Tammy - 2009 January Message

January has started with a bang and I’m very excited about serving as your 2009 President for Division 42.

This is one of the toughest years economically and independent practices are not immune from the impact.

However, I believe that when times are the toughest, opportunity and progress can also be at its highest. It is a time for us to be more creative with services and to re-think the ways we structure our practices. When we open that door in our mind, the possibilities become apparent.

With this change in the economy, I’m also re-thinking the concept of “Presidential Initiatives” in favor of “Division 42 Initiatives” that are member driven so that we are working more efficiently as a team.

My goal for Division 42 is to increase collaboration and teamwork amongst ourselves so we can pull together to make practice more successful for our clients and ourselves. To accomplish this, I have had individual conversations with every board member and other key leaders in the division and asked them what they see as our strengths and weaknesses and what direction they believe we need to be going.
As a result of these conversations, some very clear themes emerged. Action plans for these items were started at our January board meeting when the board met in “working groups”.

Division 42 initiatives for 2009 based on collective feedback will include the following:

1. Mentoring - Expand the mentoring program so that more members can receive focused individual and group mentoring relevant to building their practice during the current economy. Board members have already met to develop a plan.
2. Collaboration with the Practice Organization (APAPO) - Develop joint initiatives while also defining our differences so we can help support one another for the benefit of practice. Board members have met with APAPO Director, Katherine Nordal, to further this goal.
3. Changing the Rules of Practice - Most analysts agree that the economic situation will not improve over the next few months. It is critical that we quickly learn how to adapt our practices to this new climate in order to succeed. This year, we will utilize business experts and develop practical information and support for division 42 members.
4. Leadership Development - The continued success of the division is grounded in our ability to identify, orient, and prepare newer members for leadership. Our member demographics are changing and it is time to open the door wider in leadership for new ideas to ensure continued progress.
5. Advancing Technology - The way we market and provide client services are changing at such a fast pace that members need more education and information. Social media, twitter, blogging and FaceBook are just a few newer modalities where people are marketing services and educating the public on mental health topics. We need to accelerate our learning curve to better serve our clients. Division 42 committees are well under way in developing a strategy and plan for assisting practitioners in these areas.

As I said, January has started with a bang with the division already making progress on the above projects. If any of the areas excite you, please let me know and we'll plug you in where you can be a part of the progress.

Tammy Martin-Causey, PhD
President, Division 42