Recalculating: Exploring Routes for Your Career Journey
2015 TPA Convention Programs and Schedule
Workshops are sponsored by the Tennessee Psychological Association. The Tennessee Psychological Association is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for Psychologists. The Tennessee Psychological Association maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
All Continuing Education (CE) credits are Type I unless otherwise noted. As a state psychological association, TPA offers Type II and Type III CE hours in accordance with the Tennessee State Board of Examiners in Psychology rules and regulation related to continuing education. For an up-to-date list of the rules and regulations governing CE requirements for Psychologists, Senior Psychological Examiners and Licensed Psychological Examiners, please refer to the following website: .
Please remember that, in an effort to go green, program “handouts” will be provided in a digital, rather than a printed version. Presenters have been asked to provide these materials in advance so that they may be posted on the TPA website approximately one week before the Convention. After you register you will be given a password to allow you to access these and to print them or download them if desired.
Accommodation Information
A block of rooms has been reserved at the Nashville Airport Marriott for the 2015 TPA Convention at the negotiated rate of $131 per night (plus state and local taxes). Reservations should be made on an individual basis by contacting the hotel at (800) 770-0555, (615) 889-9300, or and asking for the Tennessee Psychological Association or TPA rate.
The hotel is located at 600 Marriott Drive, Nashville, TN 37219. It offers free parking, a restaurant, indoor/outdoor pool, health club, whirlpool, sauna, and more. Check-in time is 4:00 PM and check-out time is 12:00 PM. The reserved room block rate is available through October 9, 2015. After this date, reservations will be made by the hotel based on room and rate availability. Currently there is a shortage of hotel rooms in Nashville. In order to get a room, attendees will need to register very early.
Daily Schedules
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
7:30AM Registration Opens
8:30AM-5:30PM Pre-Convention Workshop
[101] Practice Check-Up Kit
Introductory/6 CE credits (Type I)
(This program is composed of four presentations by separate presenters. Participants must attend entire program to receive CE credit.)
Assessment of and Response to Suicidal Risk—John Averitt, Ph.D.
Presenter: John Averitt, Ph.D.
Affiliation: Private practice, Cookeville, TN
Description: This program will focus on assessment of suicidal risk and provide information on the process of involuntary commitment.
Learning Objectives:
- Participants will describe the dynamics of disempowerment and loss of meaningful choice as a basic of suicide.
- Participants will identify and describe the sections of Tennessee Code Annotated covering emergency detention: 33-6-401 and following.
Presenter Information: John B. Averitt, Ph.D. has doctoral degrees from Vanderbilt University and from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. He is a Licensed Psychologist designated as a Health Service Provider in Tennessee. He is certified in Substance Abuse by the Practice Directorate of APA and is a Police Psychologist. He is a Sergeant with the Cookeville Police Department, and also serves on the consulting staff of Cookeville Regional Medical Center. He served as President of TPA in 1999-2000 and has served in several roles on the TPA board. He currently serves as the Convention Directorate Officer for TPA.
Clinical Documentation
Presenter: Kerry Holland, Ph.D.
Affiliation: East Tennessee State University
Description: This program will identify common requirements for documentation and will offer strategies for improving the quality and efficiency of your documentation.
Learning Objectives:
- Participants will apply various requirements for documentation unique to their practice.
- Participants will develop a strategy for complying with those requirements inan efficient manner that best fits the needs of their practice.
Presenter Information: Dr. Kerry Holland is the current Past-President of TPA. She has been active in TPA for several years serving as regional Vice President for East Tennessee, a convention programming co-chair, and President of IMPA (Inter-Mountain Psychological Association). She is also Past-President of PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) TriCities.
Outcome Measurement, Insurance Panels and Risk Adjustment Audits
Presenter: Lance Laurence, Ph.D.
