The Committee on Social Responsibility thanks you in advance for taking the time to help us gather this important information!

Click here to access the survey.

• Award of Excellence
  
• Citizen Award
  
• Distinguished Service Award
  
• Lifetime Achievement by a Psychologist
  
• OPA Early Career Award for Excellence in Service and Professional Practice
  
• OPA Media Award
  
• Outstanding Psychology Trainee Award
  
• PsyOhio Michael Sullivan Award
  
• Public Sector Psychologist of the Year
  
• Small College Roundtable Award for Academic Innovation
  
• Special Projects Award

To view the criteria for each award, or to submit a nomination, click here.

To view past award winners, click here.

Questions? Call OPA at 614-224-0034

OPA’s P.O.D.cast offers students a unique way to present their research through a short video poster presentation (up to 5 minutes and 7 slides) summarizing their work. These video posters are shared online and promoted to psychologists and students across Ohio, giving your research greater visibility while allowing you to participate from anywhere.

In addition to submitting a video poster, participants will present their work live during the virtual “Spotlight on Science and Research” event, where each submission will be played and presenters will have the opportunity to answer questions from attendees. This session takes place live online on April 17 from 4:00–5:00 PM as part of OPA’s Virtual Convention. (click here for more information about the convention.)

Students may submit research reporting empirical (quantitative or qualitative) studies or non-empirical projects such as theoretical or literature review work.

Important Dates

• April 4 – Deadline to apply to participate
  
• April 18 – Deadline to submit your virtual poster video
  
• April 17 (4:00–5:00 PM) – Live virtual P.O.D.cast presentation during OPA’s Annual Convention
  
• May 16 – P.O.D.cast award winners announced 

Outstanding posters receive special recognition. Winners receive:

• A cash prize
  
• Opportunity to publish their research in The Ohio Psychologist
  
• One-year FREE OPA membership
  
• Free registration to the following year’s OPA Annual Convention

Whether your research comes from a class project, thesis, dissertation, or independent study, the P.O.D.cast provides an engaging platform to share your work with the broader psychology community.

Learn more and apply here: https://ohpsych.org/page/postersession

We hope you will take this opportunity to share your research and connect with psychologists across Ohio.

The OPA Communication & Technology Committee is calling for manuscripts to review for the 2026 Ohio Psychologist, a peer-reviewed journal which is published once a year by the Ohio Psychological Association.

Who can submit an article?

Lead authors are required to have a doctoral level degree. Authors do not need to be licensed psychologists.

The following types of articles may be submitted:

• Empirical
  
• Quantitative
  
• Qualitative
  
• Mixed Methods
  
• Meta-analyses
  
• Literature reviews
  
• Theoretical
  
• Methodological
  
• Perspective essays

The following types of articles will not be accepted:

• Brief reports
  
• Book reviews
  
• Comments on and replies to previously published articles
  
• Opinion pieces or commentaries

For more information on what each of the types of articles entails, refer to APA’s Publication Manual (7th Edition).

The focus of articles can be:

• Scientifically research-based
  
• Advocacy related to the profession
  
• Practice related
  
• Current use of technology practices in psychology

Instructions for authors:

1. Articles should relate to the 2026 theme, “Psychology's Influence on our Changing Cultural Landscape” and follow the guidelines set within the APA’s publication Manual (7th edition).
   
2. Articles are to be no longer than 2,500 words (not including APA abstract, references or biography). Articles exceeding this length will be returned to the author without being reviewed. 
   
3. Each article must contain a 100-150 APA Abstract.
   
4. All papers must have references and be written in APA format.
   
5. Perspective essays may be based upon clinical or practical experiences, and do not need to be research or academic based, however, they must still be written in a professional tone and use APA formatting.
   
6. Please email Keelan Quinn, Editor, with your intent to submit an article. 
   
7. Authors will email articles for review to Keelan Quinn in a Microsoft Word document no later than July 10, 2026.  Art work, tables, charts or photos are desirable, but must be submitted in a separate high-resolution pdf or jpeg format,   not embedded within the paper. The use of images is at the discretion of the managing editor on the basis of space and article significance.
   
8. Articles considered for publication will be independently reviewed by at least two different anonymous reviewers. Written comments and recommendations from reviewers will be shared with authors.
   
