Psych Association Under Pressure, Ends Diversity Requirements

Just four years after apologizing for its role in perpetuating racism, the American Psychological Association — which sets standards for professional training programs in mental health — has suspended its requirement that postgraduate institutions demonstrate a commitment to diversity in recruitment and hiring.& The change comes in the wake of an executive order signed by President Donald Trump that threatens federal funding for institutions with policies or programs that encourage racial diversity, equity, and inclusion.& Dr. Aaron Joyce, senior director of accreditation for the APA, said in a statement that the shift, announced in late March, acknowledges a political reality: keeping the requirement means risking an existential confrontation with the White House.& “The Commission [on accreditation] does not want to put programs in jeopardy of not existing because of a conflict between institutional guidelines and accreditation standards,” he told The New York Times.& But the decision undermines long-term attempts to diversify a field that even the APA’s data show remains disproportionately white, and bridge the mental-health accessibility gap between Black and white patients. In 2023, nearly 8 in 10 active U.S. psychologists were white, compared to just 5.5% who were Black. Studies also show mental health outcomes improve when a...