AVAPL Archives

This page contains, in no particular order, items of ongoing interest that have been featured on the AVAPL website.

VA Psychology and AVAPL Archive Documents

Ceremonial passing of the sweatshirt, AVAPL Virtual Business Meeting, August 2020 (video file)

Guide for VA Psychology Historians and Users of the VA Psychology, AVAPL, and NOVA-Psi Archives at CCHP
 
This Guide has been prepared to familiarize users with the contents and location of materials in three archives containing VA psychology material housed at the Cummings Center for the History of Psychology (CCHP) at the University of Akron. In addition to describing the contents and organization of archival material in each collection, the document provides a digital location for scanned material in the archives for viewing or downloading to a home or office computer.
 
Medical Care of Veterans, April 17, 1967 (NOTE: This is a large [28 MB] file that might take some time to download.)
 
“Medical Care of Veterans” is actually a 1967 VA report provided to the U.S. House Committee on Veterans Affairs and was printed in both hardback and paperback versions by the U.S. Government Printing Office (both versions are in the VA psychology archives at CCHP). The report begins with a description of how all modern societies since the Greeks and Romans have taken care of its citizens who have fought in their nation’s wars. Its 411 pages cover the history of the VA and the agencies and benefit programs for veterans going back to the American colonies and Revolutionary War. Its chapters include historical context for each of the major wars our nation has fought thru 1967. It is not useful as a history of specific medical care programs but has a comprehensive overview of key legislation of health care and benefits for veterans. The report uniquely integrates issues which led up to key organizational and legislative changes, including the arguments and people or organizations arguing for and against changes, with anecdotes and quotations or letters and comments from the Congressional Record. Photos and brief biographies of all VA Administrators are presented along with photos of other key Congressional leaders influencing the role of the VA. One Appendix provides a history of construction and acquisition of VA hospitals and domiciliaries and another provides an extensive range of bibliography sources ranging from agency and program reports in the National Archives to legislative hearings to the administrative files of VA Administrators and other key officials. The limited distribution of this book and a demand for its historical content use led to a scanning of the book by the VA with a resulting pdf file with search capability which can be viewed or downloaded to an office or home computer by clicking on the above underlined hyperlink.
 
Introduction, Content Summaries, and Archive Location of Information Bulletins of the Neuropsychiatry Division in the Department of Medicine and Surgery, Veterans Administration 1947-1953
 
With the beginning of the VA Department of Medicine and Surgery in 1946, 31 information bulletins were published by the new VA Central Office Neuropsychiatry Division from 1947-1953 to inform mental health leadership and other professionals in the field about the rapid development and staffing of mental health programs and services for returning WWII veterans. The bulletins featured reports from the field on new or improved programs of care for patients with mental health problems and included periodic updates on staffing, trainee positions, and publications as well as activities in Mental Hygiene Clinics and other programs. This document introduces those information bulletins and provides brief summaries and content information for each bulletin as well as provides a digital location of each bulletin at CCHP for viewing or downloading to a home or office computer.

VA Psychology History Publications

The 60-year history of VA psychology and its role in helping shape modern psychology and the treatment of veterans was published by APA Books in 2007. The book entitled Psychology and the Department of Veterans Affairs: A historical analysis of training, research, practice, and advocacy was co-authored by Rodney R. Baker and Wade Pickren and was part of a series planned by APA Books detailing the reciprocal influence of psychology and the federal government. It is reviewed on the APA Book website and can be purchased from that website for a cost generally less for APA members than the price on Amazon.com and with no shipping cost.
 
In still another VA psychology history publication, Baker edited a companion book series with the first book entitled Stories From VA Psychology published in 2007. In that volume, he and 14 other VA psychology leaders describe their career experiences and the events shaping their careers and the treatment of veterans. The first volume was followed by More Stories From VA Psychology in 2013 adding the career stories of another 12 psychology leaders. The third book, Even More Stories From VA Psychology, was published in 2017 with 12 more VA psychology leaders adding their career stories, this time with Robert Goldberg joining Baker as co-editor in the series. The fourth book, Still More Stories From VA Psychology, was published in 2020, again with another 12 VA psychology leaders describing their career stories. Current AVAPL historian, Kathleen M. McNamara, joined Baker as co-editor for the fourth book. All four of the books in the stories series can be found on Amazon.com (click here for a flyer describing the books).

 

History of Psychology in the VA — Documents

VA Psychology Photo History

Retired Psychology Leader Rod Baker (San Antonio) has compiled a collection of scanned photos of VACO and VA Psychology Chief/Leaders from 1946 to 2005 that he had acquired over the years. He has graciously agreed to share this project with AVAPL. Click on the picture below to open Dr. Baker's compilation in a "book" format.


 


To download your own copy of this document, click here to download an Adobe Acrobat file.

