Monitor on Psychology - September 2011 - (Page 22)

behalf on your What APA is doing for you of Math and Physical Sciences. At the hearing, one witness called for eliminating federal funding for social, behavioral and economic research entirely, and the subcommittee chairman, Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) later argued for agencies to distinguish between the value of “basic science” such as physics, math and materials development and the social sciences. To help educate Brooks about the distinction between “hard” and “soft” sciences, Heather Kelly, PhD, and APA Executive Director for Science Steve Breckler, PhD, met with Brooks at his Capitol Hill office on June 21. In addition to follow-up meetings with Brooks and his staff, APA will press for continued recognition of the integrity of the peer-review process, promote grassroots advocacy from the scientific community, build coalitions with other scientific and academic organizations, publicize the value of federally funded research, and fight legislation targeting scientific research funding. n Promoting programs for people with disabilities Unemployed people with disabilities have been found to experience twice as much psychological distress as their employed counterparts — showing that jobs provide both financial and mental health benefits, according to Gwendolyn Puryear Keita, PhD, APA’s Public Interest executive director. Keita submitted a statement for the May 12 congressional forum in Washington, D.C., organized by the National Council on Disability, an independent federal agency that advises the president, Congress and federal agencies about policies affecting the lives of people with disabilities. Given that unemployment rates among people with disabilities are at an all-time high, Keita urged continued federal support for employment programs and services for people with disabilities. Research shows that hiring people with disabilities is a wise business decision, she said. “Individuals with disabilities have been shown to have lower rates of absenteeism, higher job retention rates, and equal or higher performance rating on the job than individuals without disabilities,” she said. 22 n Protecting Medicare patients’ access to psychological services The APA Practice Organization (APAPO) is supporting legislation that would get rid of an advisory panel created by the 2010 health-care reform law to reduce Medicare costs. APAPO argues that the panel would hold down Medicare costs by unfairly singling out psychology practitioners and other health professionals for cuts. That’s because, by law, the board can’t cut payments to hospitals until fiscal year 2020. The board is also prohibited from changing eligibility rules or requiring Medicare patients to pay greater out-of-pocket costs. Despite these restrictions, the board must recommend cuts if Medicare’s annual costs are projected to grow faster than inflation. Cutting Medicare payments to practitioners could force them to limit the number of Medicare patients they accept or even close their practices, APAPO argues, and that would decrease Medicare patients’ access to mental health care. The board will deliver its first set of recommendations to Congress by September 2014, for the fiscal 2015 budget. —C. MuNSEy Monitor on psychology • septeMber 2011 Photos.com http://www.Photos.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Monitor on Psychology - September 2011

Monitor on Psychology - September 2011
Letters
President’s Column
Contents
From the CEO
Supreme Court hears psychologists on prison and video game cases
Antipsychotics are overprescribed in nursing homes
New MCAT likely to recognize the mind-body connection
A $2 million boost for military and families
In Brief
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS UPDATE
On Your Behalf
Judicial Notebook
Random Sample
TIME CAPSULE
QUESTIONNAIRE
Speaking of Education
SCIENCE WATCH
An uncertain future for American workers
Advocating for psychotherapy
PRACTICE PROFILE
ETHICALLY SPEAKING
Seared in our memories
Helping kids cope in an uncertain world
APA and Nickelodeon team up
Muslims in America, post 9/11
Bin Laden’s death
‘They expect us to be there’
Answering the call of public policy
Candidates answer final questions
APA News
Division Spotlight
New leaders
AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL FOUNDATION
Disaster relief training
Honoring teaching excellence
Personalities

Monitor on Psychology - September 2011