9. Each leading author will be contacted as to the status of the article after the peer review is complete.
   
10. Accepted authors will provide a brief biography of themselves, along with a high-resolution photograph.
    
11. Authors will receive a link to the digital publication. Paper copies will not be available.
    
12. Any questions regarding this process should be emailed to Keelan Quinn, Editor of the Ohio Psychologist. 

OPA welcomed the following new members in September and October. If you see someone on this list that you know, we encourage you to take a moment to reach out to them and welcome them to the association!

OPA welcomed the following new members in August. If you see someone on this list that you know, we encourage you to take a moment to reach out to them and welcome them to the association!

Ohio Psychological Association’s 2026 Virtual Convention
Psychology's Influence on Our Changing Cultural Landscape
Thursday, April 16 through Saturday, April 18

Proposal Deadline: October 29, 2025

The Ohio Psychological Association invites program proposals for the 2026 Annual Virtual Convention. This year’s Convention theme is “Psychology's Influence on Our Changing Cultural Landscape.” We invite you to be a part of this annual event known for its excellent programming that addresses issues facing Ohio psychologists.

The 2026 OPA Convention is a premier three-day virtual gathering each spring, bringing together psychologists from across Ohio and beyond. The event features dynamic continuing education sessions, an inspiring keynote address, networking opportunities, student poster presentations, sponsors, and more. Each year, more than 350 attendees participate, making it one of the most anticipated events in the field of psychology.

Read through these guidelines carefully to ensure that your proposal meets the criteria. Submissions must be submitted by October 29, 2025 for consideration. Incomplete submissions will not be reviewed.

Virtual Sessions
All virtual sessions will be held live on our event platform. Sessions will be recorded and converted into OnDemand webinars unless requested otherwise by the lead presenter. The ALL virtual format ensures that OPA meets attendees’ expectations of providing the highest level of continuing education while increasing accessibility and keeping participants’ safety a priority.

Speakers will be required to provide all supplemental materials including slide decks and handouts in a digital format two weeks prior to the event. Continuing education quizzes will not be required for individuals who attend the live sessions; however, speakers will be asked to provide a set of multiple-choice questions to develop a quiz for attendees who opt to watch the OnDemand version of your session post-convention.

Your flexibility and patience during the review and planning process is greatly appreciated.

Suggested Topics
In line with our 2026 Convention theme, “Psychology's Influence on Our Changing Cultural Landscape,” the following topic areas have been designated to be of high interest. Please note the following topics are suggestions, other topics related to the convention theme are welcome. Interdisciplinary themes are encouraged as are sessions crafted to deliver intermediate to advanced level content.

• Anxiety and Depression - Innovative treatments
  
• Artificial Intelligence Applications and Ethics
  
• Autism
  
  • Adult diagnosis and overlap between ASD and ADHD
    
  • Diversity and equity in Autism diagnosis and treatment
    
• Child and Adolescent Mental Health Issues
  
  • Impact of marijuana legalization
    
  • Early exposure to pornography
    
  • Impact of social media
    
• Consulting Psychology
  
• Immigrant Trauma
  
• Legal Implications of Marijuana Legalization for Employers 
  
• Neuropsychology
  
• Political Climate
  
  • Coping with loss of control
    
  • Mental health and social implications of political upheaval 
    
  • Medias effect on mental health
    
  • Anti-equity legislation
    
• Psychoactive Substances for Treating Mental Health Disorders (i.e. psilocybin and ketamine)
  
• Revised APA Code of Ethics
  
• Sleep and Mental Health
  
• Substance Abuse Disorders

Proposal Guidelines
To participate in the convention, please submit a compelling presentation proposal that supports the field of psychology. OPA is committed to supporting the personal and professional lives of psychologists throughout their lifespan, from student status through retirement. Presentations for all experience levels are welcome; however, past attendees have indicated an interest in sessions catered to intermediate and advanced learners.

OPA is committed to diversity and multiculturalism. ALL presentations are expected to address the needs of a diverse population. Presenters are required to explain, as part of their proposal, how their workshop addresses and/or integrates diversity issues into the topic. 

OPA expects ALL workshops to contain elements of ethics and/or cultural competency. However, in order for a workshop to count as Ethics CE, eighty-five percent of the content must address ethics and/or cultural competency. As an APA approved CE provider, OPA adheres to their guidelines, and no partial credit is given. 

OPA supports and strongly encourages programs that allow for a collaborative style, address cutting-edge research, and create opportunities for thoughtful discussion. Please review the presenter standards before submitting a proposal. Special attention should be given to the learning objective standards as outlined on our website.
 
Submit a Proposal
Proposals must be submitted using our online form. Click here to access the form.