The book can be optionally ordered online as a memorial paperback from Amazon.com for $10 plus shipping. The paperback book is 8x10 inches in size, is professionally bound, and has a laminated color cover in addition to the color photo content on some of the 48 pages of content.

AVAPL Executive Committee Meeting Minutes

AVAPL Executive Committee Meeting Minutes, November 2017
AVAPL Executive Committee Meeting Minutes, October 2017
AVAPL Executive Committee Meeting Minutes, September 2017
AVAPL Executive Committee Meeting Minutes, August 2017
AVAPL Mid-Winter Meeting Minutes, March 2017
August Mid-Winter Meeting Attachment on CHOICE
AVAPL Executive Committee Meeting Minutes, September 2016
AVAPL Annual Meeting Minutes 2016
AVAPL Executive Committee Meeting Minutes, June 2016
AVAPL Executive Committee Meeting Minutes, April 2016
AVAPL Executive Committee Meeting Minutes, March 2016
AVAPL Mid-Winter Meeting Minutes, 2016
AVAPL Executive Committee Meeting Minutes, December 2015
AVAPL Executive Committee Meeting Minutes, November 2015
AVAPL Annual Meeting Minutes, August 2015
AVAPL Executive Committee Meeting Minutes, August 2015
AVAPL Executive Committee Meeting Minutes, July 2015
AVAPL Executive Committee Meeting Minutes, June 2015
AVAPL Executive Committee Meeting Minutes, April 2015
AVAPL Executive Committee Meeting Minutes, March 2015
AVAPL Executive Committee Mid-Winter Meeting Minutes, February 2015
AVAPL Executive Committee Meeting Minutes, January 2015
AVAPL Executive Committee Meeting Minutes, December 2014
AVAPL Executive Committee Meeting Minutes, November 2014
AVAPL Annual Meeting Minutes, August 2014
AVAPL Executive Committee Meeting Minutes, July 2014
AVAPL Executive Committee Meeting Minutes, May 2014
AVAPL Executive Committee Meeting Minutes, April 2014
AVAPL Executive Committee Meeting Minutes, March 2014
AVAPL Executive Committee Mid-Winter Meeting Minutes, February 2014
AVAPL Executive Committee Meeting Minutes, February 2014
AVAPL Executive Committee Meeting Minutes, January 2014
AVAPL Executive Committee Meeting Minutes, Decmber 2013
AVAPL Executive Committee Meeting Minutes, September 2013
AVAPL Annual Meeting Minutes, August 2013
AVAPL Executive Committee Meeting Minutes, August 2013
AVAPL Executive Committee Meeting Minutes, July 2013
AVAPL Executive Committee Meeting Minutes, June 2013
AVAPL Executive Committee Meeting Minutes, May 2013
AVAPL Executive Committee Meeting Minutes, April 2013
AVAPL Executive Committee Meeting Minutes, March 2013
AVAPL Executive Committee Mid-Winter Meeting Minutes, 2013
AVAPL Executive Committee Meeting Minutes, October 2012
AVAPL Executive Committee Meeting Minutes, September 2012
AVAPL Annual Meeting Minutes, August 2012
AVAPL Executive Committee Meeting Minutes, July 2012
AVAPL Executive Committee Meeting Minutes, June 2012
Mid-Winter Meeting Minutes, March 2012
Mid-Winter Meeting Minutes, March 2011
Board of Educational Affairs Meeting Summary, October 2010
News from the AVAPL Business Meeting at the 2010 APA Convention

 

VACO Office of Mental Health Services Psychology Conference Call Minutes

January 27, 2011, Minutes
October 28, 2010, Minutes
September 23, 2010, Minutes
May 28, 2009, Minutes

 

Documents/Testimony Regarding Psychologist Workload and Hiring

Dr. Randy Phelps' testimony on pay and leadership positions for VA Psychologists.

Recommendations on Psychologist Recruitment, Retention, and Promotion

Recommendations on Meeting the Needs for Neuropsychological Expertise

MH and Primary Care Resources

Who is Using Behavioral Health Services in Integrated Primary Care? (PowerPoint)

Integrated Primary Care in VISN 2: A Critical Model of Healthcare Delivery (Microsoft Word)

Integrated Primary Care Behavioral Health Services: Operations Manual (Microsoft Word)

Integrating Mental Health Services into Primary Care (PowerPoint)

Integrated Models of Care: Examples from HBPC and Cardiology (PowerPoint)

Primary Care Psychology

Keeping in touch with our friends

A message from a former VA Chief Psychologist and former AVAPL Executive Board member.
The Psychology and the VA history book by Rod Baker and Wade Pickren will be released November 15 and can be ordered online at the APA Books website at http://books.apa.org/books.cfm?id=4316084.

In Memoriam

Oakley Ray, one of the founders of the Association of VA Chiefs of Psychology and the organization's first President, died on February 7, 2007. More information here.