The National Register of Health Service Psychologists is proud to present a 2026 SPTA Advocacy Award to the Illinois Psychological Association.
This award is presented annually to State, Provincial, and Territorial Psychological Associations (SPTAs) to honor excellence in advocacy.
April D. Fernando, PhD, member of the National Register Board of Directors and Chair of the National Register’s SPTA Advocacy Award Committee, said of the Illinois Psychological Association: “The Committee was incredibly impressed with the results of IPA’s advocacy work to advance parity and reimbursement, specifically the dramatic increase in mandated reimbursement floors, audit protections for providers, and regulatory enforcement of parity. We were also delighted with their work to protect psychologists’ scope of practice and licensure and their proactive efforts to lead conversations on the regulation of AI, psychedelics, and crisis care. Truly remarkable accomplishments – congratulations to IPA!”
After receiving notice of the award, Sue H. Bae, PhD, IPA Executive Director, stated, “This award is a powerful testament to the relentless dedication of our legislative committee and the collective strength of our entire membership. True advocacy is never a solo effort; it requires a deeply committed team working together to turn complex policy challenges into meaningful legislative victories. This recognition from the National Register belongs to every single volunteer, committee member, and advocate of IPA who has given their time and voice to championing the profession and the communities we serve across Illinois. While we are incredibly proud of what this team has built over the past years, our committee remains focused on the vital work ahead.”
The National Register looks forward to the 2027 cycle of this award. Learn more on our SPTA Advocacy Award page.
About the National Register of Health Service Psychologists
The National Register of Health Service Psychologists was established in 1974 and is the largest nonprofit credentialing organization for psychologists and psychology doctoral students. The National Register is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to improving healthcare by identifying psychologists who meet specific education and training standards, and by verifying these professionals to consumers, healthcare organizations, and regulatory bodies. The National Register currently credentials 10,000 Health Service Psychologists and has approximately 5,000 psychology doctoral student and postdoctoral trainee members in its Associate Program. For more information, visit www.nationalregister.org.
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For more information about this announcement, contact the National Register at 202.783.7663.