Deadline
Submissions are due no later than October 29, 2025.
Presenters will be notified no later than November 28, 2025 of their proposal acceptance. In submitting a proposal, presenters accept responsibility for the time scheduled for their presentation and agree that they will meet all set deadlines.

Questions? 
Call Karen Hardin, Director of Education and Communications, at 614-224-0034 ext. 115 or email at khardin@ohpsych.org.

Michael served the Ohio Psychological Association with exceptional dedication and integrity for over 25 years. His tenure was marked by a deep commitment to advancing the field of psychology in Ohio and supporting the professionals who make up our community. Through times of both challenge and growth, Michael’s calm demeanor, thoughtful leadership, and tireless advocacy were hallmarks of his service.

Under his leadership, OPA strengthened its role as a statewide voice for psychology and mental health policy, expanded its support for members, and upheld the highest standards of ethical and professional practice. Michael’s impact on the association and the broader psychological community in Ohio is immeasurable, and his legacy will endure through the lives he touched and the work he helped shape.

Details regarding memorial services and arrangements will be shared once they are available. An obituary honoring Michael’s life and contributions will be published later this week.

The OPA Board of Directors and staff extend our heartfelt condolences to Michael’s family, friends, and all who had the privilege of knowing and working alongside him. We mourn his loss and honor his life with deep gratitude.

Each year OPA seeks nominations for awards that are presented at a special ceremony.

The deadline to submit a nomination for the OPA Annual Awards Ceremony is July 11, 2025.

Awards include:

• Award of Excellence
• Citizen Award
• Distinguished Service Award
• Lifetime Achievement by a Psychologist
• OPA Early Career Award for Excellence in Service and Professional Practice
• OPA Media Award
• Outstanding Psychology Trainee Award
• PsyOhio Michael Sullivan Award
• Public Sector Psychologist of the Year
• Small College Roundtable Award for Academic Innovation
• Special Projects Award

To view the criteria for each award, or to submit a nomination, click here.

To view past award winners, click here.

Questions? Call OPA at 614-224-0034

As a result of the need for more psychologists, Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) and the Service Employee International Union District 1199 (SEIU) have signed a Letter of Agreement that creates a program that can take students enrolled in an accredited psychology program and give them a career path to become a fully licensed Psychologist.

To become a psychologist, an individual needs to finish their advanced studies at their university, successfully complete a year-long pre-doctoral internship, and work a specified number of post-doctoral hours under supervision in addition to taking the licensing examination and, in Ohio, an oral examination on state laws. This agreement will assist students in completing these final steps with the potential to move seamlessly into a psychologist role. Our Psychology Assistant I will be akin to a pre-doctoral internship. After they obtain their degree, the Psychology Assistant I will progress to a Psychology Assistant II, which will be their post-doctoral fellowship. These hours vary, depending on the status of their academic institution and internship.

The State of Ohio and OhioMHAS needs licensed psychologists in their state psychiatric hospitals to provide services for our seriously mentally ill patients. In addition to providing treatment to our civil patients, psychologists are key to helping those forensic patients who are hospitalized for legal reasons, such as competency restoration, those unrestorable to competence, and individuals having been acquitted by Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity – NGRI. Forensic evaluations and risk assessments are completed by agency psychologists throughout a patient’s stay and are prime players in moving patients through their treatment and back into the community. This program will aid in building our psychology staff to improve our effective use of our beds. Individuals that choose participate in this recruitment program at one of Ohio’s six state psychiatric hospitals will receive valuable training and experience with serious and complicated mental health concerns which will advance their skills in treatment and assessment, all while earning the benefits of being a State of Ohio employee.

The Psychological Assistant I and Psychological Assistant II positions are term limited to two years each and will be under the supervision of a licensed psychologist at one of the state regional psychiatric hospitals (RPHs). These employees are entitled to union representation, pay increases, contractual benefits, and medical insurance. At the end of the two-year period, the employee will advance to the next step for their licensure, be terminated, or continue in the same position if agreed upon by both parties. After completion of the post-doctoral fellowship, the employee will need to be licensed in order to be reclassified as a psychologist.

Download program informational flyer.

For more information, visit careers.ohio.gov or scan the QR code.

The OPA Communication & Technology Committee is calling for manuscripts to review for the 2025 Ohio Psychologist, a peer-reviewed journal which is published once a year by the Ohio Psychological Association.

