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
