Illinois Psychological Association members have the option to join up to 10 special interest sections. Each section has a chairperson elected by members of the section. Below see a list of current IPA sections and follow the link for more information:

Section on Ethnic Minority Affairs (SEMA)

IPA’s Section on Ethnic Minority Affairs (SEMA) will be a space where the unique needs, lived experiences and expertise of ethnic minorities of color are honored, valued and respected. SEMA is an open and inclusive space. Our membership will include psychologists and graduate students who are active, well-informed and passionate about improving the overall health and wellness of people of color in Illinois, nationally and globally.

IPA Graduate Student Section (IPAGS)

The Illinois Psychological Association for Graduate Students (IPAGS) is a special interest subsection of the IPA organization. IPAGS is dedicated to the promotion of graduate students’ clinical and academic training experience, the advocacy of graduate students’ professional development during their formative training years, informing the professional community of graduate student events and activities, and connecting graduate students in Illinois with other graduate students and resources. We at IPAGS aim to educate ethically-minded future psychologists through discussion of clinical issues and legal concerns through programming. IPAGS develops psychologically-relevant programming aimed at educating on current clinical topics, targeting social inequalities, and generating dialogue on best practices and competency development. IPAGS also encourages the building of professional relationships by networking psychologists working in the field with graduate students. IPAGS hopes to foster competent future psychologists by cultivating an environment of learning, connectedness, and professionalism.

IPA Early Career Section

The Early Career Section is open to all IPA members who are within ten years of obtaining their doctorate degree. Activities include mentoring, networking, and workshops geared to assist the entry level professional.

Behavioral Medicine and Neuropsychology Section

Welcome to the Behavioral Medicine & Neuropsychology Section!

The purposes of this Section shall be:

1. 1. 1. To promote the education of psychologists in the areas of behavioral medicine, neuropsychology, geriatric psychology, rehabilitation psychology, and health psychology;
      2. To inform the professional community about activities related to these five areas of psychology;
      3. To inform psychologists about areas of pertinent and related research;
      4. To advocate for the appropriate, ethical, and informed psychological services to those dealing with issues concerning these 5 areas of psychology.

This Section shall exist for psychologists and students of psychology who may be interested in applying psychological knowledge to the fields of psychology that the Behavioral Medicine and Neuropsychology Section represents, including the provision of psychological services to consumers who may need these services.

Academic Section

About the Section:

Programmatic goals include the following:

1. Support of more collaborative programs and discourse within IPA regarding the interface of academic and practicing psychologists.

2. Furtherance of dialogue and dissemination of information about changes in training and licensure requirements for psychologists at the state and national levels. This includes movement to change the number of practicum hours required to qualify for predoctoral internships, proposals at the national level to eliminate the post-doctoral training year requirement for licensure in all states, proposals to offer a transitional/temporary license in IL to post-docs which would allow for billing and reimbursement of services (a movement I will actively support) and APA’s prioritization of a shift of licensure title from Clinical Psychologist to Health Service Psychologist within the broader focus on Integrative Health Care.

3. Promotion of best practices in facilitating difficult but constructive dialogues regarding multicultural diversity in the classroom and on campuses.

4. Advocacy for enhanced funding for IL colleges and universities, specifically with regard to scientific research.

5. Collaboration with IPAGS (IPA Graduate Students) and ECPs (Early Career Psychologists) to facilitate entry into the profession.

6. Promotion of excellence and innovation in teaching methods

Clinical Practice Section

Mission & Purpose

The purpose of this Section shall be to advocate for the interests of applied clinical psychology through:

• Advancing the science and profession of clinical psychology to solve practical problems of human behavior and experience.

• Providing support for the section’s Health Care Reimbursement Committee (HCRC), whose goal is to help the IPA membership keep abreast of health care reimbursement-related issues by responding to member questions and concerns and providing educational opportunities to IPA members.

• Educating insurance companies and third-party payer organizations about psychological services via the HCRC.

• Supporting the education and training of clinical psychologists and psychology trainees.

• Furthering collegial relationships within the field of applied clinical psychology and with allied health professions.

• Submission of three annual, measurable section objectives yielding a tangible return for membership dues invested in the section, while simultaneously recognizing members’ generational differences and needs.

• Understanding that the clinical section’s visibility becomes a vehicle to promote IPA’s relevance to psychology practice, yielding maximum annual retention of existing members and expansion of the section.

• Inviting each new IPA member to join the clinical practice section via personal outreach phone call from the chair.

• Using social media tools (e.g. Constant Contact) tools in order to ensure that psychologists are able to engage, connect and communicate with clinical practitioners. It is essential that psychologists be able to identify tangible benefits from belonging to the section.

All activities of the Clinical Practice Section shall conform to the bylaws and policies and procedures of the IPA.

Organizational & Business Consulting Psychology Section

Organizational & Business Consulting Psychology involves providing services to individuals, work teams, and entire organizations regarding improving performance effectiveness, developing skills and talent, reducing conflict between people and systems, and strengthening team cohesion. Specialties of our members include management consulting and executive coaching, leadership selection, succession planning, organizational stress audits, 360 degree evaluations of leaders, and assessing organizational culture. The section is committed to continuing education programs, networking for professional opportunities, and promoting the benefits of the specialty to the public through activities such as the Illinois Psychologically Healthy Workplace Award.

Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity Section

The Section on Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity shall seek to advance the contribution of psychology in understanding sexual orientation and gender diversity, to educate psychologists and the general public in matters of sexual orientation and gender diversity, and to advocate for the provision of ethical and informed psychological services to those dealing with sexual orientation and gender diversity.

Social Responsibility Section

Section goals include the promotion of social responsibility for civil and human rights and the values of justice, peace and the public interest within the science, profession, education and training of psychology; the recognition of exemplary achievements of social responsibility in the field; and the maintenance within IPA of a focus and forum in which the relevance of social responsibility for all areas of psychological endeavor can be advanced.

Women’s Issues Section

The mission of the Women’s Issues Section is to promote: (1) the professional interests of women psychologists in IPA, (2) the psychological happiness and well-being of female patients/clients through psychological services, and (3) the psychological happiness and well-being of women in the broader community. We support and empower women to own their own reflective minds, experience stable self-worth, and use their voices. We uphold the broad ranging inclusive ideals related to gender equality in the first, second, third, and fourth waves of feminism, and the lens of multicultural diversity of womanism.