August 1-2, 2017

Only participants who have been notified of their acceptance to the Policy Workshop and Advocacy Day should register for the event.

The American Psychological Association, the American Psychological Association of Graduate Students (APAGS), the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (Div. 9), the Society for Community Research and Action (Div. 27), and the Division of Trauma Psychology (Div. 56) are delighted to offer a special summer Policy Workshop & Advocacy Day. This exceptional training opportunity will take place on August 1 and 2, 2017 in Washington, DC, directly before the APA Convention. Participants will learn how to bring empirical research findings to bear on public policy and use psychology to advance human welfare. They will also learn how to make themselves marketable for policy-related fellowships and careers. Participants will then spend a day advocating on Capitol Hill—visiting with the offices of their Senators and Representatives on a social justice topic to be determined closer to the event.

POLICY WORKSHOP (August 1)
The Policy Workshop will expose psychologists and students to policy work, consultation, and career opportunities, drawing on the expertise of the sponsoring organizations. Participants will learn how advocates make decisions about which topics to focus on, as well as how to translate research into a public policy context. Moreover, attendees will hear about policy-related fellowship and career opportunities. Speakers will include staff from APA’s Public Interest and Science Government Relations Offices, the SPSSI Policy Director, as well as other psychologists who have successfully entered the world of public policy.

ADVOCACY DAY (August 2)
The Advocacy Day will grant participants an opportunity to spend a day on Capitol Hill visiting with the offices of their Senators and Representatives. Participants will first be trained on the advocacy topic and how to manage a congressional meeting. They will then travel in groups to meet with the offices of their lawmakers, using psychological science to explain the importance of the issue. The social justice issue—to be determined later this spring— will be fully consistent with the missions of the sponsoring organizations.

Only participants who have been notified of their acceptance to the Policy Workshop and Advocacy Day should register for the event.