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An APA‐informed perspective on the shortage of school psychologists: Welcome licensed psychologists into the schools (and did we mention xeriscape gardening together?)
Author(s) -
Tharinger Deborah J.,
Palomares Ronald S.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
psychology in the schools
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.738
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1520-6807
pISSN - 0033-3085
DOI - 10.1002/pits.10189
Subject(s) - school psychology , psychology , mental health , competence (human resources) , medical education , economic shortage , licensure , pedagogy , social psychology , psychiatry , medicine , government (linguistics) , linguistics , philosophy
The authors were asked to respond to the shortage of school psychologists from the perspective of the Division of School Psychology of the American Psychological Association and the American Psychological Association (APA), and also chose to address the larger issue of the shortage and lack of accessibility of mental health services for children in the schools. We have recommended that licensed psychologists who want to provide psychological services in the schools have two options: (a) obtain the school psychology credential required by their state and work under the title of School Psychologist, and/or (b) obtain school practice competence and seek and create opportunities to practice psychology in the schools under their license as licensed psychologists. The joint document being developed in collaboration between the Division of School Psychology of the APA and the National Association of School Psychologists is one major step forward in addressing these recommendations. Further work is needed to delineate principles of “school practice competency.” We further foresee that by promoting and adopting a xeriscape model of schools, licensed psychologists and credentialed school psychologists can work together to expand the provision of educational, psychological, and mental health services in the schools to all children, guided by a model that stresses using scarce and precious resources wisely. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 41: 461–472, 2004.