Public Policy Committee Mission

To encourage two-way communication between community psychologists and policy makers; to encourage collaborative relations with other groups to work on policy activities; to assure that the experiential and empirical knowledge base of community psychology is used to make substantive contributions to contemporary policy debates at the state and federal levels; to create opportunities for training; and to encourage academicians and others who lack policy experiences to familiarize themselves with the policy process through both traditional (classroom) and field-based (internship/externship) training experiences.

SCRA Public Policy Activities

There are three main ways for members to engage in public policy activities through SCRA: 

• Policy Position Statements: a means for SCRA to communicate its organizational perspective on pressing social issues and matters of public health and well-being, providing clear, succinct summaries of scientific research and accumulated knowledge from practice accompanied by recommendations to policy makers and the general public
• Rapid Response Actions: a mechanism for SCRA, as an organization, to evaluate and potentially adopt public stances or action plans on issues of a time sensitive nature
• Mini-Grants Program: funding to encourage and support public policy work by members that benefits communities  (note: on moratorium in 2019)

Information on each of these initiatives is available at these links or by watching the video below. 

Policy-Related Resources on This Site

• Getting Involved in Policy: resources on how to contact policymakers and be an effective advocate
• Topic Areas: briefing statements, fact sheets, pamphlets, and other materials related to important policy issues
• Additional Resources: fellowships and internships, course syllabi, books, and much more

Contact Information

For more information about the Public Policy Committee or to suggest materials to be posted to this website section, please email publicpolicy@scra27.org.