American Academy of Clinical Psychology

WHO WE ARE

The American Academy of Clinical Psychology is an organization of Board Certified psychologists in
the specialty of Clinical Psychology who have joined together to promote high quality services in
Clinical Psychology, through encouraging high standards and ethical practice in the field. The
Academy also provides member services, promotes the value and recognition of Board Certification
in the specialty of Clinical Psychology, and encourages those qualified by training and experience
to become candidates for Board Certification.

History

The Academy was founded in 1993 in response to needs for a membership organization for psychologists who have earned Board Certification in Clinical Psychology by the American Board of Clinical Psychology (ABCP), which is a member board of the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP). ABPP is the organization recognized by the profession of psychology as the grantor of Board Certification in specialty areas of applied psychology. Board Certification in psychology is similar to Board Certification in the field of medicine, indicating a standard of practice appreciably higher than that of state licensure. (Those who are Board Certified through ABPP were previously known as "Diplomates," referring to those who held the ABPP "Diploma" in Clinical Psychology.) The American Board of Clinical Psychology (ABCP) is responsible for examination standards and the awarding of Diplomas

Fellows: Leaders in the Science and Profession

Board Certified Clinical Psychologists, who are automatically eligible to become members and Fellows of the Academy, include some of the most prominent and visible leaders in Clinical Psychology. They are frequently department heads or supervisors, and may be engaged in research, training, or clinical practice in a wide variety of settings including: hospitals, universities, the military, medical schools, correctional facilities, clinics, and private practice. They are frequently found in leadership positions in the profession. They have served as reviewers of quality of care for insurance companies as well as for governmental third party payers. In recent years with the advent of managed care there has been an ever increasing demand for Fellows of the Academy as reviewers and providers of specialty mental health services The members of the Academy provide professional services in many countries, but the overwhelming majority reside and practice in the United States.

An essential part of the advanced competencies of Board Certified Clinical Psychologists is awareness of and sensitivity to the diverse influences on personality and behavior of such factors as culture, ethnicity, gender, age, socioeconomic status, religion, sexual orientation, and physically challenged status. Board Certified Clinical Psychologists take these factors into account in a skillful way when arriving at assessment and treatment planning decisions and when carrying out treatment (and they consult with more knowledgeable colleagues when necessary to ensure that such factors are appropriately considered).