	Boston	MA	$  165,596.00
University of Massachusetts Medical School	Worcester	MA	$  143,767.00
Wayne State University	Detroit	MI	$  176,712.00
University of North Carolina at Greensboro	Greensboro	NC	$  167,968.00
University of North Dakota	Grand Forks	ND	$  188,993.00
University of Nebraska Medical Center	Omaha	NE	$  155,850.00
The Regents of New Mexico State University	Las Cruces	NM	$  160,218.00
University of Rochester Medical Center	Rochester	NY	$  174,500.00
Cherokee Health Systems	Knoxville	TN	$  101,048.00
University of Texas Austin	Austin	TX	$    88,888.00
Eastern Virginia Medical School	Norfolk	VA	$  169,474.00
Virginia Commonwealth University	Richmond	VA	$  131,853.00
University of Washington	Seattle	WA	$    43,825.00
		TOTAL	$ 2,601,051.00

 

For more information on HRSA’s health professions programs, visit http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/.

INFO The geropsych specialty effort

I appreciate all the thanks I've received in the past few days, both on the lists and privately, for leading the effort to get specialty status for professional geropsychology. It does feel great to have it approved after a 6 to 7 year process that I've been involved in.

There is a long history and lot of people and organizational support behind this development. Here are some highlights of that support. I apologize in advance for not being able to list everyone, both because of the sheer numbers and my lifelong spotty memory for coming up with such lists.

Division 20 and 12/2 have been involved in this for decades. PLTC, CONA, and COPGTP have been supportive since they came on the scene.

George Niederehe led the long process that resulted in proficiency status. Much of the first specialty application (2004-05) was copied (with his generous permission) from that effort. He also provided invaluable consultation in the process.

The APA Education Directorate has been very supportive throughout with consultation and money: Cynthia Belar, Paul Nelson, and Cathi Grus.

The specialty application would not have succeeded on this second submission without the Pikes Peak Training conference. LOTS of people were involved in the planning, executtion, participation, and writing up the results. Michele Karel was co-chair and a lead editor in the follow up writing. Sara Qualls handled the local arrangements.

The revised application was prepared by a group that included myself from COPGTP, Suzanne Meeks from 12/2, David Powers from Div 20, and Erika Falk from PLTC.

Finally, I have to say that in terms of this going through CRSPPP and APA Council, we were aided by a general zeitgeist of concern with ambiguities in the specialty and proficiency system, with the fact that child psych was a specialty and geropsych wasn't often being mentioned by people not identified with our field. It's the only time in the past 30+ years that I can recall geropsych issues being advocated by people who were not geropsych themselves.

Michael Duffy serving on CRSPPP was helpful too!

And again, apologies to all those who played important roles who are not listed by name above,

Bob G. Knight, Ph.D.
Associate Dean, Davis School of Gerontology
The Merle H. Bensinger Professor of Gerontology
Professor of Psychology
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0191

Ph: 213-740-1373

INFO: professional geropsychology specialty status

APA Council passed our CRSPPP petition for specialty status for professional geropsychology!

Here are some of the things that it means:

The status itself has some importance in policy discussions and in how other disciplines see us. For example, questions have been raised about geropsychology as part of future mental health and aging manpower needs since we were not a recognized specialty.

We can become a member of the Council of Specialties and our representative can speak for us in discussions of psychology specialties.

It should now be possible for postdoctoral fellowships in geropsychology to be accredited as such.

If we want to, we could apply to the Commission on Accreditation for recognition as a developed practice area. This would enable doctoral programs and internships in geropsychology to apply for accreditation once the field was recognized in this way. I would note that other specialities that have been recognized a long time and that lobbied for this change have decided not to pursue yet, so there's a lot to think about in connection with that step.

Specialty status would make a geropsychology ABPP easier to achieve.