Affiliation: Associate Professor and Director of the Psychological Clinic, The University of Tennessee-Knoxville; Director of Professional Affairs, TPA
Description: The futureof your psychological practice will depend upon your ability to demonstrate your provision of quality services and value in a cost-effective manner. This program will provide recommendations for crafting an outcomes program in your practice and give you the opportunity to join TPA's Pilot Program on Treatment Outcomes.
Learning Objectives:
- Participants will describe why outcome measurements are critical for future reimbursement for practitioner services.
- Participants will develop a plan of attack for how they will implement an outcome measurement program in their practice.
Presenter Information: Dr. Laurence is an Associate Professor at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville where he has taught extensively in the doctoral program in Clinical Psychology for the last thirty years (required courses in Ethical/Legal/Professional Practice Issues in Clinical Psychology; Clinical Psychopathology, Advanced Psychological Assessment). He also is the Director of that training program’s Psychological Clinic where doctoral students undergo their applied training. He is the current Director of Professional Affairs for TPA and has worked with APA and TPA on matters of public and associational mental health policy for over twenty-five years. In his spare time, he conducts an independent practice in Clinical Psychology.
What Happens After the Medicare SGR Repeal?
Presenter: Kathryn Steele, Psy.D.
Affiliation: Private practice
Description: This program will address two issues related to federal advocacy concerns within the American Psychological Association Practice Organization:
Practice implications of the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) repeal; and
Merit-Based Incentive Payment System and alternate payment models.
Learning Objectives:
- Participants will describe how SGR impacts areas of practice management in a diversity of settings.
- Participants will identify how merit-based incentive payment systems are implemented and learn alternate payment models, generated by insurance payors.
Presenter Information: Dr. Steele received her doctorate of psychology degree at John F. Kennedy University in California. As a native of Tennessee, she returned to the East Coast to complete both her internship and postdoctoral training, with a specialization in neuropsychology. Her private practice serves the Middle Tennessee region, with an office in Hendersonville, TN. She is a neuropsychology consultant for several HCA affiliated hospitals and neurology practices. She is affiliated with both the National Association of Neuropsychology and the International Neuropsychological Society. She has presented on topics relating to neuropsychology at APA Division 40, affiliated hospitals, Tennessee Bar Association, and local workshops. Dr. Steele has also served as Federal Advocacy Coordinator for the Tennessee Psychological Association over the past two years.
10:00AM-10:30AM Break
12:00PM-2:00PM Lunch (On Your Own)
3:30PM-4:00PM Break
5:30 PM Registration Closes
6:00PM-10:00PM TPA Board Meeting
Thursday, October 29, 2015
7:00AM-7:45AM Yoga with Elaine Rodgers
7:30AM Registration Opens
8:30AM-10:00AM Plenary Session
(Participants must attend entire program to receive CE credit.)
[111] Options for Adapting to Healthcare Reform: Alternative Practice Models and Antitrust Considerations
1.5 CE credits, Introductory (Type I)
Presenter: Alan Nessman, JD
Affiliation: Senior Special Counsel for Legal and Regulatory Affairs, APA Practice Directorate
Course Description: This presentation will present a spectrum of alternative practice models
that are viable for psychology. They are designed to foster the delivery of better, more integrated patient care. At the simpler end of the spectrum are easy steps that most practices can take. The more advanced collaboration models allow small practices to maintain their business autonomy, while pooling resources and creating economies of scale that make it easier to integrate and thrive in the changing health care world. The presentation will close with guidance from the federal antitrust agencies explaining that sufficient clinical integration allows a collaboration of independent practices, such as an IPA, to jointly negotiate with payors while avoiding antitrust risks.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify simple alternative practice models and the steps to implement them.
- Identify more advanced collaborative practice models and their potential advantages.
- Learn the advantages/disadvantages of alternative practice models relative to traditional practice models such as professional corporations and LLCs.
- Discuss relevant antitrust compliance considerations for alternative practice models that seek to jointly negotiate reimbursement.
