Executive Update: Spring 2026

There are several important issues on the horizon for ABPP and our profession. Some are complicated, involve and impact many different people and organizations, and as of this writing, how they will play out is yet to be seen.

Two major items are quite inter-related: Master’s degree program accreditation and licensing, the question of scope of license differential between those with a Master’s degree and those with a doctoral degree, and the Model Licensing Acts of the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards and the American Psychological Association. Each of those organizations are currently working on finalizing their MLAs; the last time APA did this was in 2010. Drafts of each reveal potential differences in requirements for education and training, and other areas. Given that these are still in the development process, I will refrain from going into detail and suffice it to say that this holds both opportunities and challenges for the future. The ABPP Board of Trustees will be discussing these items at its upcoming meeting in June, and will no doubt need to do so for the foreseeable future.

In the coming weeks, I will be participating in the Division of Independent Practice (Div. 42) board meeting for a discussion about masters issues and anticipated impact on independent practice and specialty, and will also be at attendance for the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral & Internship Centers (APPIC) meeting. I will report back if any significant news results from either of those meetings.

As most of you know, ABPP has joined forces with the Trust and the National Register as a partner in the National Practice Conference that will be held in Chicago the first weekend in October. Details are in the works and will be announced soon, and it looks there will be a good lineup of presentations.

The Council of Specialties in Professional Psychology is in the early stages of planning a follow-up meeting of the Interorganizational Summits on Specialty, Specialization, and Board Certification. Initial plans will be to continue to disseminate the Taxonomy for Psychology, build more momentum for incorporating it more widely in training programs, and consider how the masters degree issues may affect the field in respect to specialty. Further details will follow as they are developed. One development that has occurred with COS is its acceptance of a motion that specialties will need to have the Taxonomy in place in order to maintain a seat on the Council.