If not us, then who? Presidential address.

Abstract

This article presents the presidential address delivered by Robert D. Morgan during the 118th annual meeting of the American Psychological Association (APA). This address challenges us, as public service psychologists, to improve services currently offered and to be leaders among those providing mental health services in the public sector. To accomplish this task we must (a) return to our roots as social scientists, (b) rely on basic research to prove our worth as service providers, (c) integrate program evaluation as an essential component in our services, and (d) integrate public service psychology training opportunities at the academic level while developing research networks with academic training programs. Those of us in the public sector are essential health care providers for veterans, individuals that are criminal justice involved, hospitalized in community and state hospitals, and those living in Indian country. We also serve those in law enforcement who protect us. We are grass- roots service providers in agencies that are over- burdened and underfunded, and we work in systems that, quite frankly, often times make little sense. Our clients are underserved, they are marginalized, and they are desperately in need of services. Although we are able to help the individuals we serve, we can do better. What I want to discuss with you today are my thoughts on how we can and must do better. I will discuss our need to return to our roots as social scientists. I will then outline our role as health care providers in the public sector with a focus on using basic research to prove our worth in this health care market. I will share with you my thoughts on how we can improve the ser- vices we provide to our clients by integrating program evaluation into our work. Finally, I will discuss the role we, as trainers and super- visors, play in the future generation of public sector psychologists. We in Public Service psychology have cho- sen to work within the often burdensome bu- reaucracy of government to provide services to those who could not otherwise afford or have access to the mental health services they need. We serve those in law enforcement where it has long been recognized that the occupational stress of policing contributes to rates of suicide among this group that is twice that of the gen- eral population (Forastiere et al., 1994). If we do not provide services for the individuals that protect us on a daily basis, who will? For my home section, criminal justice, did you know there are currently three times more persons with mental illness in state and federal correc- tional facilities than psychiatric hospitals (Abramsky & Fellner, 2003)? Similar crises are prevalent in all sectors of public service and psychologists must be at the forefront in serving individuals and developing interventions tai- lored to the unique needs of these individuals. If we do not, who will? If we do not develop services tailored to the specific needs of these individuals, then who?