Presenter Information:Mr. Nessman is the Senior Special Counsel in the Office of Legal & Regulatory Affairs for the APA Practice Organization and the Practice Directorate. He is APAPO’s lead attorney on mental health parity implementation and other insurance advocacy, as well as on antitrust issues as applied to alternative practice models and insurance advocacy. His other areas include alternative practice models and health care reform, Medicaid, HIPAA & patient privacy, duty to protect, recordkeeping and parenting coordination. He has written numerous articles on these topics for Practice Update and Good Practice, and has authored book chapters on some of these issues. He has also presented on these topics at APA and state association conferences and meetings.Mr. Nessman joined APA in 2000 after 15 years as a law firm litigator, where he primarily handled matters for and against insurance companies. He received his J.D. with honors from George Washington University in 1984 and his B.A. with honors from the University of Chicago in 1981.
10:00AM-10:30AM Break
10:30AM-12:00PM CE Workshops
(Participants must attend entire program to receive CE credit)
[121] Routine Outcomes Monitoring and Measurement Feedback to Improve Outcomes and Promote
Practice Improvement
1.5 CE credits, Introductory (Type I)
Presenter: Susan R. Douglas, Ph.D.
Affiliation: Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University
Course Description: Routine outcomes monitoring and measurement feedback systems (MFS) have been shown to contribute to improved outcomes for youth and adults receiving mental health services. A MFS consists of (a) psychometrically sound measure(s) of treatment progress and process administered frequently throughout treatment, and (b) interpreted results delivered to clinicians as timely and clinically useful feedback. Recognized as a vital component of evidence based practice in psychology, MFSs are also a useful tool to promote data informed decision-making throughout an organizational setting. This presentation will capitalize on over a decade of experience in the development, implementation, and evaluation of a MFS to provide scientifically rigorous and practical guidance for the adoption, implementation, and utilization of MFSs with an emphasis on integrated care settings. Specific issues to be covered include: characteristics of effective MFSs; evidence-based strategies to promote successful implementation; integration of MFSs as a component of evidence-based screening, assessment, and intervention; use of a MFS as a technological tool to promote multidisciplinary communication and continuity of care; and integration of MFS information to promote data-informed supervision and program leadership.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify at least four evidence-based characteristics of effective measurement feedback systems.
- Implement strategies that balance scientific rigor and practical application to promote high quality utilization of measurement feedback systems.
- Describe how measurement feedback can support multidisciplinary communication and continuity of care within integrated care settings.
- Explain how measurement feedback can support data-informed supervision and program leadership.
Presenter Information:Susan Douglas, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist and part-time faculty at Peabody College, Vanderbilt University. For the past decade she has engaged in research and development efforts to improve practice in health and mental health care settings through quality improvement initiatives intended to impact provider behavior and promote organizational learning. She has a strong background in evidence based assessment including the integration of routine outcome monitoring and feedback technology into clinical routines. Her passion is collaborating with agency partners to implement innovative practices that are evidence-based and organically grown to enhance sustainability.
[122]Women of Color: Navigation of Microaggressions and Intersectionality in Your Personal and Professional Environment
1.5 CE credits, Introductory (Type I)
Presenters: Joan Popkin, Ph.D., HSP and Jennifer Kasey, Psy.D., HSP
Affiliations:Tennessee State University and private practice
Course Description:Due to the increasing diversification of women of color in mental health, it is imperative to gain an understanding of the unique challenges faced in their professional and personal environments as they navigate career and individual roles and goals. Mental health providers, in particular, must navigate a unique set of practical and cultural barriers in order to appropriately assess and treat themselves as well as others seeking mental health services.Although specific challenges may vary by ethnic group and individual clients, a number of common barriers have been identified. Through the sharing of narratives in a large and small group format, the presenters will discuss the meaning of the challenges of microaggressions and intersectionalities in our current society. Lastly, various coping strategies and recommendations will be identified and discussed.
This program is designed, at least partially,to meet Tennessee Board of Examiners in Psychology continuing education requirements for licensure renewal in the area of cultural diversity. Other programs may also meet these criteria, but TPA is designating this one. For further information, please refer to the Rules and Regulation of the TN Board of Examiners in Psychology.
