Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee

October 25, 2020 Dr. Spinks, Ms. Canseco, and Council Members, On behalf of the Dallas Psychological Association, the executive committee would like to voice not only our concern, but our strong disapproval of the choice by the Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners to allow for discrimination against gender diverse, disabled, and LGBT Texans.

DPA Executive Committee Sends Letter to BHEC in Support of Texas Social Workers

October 25, 2020

Dr. Spinks, Ms. Canseco, and Council Members,

On behalf of the Dallas Psychological Association, the executive committee would like to voice not only our concern, but our strong disapproval of the choice by the Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners to allow for discrimination against gender diverse, disabled, and LGBT Texans. We further would discourage the Behavioral Health Executive Council from applying this to any other boards under the jurisdiction of the council, particularly the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists.

The Dallas Psychological Association is a local organization comprised of over *** licensed, doctoral-level, psychologists; licensed associates and graduate/post-graduate students in psychology-based programs, and affiliates with interest consonant with the purposes of the organization. Since 1956, our membership has worked to forward understanding and acceptance in our community, develop and promote ethical standards, and stimulate discussion of issues relevant to psychology and its practice, as well as foster responsible community ties and encourage constructive relations with Allied professionals. While we are voluntarily affiliated with the Texas Psychological Association, we are a local independent organization. We recognize and support the standards of the American psychological Association.

We understand that Texas government institutions may feel pressure to appease and maintain the favor of Governor Abbott, but to do so at the cost of the most basic values of mental health professionals, is unacceptable. As a member of the disabled community himself, we would hope for the governor to advocate for his peers. Instead, these powerful words allow licensed mental health professionals to refuse service to individuals who are all too often vulnerable to increased rates of mental health concerns and already underserved and marginalized with respect to access to care. We acknowledge that our state does not recognize these community members as part of protected classes, but as mental health providers, we are called upon by all of our professions to hold ourselves to higher standards, and we expect our boards to do the same.

When the legislature elected to subsume the Texas State Board of Practice of Psychology under the Behavioral Health Executive Committee, we were concerned that psychologists would ultimately be subject to decisions made by other boards. Our social work colleagues are appalled, and the Texas Chapter of The National Association of Social Workers has expressed their outrage. We would like to formally, vehemently oppose the application of this œusual” language to the code affecting psychologists. The Ethical Principals of Psychologists and Code of Conduct set forth by the American Psychological Association holds that œPsychologists are aware of and respect cultural, individual, and role differences, including those based on age, gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, language, and socioeconomic status…” Should this acceptance of discrimination be applied to all psychologists in Texas, the code would not only be incongruous with nationally mandated ethics, but would hold Texas psychologists to a uniquely low standard of practice for Texans. In a time of national crisis and widespread need for mental healthcare, Texans deserve our best. Please consider our message.

Respectfully,

The Executive Committee of the Dallas Psychological Association

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