Welcome Letter from the Specialty Board President

Serina Hoover, PsyD, ABPP

First and foremost, I would like to say what an honor it is to serve as the President of the American Board of Rehabilitation Psychology (ABRP). I want to also offer a warm welcome to all psychologists who are interested in obtaining Board Certification within the field of Rehabilitation Psychology.

Rehabilitation Psychology is a specialty area of psychology that serves people across the lifespan who have been affected by an injury or chronic condition that leads to disability. The goal for rehabilitation psychologists is to help patients maximize health, emotional well-being, independence, and functional outcomes for patients with a congenital or acquired disability. Rehabilitation psychologists serve in a variety of settings, including acute care hospitals, rehabilitation centers, outpatient facilities, nursing homes, specialty clinics, private practice offices, academic institutions, forensic settings and/or at community agencies that advocate for individuals with disabilities.

Board certification increases consumer protection through the examination and certification of psychologists who can demonstrate competence within specialty areas. The mission of the ABRP is to serve the public by promoting provision of quality psychological services through the examination and certification of professional psychologists engaged in specialty practice of rehabilitation psychology. The evaluation process is designed to assess the practitioner’s competency in a variety of areas, including foundational background and functional specialty knowledge and application in assessment, intervention, consultation, advocacy, and consumer protection. The specific behavioral anchors that are assessed have been selected because they reflect best practices in the field of rehabilitation psychology.

There are numerous benefits to obtaining Board Certification in Rehabilitation Psychology. The American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) has a long history and Board Certification is a nationally recognized credential. Having Board Certification will not only provide clarification about your professional identity but will classify you as a specialist in the field. With Board Certification, you will be joining a membership of committed professional and have access to ABPP online resources for networking and referrals.

I firmly believe that you will find our organization to be inclusive, welcoming, and supportive. The examination process has been designed to be rigorous, but fair. For many, this process has been described as rewarding and lends itself to professional growth. The ABRP has a strong mentorship component that helps examinees prepare for each step of the process. The evaluation is designed to be transparent, and the examinee receives constructive feedback along the way. The ABRP Board values diversity, equity, and inclusion; the ABRP will work to provide reasonable accommodations to any candidate to minimize barriers to engaging fully in the process.

Thank you for your interest in learning more about the board certification process. Please contact me at shoover@dhs.lacounty.gov if you have any questions about the certification process in Rehabilitation Psychology. We hope to see you in the Pipeline soon!

Sincerely,

Serina Hoover, PsyD, ABPP-RP, QME
President of the American Board of Rehabilitation Psychology
shoover@dhs.lacounty.gov