Presented by Katherine B. McGuire, APA Chief Advocacy Officer

Please join me in congratulating the Maine Psychological Association for the State Advocacy Award. They are receiving this award for their leadership in advancing the profession of psychology, health equity, and human rights through federal and state advocacy. Amy, Diana, and Jamie, please join me to accept this award.

Thanks especially to the dynamic duo of Amy Safford, MEPA’s Executive Director and Maine’s Federal Advocacy Coordinator Diana Prescott, for leading Maine psychologists across so many policy issues that are critical to promote the profession of psychology, and protect marginalized populations, including transgender children. Members of the association have really stepped up to the plate and knocked it out of the park to advance comprehensive advocacy issues at the state and federal levels.

As we have seen, many states have been able to partner with us on issues that impact the scope of practice and reimbursement for psychologists, as well as critical human rights issues at the state level and have seamlessly connected those efforts to federal advocacy.

When we called on all psychologists to respond to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Service’s proposed reduction in payment to psychologists in 2022, MEPA increased its response rate by 40% and helped us reach the historically high response of nearly 10,000 comments from psychologists to CMS.

Given Maine’s connections with Senator Collins and her membership on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, as well as Rep. Pingree’s leadership on the Bicameral Task Force on Climate Change, Maine psychologists have been willing to represent APA at both federal and state level meetings regarding funding for school mental health services, maternal mental health, climate change, and comprehensive mental health services for students.

Maine also participated in each of our three advocacy summits in 2021, advocating on science funding issues, investments in education and student mental health, health equity and telehealth, and integrated care.

At the state level, Maine was instrumental in the state’s passage of legislation to join the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact or (PSYPACT). Maine is now one of 28 participating states allowing licensed psychologists to provide services to patients in other compact states via telehealth or temporary practice for either remote or in-person appointments. To support that effort, the Maine Psychological Association used the APASI-provided VoterVoice grassroots advocacy platform, that we rolled out last year, to advance that legislation.

They have also utilized VoterVoice to mobilize their association members to oppose harmful bills impacting the transgender community, and support emergency funding to reduce waiting lists for Maine children to access mental health services and increase reimbursement rates.

Congratulations!