*Psychologists will receive 1 free CE for their attendance during the webinar
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Our nation is in the midst of a pre-existing mental health crisis that has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly half of the 60 million adults and youth living with mental illness in the US go without any treatment (National Alliance on Mental Illness, 2017). Of those who had a Major Depressive Episode within the past year, only 43.3% of youth received treatment (SAMSHA, 2020). Nationally, about 60% of all counties, including 80% of all rural counties, do not have a psychiatrist and at least 40% of persons needing mental health care services go untreated (The New American Economy Healthcare Report, 2017). Similarly, the profession of Health Service Psychology (HSP) is beset by many challenges and threats. Apart from marked compensation inequities, HSP education is costly, resulting in major financial debt loads, in many cases comparable to that of medical school graduates. Such a high debt burden endangers the ability of HSP alumni to work with underrepresented sectors or for social justice causes (typically included in the goals of many accredited programs), and instead concentrate on providing clinical services to the affluent. In addressing the relevancy of HSP training programs today, Sammons (2019) writes, “Specialty mental health care is giving way to integrated care models with mental health services provided in primary care settings. Current graduate curricula are simply inadequate in preparing graduates to work in this environment” (p. 1).
In this webinar we will have the second interview in our Thought Leader Series in Perspectives in Psychopharmacology. Thought leaders are experts in a given field who by accomplishment, recognition, and trust, are regarded as authoritative experts who are highly influential, engaging, and bring meaningful change. In this presentation, Dr. Rodriguez-Menendez’s guest is Dr. Morgan Sammons, CEO of the National Register of Health Service Psychologists, a pioneer of the RxP Movement.
In this webinar we will discuss:
- Dr. Sammons’ vision for HSP and clinical psychopharmacology;
- The current challenges and threats the profession is facing;
- Mechanisms for how we might overcome these challenges and threats; and
- How we can best organize ourselves as a profession for the 21st Century.
Learning Objectives:
- The participant will be able to discuss health care disparity issues impacting access to quality mental health services in the US.
- The participant will be able to discuss various challenges and threats being faced by the profession of Health Service Psychology.
- The participant will be able to describe advocacy strategies for prescriptive authority legislation throughout the country.
Morgan Sammons, PhD, ABPP
CEO of the National Register of Health Service Psychologists
Dr. Morgan Sammons is the Chief Executive Officer of the National Register of Health Service Psychologists, an organization of over 10,000 licensed psychologists and 5,000 graduate students. He is Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Health Service Psychology. Dr. Sammons represents the organization at local and national psychology meetings and plays an integral role as a liaison with related psychology and multidisciplinary organizations. He regularly contributes content to National Register publications and digital content, including the Journal of Health Service Psychology, e-newsletters, clinical webinars, and the Clinical Consult podcast series. Dr. Sammons previously served as Systemwide Dean of the California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University. Dr. Sammons is a retired Captain in the US Navy, having served as the Navy’s Clinical Psychology Specialty Leader, Special Assistant to the Navy Surgeon General for Mental Health and Traumatic Brain Injury, and in a number of positions both in the US and abroad. Dr. Sammons is one of the first graduates of the Department of Defense’s Psychopharmacology Demonstration Project. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Professional Psychology (Clinical). With over 60 journal articles or book chapters and two edited volumes, he contributes regularly to the professional literature. Dr. Sammons lectures extensively on issues pertaining to prescriptive authority and the professional practice of psychology.
Gerardo Rodriguez-Menendez, PhD, ABPP, MSCP
Department Chair, MS Clinical Psychopharmacology Program at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, Online Campus
Dr. Gerardo Rodriguez-Menendez’s career spans a broad spectrum of responsibilities in education, administration, research, and consulting. He is the former Dean of the College of Psychology at John F. Kennedy University (2014–2017). He also maintains a private consulting practice assisting institutions of higher education and business organizations in areas of strategic planning, leadership coaching, accreditation and licensing, academic governance and ethics, program development, and faculty development.
Dr. Rodriguez-Menendez is a licensed psychologist in Florida, a Board-Certified Psychologist with the American Board of Professional Psychology, and President of the American Academy of Clinical Psychology. Dr. Rodriguez also received the 2020 Award for Distinguished Research and Scholarship at The Chicago School. Apart from psychopharmacology, he also has specialties in neuropsychology and pediatric psychology. He previously held physician privileges with Memorial Regional Hospital and Joe DiMaggio’s Children’s Hospital in Hollywood Florida, Level 1 Neurosurgical Trauma Centers. Dr. Rodriguez is a frequent presenter at conferences across the country. He is bilingual and has published his research in both English and Spanish.
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education programming for psychologists. This program, when attended in its entirety, is available for one (1.0) continuing education credit. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Attendees licensed in California can receive one (1.0) hour of continuing education credit for MFTs, LPCCs, and/or LCSWs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. Attendees requesting continuing education credit are required to attend the entire session and complete an evaluation and quiz after the workshop. Certificates will be sent after the quiz and evaluation are completed. More information about continuing education credit is available immediately after the registration is completed.