Bob G. Knight, Ph.D.
Associate Dean, Davis School of Gerontology
The Merle H. Bensinger Professor of Gerontology
Professor of Psychology
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0191

Ph: 213-740-1373

INFO: Committee on Aging CALL for NOMINATIONS

Call for Nominations to the APA Committee on Aging

 

The Committee on Aging (CONA) is accepting nominations, including self-nominations, for two new members. CONA is the chief committee within the APA governance structure charged with addressing aging concerns. CONA seeks full members of APA with specialization in aging issues to serve a three-year term beginning January 2011 and ending December 2013.

 

CONA, a six-member Committee, places priority on maintaining representation within the Committee’s membership that reflects the diversity of psychology and society, including (a) individuals with experience in research, clinical training and practice, policy and advocacy, and education; (b) early- and mid-career psychologists and those who are retired or employed less than full time; and (c) diversity with respect to ethnicity, culture, age, gender, ability, sexual orientation, and geographic location.

 

CONA’s mission is to advance psychology as a science and profession and as a means of promoting health and human welfare by ensuring that older adults, especially the growing numbers of older women and members of minority groups, receive the attention of the Association.  Its goals include:

• provide leadership for a scientific agenda on aging,
• advocate for policies that enhance availability and reimbursement of health and mental health services to older adults and their families,
• contribute to the formulation and support of public policies that promote optimal development of older adults, facilitate psychological practice with older persons, and expand scientific understanding of adult development and aging,
• promote inclusion of knowledge about adult development and aging in all levels of education,
• develop and disseminate information concerning the scientific findings and practice issues about older adults,
• serve as a visible focus for the coordination of information among groups within APA that address aging issues and offer consultation to relevant APA boards, committees, divisions, state associations, and directorates, and
• ensure that older members of APA receive appropriate attention from the Association.

For an overview of CONA’s activities and members since its inception, visit: http://www.apa.org/pi/aging/cona/index.aspx

 

Selected candidates are required to attend two committee meetings each year in Washington, DC, with expenses reimbursed by the APA. The Committee will meet on March 25-27 and September 22-24, 2011; March 30-April 1

and October 5-7, 2012; and March 15-17 and September 20-22, 2013.  Members are encouraged to attend a CONA meeting held during the APA Convention at their own expense. CONA is a working committee with ongoing time sensitive and consuming projects that require members’ attention. Members are expected to participate in frequent email discussions and bi-monthly conference calls, work on Committee priorities between meetings, provide consultation to the Director of the APA Office on Aging, and participate in policy advocacy activities.

 

Nomination materials should include a current curriculum vitae and a letter from the nominee indicating their commitment to serve on CONA and highlighting specific competencies, interests, and potential contributions to the work of CONA. Letters of support from other APA governance groups and divisions, state psychological associations, or other organizations are desirable but not required. Prior applicants are encouraged to reapply.

 

Nominations and supporting materials should be sent by September 1, 2010 to: Deborah DiGilio, Director of the Office on Aging, American Psychological Association at ddigilio@apa.org.

 

 

 

 

 

Deborah DiGilio| Director, Office on Aging Public Interest Directorate American Psychological Association 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242 Tel: (202) 336-6135 |  Fax: (202) 336-6040 email: ddigilio@apa.org | www.apa.org/pi/aging
P Please consider the environment before printing this email.

 

INFO: Ad Hoc Committee on Psychology and AIDS Call for Nominations

From Keith Cooke, kcooke@apa.org:

Ad Hoc Committee on Psychology and AIDS Call for Nominations The American Psychological Association (APA) Ad Hoc Committee on Psychology and AIDS (COPA) is seeking nominations for two new members whose term will begin on January 1, 2011, and end on December 31, 2013. The mission of COPA, an ad hoc committee that reports to the Board for the Advancement of Psychology in the Public Interest (BAPPI), is to guide the development and implementation of APA’s organizational responses to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. COPA members are required to attend two, face-to-face meetings per year in Washington, DC, with expenses reimbursed by APA, and to participate in monthly conference calls. Between meetings, members are expected to devote a substantial portion of time to COPA projects, provide consultation to APA Office on AIDS staff, and participate in advocacy activities as needed. Each of the face-to-face meetings begins on a Friday morning at 8:30 a.m. and ends on Sunday morning at noon. On average, in addition to the time associated with the 1-hour monthly conference calls and the time associated with the two face-to-face meetings each year, members spend approximately 2 to 4 hours per month on COPA business. Candidates should have demonstrated expertise in dealing with HIV/AIDS issues as a researcher, practitioner, educator, and/or policy advocate. COPA seeks to involve a diverse group of psychologists, including persons of color and individuals who are living with HIV. COPA is particularly interested in candidates with expertise in the following areas: (1) mentoring behavioral scientists with an interest in developing HIV/AIDS-related research careers focusing on ethnic minority communities; (2) clinical and practitioner issues associated with working with people affected by HIV/AIDS; (3) HIV prevention and care for people with serious mental illness; and/or (4) public policy pertaining to HIV/AIDS prevention and care. Nomination materials should include a summary of the nominee's qualifications, a letter from the nominee indicating a willingness to serve on COPA, and a curriculum vita. Self-nominations are encouraged. Materials should be sent by mail or e-mail to Cherie Mitchell, Office on AIDS, 750 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242 (phone: 202-336-6042; e-mail: cmitchell@apa.org ). All materials must be received by no later than September 10, 2010   Office on AIDS The American Psychological Association 750 First Street, NE Washington, DC 20002-4242 (202) 336-6042 (202) 336-6198 (fax) OfficeOnAIDS@apa.org www.apa.org Your e-mail address was obtained from the APA Office on AIDS Database. You are receiving this message to inform you about general information relevant to HIV and psychology. We are making greater use of electronic communications in our correspondence to save the high costs of printed and mailed materials. This is not a promotion and you will receive this notice only once. To unsubscribe to promotional email correspondence, send your request to the Office on AIDS at OfficeOnAIDS@apa.org or you may call the Office on AIDS at 202-336-6042. This message was scanned for viruses!

JOBS: Job opportunity in Texas

From Keith Cooke, kcooke@apa.org:

The Alzheimer’s Disease and Memory Disorders Center (ADMDC), Department of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine seeks a full time faculty member to serve as Director of Education and Patient/Family Services.  The level of appointment will be commensurate with training and experience and could be tenure-track or non-tenure track.  Duties include but are not limited to:  Counseling with patients and families of the ADMDC, with emphasis on a new patient evaluation and annual assessments; coordinating  multi-level educational activities of the center, from student and resident rotations, to preceptorships, orientation of clinical and research fellows, and visiting Observerships; developing educational materials for patients and families, helping to provide updated content to the webmaster for the Center’s website, interfacing with local and national media; and serving as a representative of the Center at invited lectures, programs, or committee appointments.  The candidate may elect to participate in the clinical and translational research activities of the Center and/or conduct independent research.  This individual will work closely with other faculty and staff of the center as well as with the public, and demonstrated collaborative capabilities would be highly advantageous.

Education/Experience:

Texas licensed clinical or counseling psychologist with experience counseling dementia patients is preferred, but a psychiatric social worker with counseling experience for dementia patients and past academic experience would also be considered.  Those holding an out of state license will be considered in special circumstances.               

 

Victor Molinari, Ph.D., ABPP
Professor
Dept of Aging and Mental Health Disparities, MHC #1440
College of Behavioral and Community Sciences
Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Inst
University of South Florida
13301 Bruce B. Downs Blvd.
Tampa, Florida 33612-3899
(813) 974-1960
FAX (813) 974-1968
Email: vmolinari@fmhi.usf.edu
Webpage: http://amh.fmhi.usf.edu/vitas/vmolinari.php