The following types of articles may be submitted:

• Empirical
  
• Quantitative
  
• Qualitative
  
• Mixed Methods
  
• Meta-analyses
  
• Literature reviews
  
• Theoretical
  
• Methodological
  
• Perspective essays

The following types of articles will not be accepted:

• Brief reports
  
• Book reviews
  
• Comments on and replies to previously published articles
  
• Opinion pieces or commentaries

For more information on what each of the types of articles entails, refer to APA’s Publication Manual (7th Edition).

The focus of articles can be:

• Scientifically research-based
  
• Advocacy related to the profession
  
• Practice related
  
• Current use of technology practices in psychology

Instructions for authors:

1. Articles should relate to the 2025 theme, “The Multi-faceted Future of Psychology” and follow the guidelines set within the APA’s publication Manual (7th edition).
   
2. Articles are to be no longer than 1,600 words (not including APA abstract, references or biography). Articles exceeding this length will be returned to the author without being reviewed. 
   
3. Each article must contain a 100-150 APA Abstract.
   
4. All papers must have references and be written in APA format.
   
5. Perspective essays may be based upon clinical or practical experiences, and do not need to be research or academic based, however, they must still be written in a professional tone and use APA formatting.
   
6. Please email Keelan Quinn, Editor, with your intent to submit an article. 
   
7. Authors will email articles for review to Keelan Quinn in a Microsoft Word document no later than July 18, 2025.  Art work, tables, charts or photos are desirable, but must be submitted in a separate high-resolution pdf or jpeg format,   not embedded within the paper. The use of images is at the discretion of the managing editor on the basis of space and article significance.
   
8. Articles considered for publication will be independently reviewed by at least two different anonymous reviewers. Written comments and recommendations from reviewers will be shared with authors.
   
9. Each leading author will be contacted as to the status of the article after the peer review is complete.
   
10. Accepted authors will provide a brief biography of themselves, along with a high-resolution photograph.
    
11. Authors will receive three copies of the magazine, and more can be supplied upon request.
    
12. Any questions regarding this process should be emailed to Keelan Quinn, Editor of the Ohio Psychologist. 

In the past few weeks we’ve heard from many of you, sharing your thoughts and wondering what OPA is doing to help Ohio psychologists navigate through these complex and chaotic times.

I want to assure you that we hear your questions and concerns. I’d also like to reassure all of you that OPA’s mission and values have not changed. We remain committed to our mission: To advance the creation, communication and application of psychological knowledge to benefit society and to improve people’s lives in Ohio.

In addition, we focus all our efforts on our two primary strategic goals: 

• To promote the mental health and wellness of all Ohioans 
  
• To support evidence-based Psychology and the professional interest of Ohio Psychologists
  

• Clinical Psychology
  
  • Clinical practice
    
  • Assistance with charting
    
  • Insurance (appropriate billing language/billing codes)
    
  • Clinical Ethics

• Research / Platform Review
  
  • chatGPT
    
  • GENEI
  • Others

• Neuropsychology
  
  • Clinical practice
    
  • Assistance with charting
    
  • Insurance (appropriate billing language/billing codes)
    
  • Clinical Ethics

• Higher Education Implications

• Insurance

We are hoping that each of you can help us identify where our members feel effort in the community is needed and what causes and organizations you believe are important for OPA to be more involved in.

The Committee on Social Responsibility thanks you in advance for taking the time to help us gather this important information!

To access the 2024 Volunteer Survey, click here.

Email Dr. F. Scott Winstanley, Chair of OPA's Science and Research Committee for more details.

The Ohio Psychological Association is excited to announce the first annual Thriving Workplace Awards! We are now accepting applications to recognize workplaces across Ohio that go above and beyond to support their employees' mental health, engagement, and overall well-being.

Does your organization invest in creating a positive and supportive work environment?

Do you provide resources and initiatives that help your employees thrive both personally and professionally?

This is your chance to be recognized for your commitment to employee flourishing!

Key Details:

• Applications are due by November 30th, 2024.
  
• Top organizations will be recognized as Ohio's 2025 Thriving Workplaces, with one company receiving the prestigious title of Ohio’s Leading Thriving Workplace. There will be media coverage to publicize organizations receiving the honor. Each organization will also receive a plaque and a banner to proudly display at the place of business.
  

Apply today and showcase how your workplace prioritizes employee mental health, well-being, and engagement. Let’s celebrate the workplaces that lead the way in fostering thriving, resilient teams.

For more information and to apply, click here.

We look forward to seeing your application and celebrating Ohio’s best workplaces!