2026 Joel C. Frost Citizen Psychologist for Social Justice Awardee
Joel Dvoskin, PhD, ABPP is a clinical and forensic psychologist, certified in Forensic Psychology. He is co-Founder of Heroes Active Bystandership Training, and served Acting Commissioner of Mental Health for New York State and Chair of Nevada's Governor’s Advisory Council on Behavior Health and Wellness. He is an APA Fellow and Former President of two APA Divisions (Public Service Psychology and the American Psychology-Law Society). He served on APA's Blue Ribbon Task Forces on Reducing Gun Violence and Ethics Processes. He has assisted in the development of several Amicus briefs submitted by APA to the US Supreme Court and serves on APA 's Amicus Curiae Expert Panel. He has provided consultation to the Equal Justice Initiative, the US Secret Service, the National Basketball Association, the NBA Players Association, and the NCAA, as well as numerous corporations, organizations, educational institutions, and government agencies. In 1995, he served on the White House Task Force on the Future of the African American Male. He served as a Federal Court Monitor over correctional and mental health facilities and systems in several states and frequently serves as an expert for the US Department of Justice and various state Protection and Advocacy Systems. Dr. Dvoskin was design consultant for numerous hospital and correctional architectural projects. He is co-author of Evaluation for Personal Injury Claims (2011) and lead Editor of Using Social Science to Reduce Violent Offending (2011). He currently teaches at the University of Arizona Medical School and has a private practice in Tucson, AZ.
The Joel C. Frost Citizen Psychologist for Social Justice Award recognizes an ABPP Board Certified Psychologist who has made significant contributions in the areas of humanitarianism and social justice through bringing psychological science and expertise to bear on existing social challenges to improve community well-being locally, nationally, or globally. This award recognizes sustained, career-stage-appropriate leadership and prolonged engagement in humanitarian and social justice initiatives. The recipient of the award will receive a $1,000 award.
Eligibility:
- Nominees must be board-certified in one or more American Board of Professional Psychology specialties.
- Nominees must have a demonstrated history of leadership in their community.
- Nominees will have brought their professional expertise and psychological knowledge to bear on humanitarian and social justice needs and disparities to improve community well-being locally, nationally or globally.
- Nominees will demonstrate prolonged and significant engagement in activities such as public service, volunteerism, board membership and/or other strategic roles to improve community well-being.
Engagement in humanitarian and/or social justice activities may extend beyond the nominee’s day-to-day work.
Please submit the following materials online (all at once):
- Curriculum Vita.
- Nomination letter from an ABPP board-certified psychologist (self-nominations permitted). The letter should detail how the nominee exemplifies the eligibility criteria.
- Two letters of recommendation from individuals who are familiar with the nominee’s work and engagement in humanitarian and/or social justice activities and their impacts (the recommenders do not need to be psychologists). Each letter should detail how the nominee meets the award eligibility criteria.
Award recipients will demonstrate:
- Active leadership of one or more systemic, group, or community-level initiatives addressing humanitarian and social justice needs within their communities, especially communities of difference.
- Evidence of sustained and impactful engagement consistent with their career stage.
- Demonstrate influence on policies, systems, programs, organizations, or community practices that contribute to improving community wellbeing.
- The application of psychological science and professional expertise to address existing challenges to improve the individual and/or community well-being locally, nationally or globally.
The deadline for submitting a nomination is April 15, 2027.
For questions regarding online submissions, please contact us.
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