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National Register Listserv Policy and Guidelines

General National Register Listserv Policy

The National Register provides an online discussion forum (listserv) as a service and benefit to National Register credentialed psychologists and doctoral students participating in the National Register Associate Program (collectively “members”). The National Register offers the listserv to (a) facilitate communications among National Register members on topics of interest to health service psychologists, (b) to provide information from the National Register, (c) and to otherwise promote the general aims of the National Register and foster collegial exchange of ideas. The resources (hardware, software, and technical assistance) are provided by the National Register as a service to members. The listserv is offered to all National Register members as a benefit of membership, provided members adhere to rules for participation as described below. Consistent with APA ethical principles, list members are aware of and respect cultural, individual, and role differences, including those based on age, gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, language, and socioeconomic status and consider these factors when using the National Register listserv.

Listserv rules

The following rules from the National Register are binding on all National Register members participating in the listserv:

  1. Malicious use: The listserv may not be used to intentionally interfere with or disrupt other forum members, network services, or network equipment. This includes distribution of unsolicited advertisement or chain letters, propagation of computer viruses, and use of the listserv to make unauthorized entry to any other machine.
  2. Commercial Use: The listserv may not be used for commercial purposes. “Commercial” means communications with the primary purpose of advancing the business or financial interests of any person or entity. Examples of prohibited communications include advertisements for products or services or direct solicitations of listserv members to purchase products or services. Announcements that provide useful professional information to listserv members but that may also have some incidental commercial benefit to the sender (e.g., notification of specific psychological services rendered, an author notifying listserv members of publication of a book, or individuals or groups notifying listserv members of conferences, seminars or other programs) typically would not be considered “commercial use.”
  3. Solicitation of referrals: In general, members seeking referral sources will be directed the National Register’s FindaPsychologist.org website, where complete information about a Registrant’s practice, areas of expertise, third party payers, and other essential practice information may be found. The listserv may, however, be used by individual members seeking services of other Registrants for the purposes of referral, consultation, and other professional exchanges, provided that information contained on the FindaPsychologist.org website is not substantially duplicated. Members posting referral requests should post only the minimum data necessary to effectuate a referral. Members should take care not to inadvertently violate patient confidentiality by posting information that might through inference identify individual patients. Referral requests containing potentially identifying personal information or HIPAA protected patient healthcare information will be rejected by the listserv moderators.
  4. Confidentiality: Messages posted to a listserv, even an invite-only listserv, are not considered to be confidential. Members posting to the listserv should not disclose personal or business information they wish to be kept confidential. Listserv members safeguard the privacy of other members and do not disclose or cause to be disclosed information that other listserv members would reasonably consider to be confidential.
  5. Partisan politics: It is a violation of the National Register’s tax-exempt status to use the listserv for any communication that could be construed in any way as support for or opposition to any individual candidate for a federal, state or local public office.
  6. For security reasons, the listserv may not be used for posting videos.
National Register Guidelines

List members have the privilege of access to the listserv and are expected to use the list in a professional and respectful manner. Listserv members agree to the following guidelines:

  1. Language that any reasonable person would view as abusive, disrespectful, hateful, purposely rude, profane, threatening, defamatory, or offensive is strictly prohibited. “Flaming” – the use of personal insults, ad hominem attacks, or negative imputations about character or motives directed at an individual or group is expressly prohibited.
  2. Members must adhere to “reasonable use” standards. Monopolization of the listserv by a small number of users, or overly frequent posts from individuals, discourages others from participating and reduces the effectiveness of the list. Messages that are not of general interest to the listserv or are better addressed to individual recipients should not be posted to the entire list.
  3. Forwarding or republishing posts from non-listserv members must be done with care, and in general is discouraged. If appropriate in the context of an email authored by a listserv member, and if appropriate attribution is provided, emails may contain substantive content from an external posting. “Proxy posting” – simply forwarding content from non-listserv members is not permitted.  If external messages deemed to be of general interest to members of the list are forwarded or republished, permission from the originator of the post must be obtained.
  4. Due to security concerns, attachments to listserv posts are not allowed.
  5. Requests for research participation and for distribution of research announcements are allowed on this list, provided the research has received the approval from a Human Subjects Review Board. All requests for research participation should clearly indicate the name of the sponsoring institution and, if the research is conducted by a student, the name of the faculty sponsor.
  6. Requests for professional consultation are welcome.
  7. Announcements of jobs, conferences, books and other professional resources are always welcome.
Oversight and Sanctions
  1. The National Register oversees the operations of this listserv and will review any infraction of published rules and policies.
  2. Sanctions:
    A. Illegal use: Use of the listserv for illegal purposes warrants immediate, permanent termination of privileges.  Illegal use includes defamation, violation of intellectual property laws, violation of antitrust or unfair competition laws, and violation of criminal laws.
    B. Other prohibited uses: Removal from the listserv will be considered only after less punitive sanctions have been employed. These include:
    a. Warnings: Members who post content deemed offensive, inflammatory, or otherwise disruptive to the list community as described above may be provided a single warning prior to removal from the list or be removed from the list without a warning depending on the nature of the problematic posting. Upon evidence of violation, the National Register’s Board Chair or Executive Officer will communicate with the member, warning them that a post or posts are out of compliance with National Register listserv rules or Ethical Principles and Code of Conduct for Psychologists, and advising them of the potential for the suspension of listserv privileges. In most instances, if the National Register’s Board Chair or Executive Officer has warned a member two or more times of inappropriate listserv behavior, permanent removal from the listserv is warranted.
  3. Reinstatement: A dismissed Registrant seeking reinstatement to the listserv must proactively contact the National Register’s Board Chair or Executive Officer. Upon affirmation of intent to adhere to National Register listserv rules, the member may be reinstated at the sole discretion of the National Register’s Board Chair or Executive Officer.
  4. Appeals: Members may appeal the Board Chair or Executive Officer’s decision to the National Register Board of Directors, which will by majority vote decide if sanctions are warranted.  The decision of the Board is final and not subject to appeal.

Content on this page last updated 7/13/2020

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