Learning Objectives:
- Participants will increase knowledge and understanding ofbarriersrelated to microaggressions and intersectionalities for women of color in current culture.
- Participants will list unique challenges and barriers related to minority status as women of color.
- Participants will apply assessment skills to help themselves as well as others seeking mental health services.
- Participants will identify and implement coping strategies and recommendations for navigating particular challenges identified in the presentation.
Presenter Information:Dr. Popkin is a Licensed Psychologist, Nationally Certified School Psychologist, and professor. She is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Tennessee State University. Her clinical interests and experiences include anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorders; women's health;relationship and family issues as well as the implementation of behavior management/support plans, functional behavioral assessments, and consultation services for children and families. She conducts individual counseling as well as a variety of psychological testing. Additionally, she is currently the chair of the diversity committee for the Tennessee Psychological Association. Joan is actively involved in publishing and presenting research through inter-disciplinary work and projects at the state, national, and international level with issues related to children and families, diversity and multiculturalism, women’s issues, service learning/civic engagement, and biopsychosocial factors related to health and wellness. She is an advocate for positive mental and physical health as well as the overall well-being for diverse populations ranging from early childhood through older adulthood and incorporating these aspects in their daily lives. She believes in the integration of diverse services to enhance optimal interventions for children, youth, and adults.
[123] Psychologists’ Fitness for Duty: The Competence Question
1.5 CE credits, Introductory (Type I)
Presenter: Brian M. Wind, Ph.D.
Affiliation: NOVOS Behavioral Health Solutions, LLC
Course Description:The profession of psychology has both universal and unique occupational vulnerabilities that may call into question a psychologist’s competence to practice. Factors potentially impacting competence may include life transitions, aging, medical problems, psychopathology, cultural insensitivity, and a wide array of forms of impairment. Given that we as psychologists are ethically obligated to ensure our competence, this program addresses the critical task of evaluating competence, and plans of action to respond to issues of incompetence.
Learning Objectives:
- Participants will define the ethical mandate of competence in the profession of psychology.
- Participants will describe the developmental continuum of professional incompetence.
- Participants will identify the types of incompetence commonly seen in the profession of psychology, and how to recognize these issues.
- Plans of action for addressing incompetence generally, and certain types of incompetence specifically, will be identified by the participants.
Presenter Information:Dr. Brian Wind is the Chief Executive Officer of NOVOS Behavioral Health Solutions, LLC, a clinical consulting company with an emphasis on the treatment of addiction, as well as the three “pillars of health” – sleep, nutrition, and exercise. In this position, Dr. Wind serves as a clinical consultant with multiple healthcare facilities, and manages the development of healthcare related software. Dr. Wind has served as co-chair of the American Psychological Association’s Advisory Committee on Colleague Assistance, with an emphasis on furthering the national movement of professional wellness. He is contracted with Tennessee Board of Examiners in Psychology as the Executive Director of the Tennessee Colleague Assistance Foundation.
[124] Considerations for Multi-Morbidity of Sex Addiction, Eating Disorders and Trauma
1.5 CE credits, Introductory (Type I)
Presenters: B. Charles Ihrig, PhD, Karen Brownd, MA, LPCC, CSAT, and Lee Anne Roach, MS, RDN
Ms. Brownd and Ms. Roach are employed by The Ranch, Nunnelly, TN
Affiliations: The Ranch and Athena Consulting and Psychological Services, LLC
Course Description:
Many clients entering residential treatment or outpatient therapy presenting with initial problems of substance abuse/dependence or mood disorder, then often reveal symptoms of additional co-existing sexual addiction or eating disorders. The purpose of this presentation is to provide a broad understanding of the interactions between these various conditions. The program will focus on the need to understand and identify underlying trauma and grief reactions in the treatment process and the need to provide clinical interventions that will address the multi-morbid disorders simultaneously with the client.