NLPA’s Special Interest Groups (SIG)

• Bilingual Issues in Latinx Mental Health SIG
• Evidence Based Practice with Latinx Populations SIG
• Latinx Child, Adolescent, & Family Psychology SIG
• Mentoras/es y Líderes: Mirando hacia el Futuro SIG
• NLPA Neuropsychology SIG
• Orgullo Latinx: Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity SIG
• NLPA International SIG
• Immigrant Collaborative SIG
• Afro-Latinx SIG

Guidelines and Support

• Guidelines for Proposing a SIG
• Support for SIGs from NLPA

Bilingual Issues in Latinx Mental Health

Chair: Elisa DeVargas ([email protected]).
Co-Chairs: Brieanne Kohrt, PhD, David Martinez, PhD, Yessenia Mejia, Psy.D student, Hanna Meisels & M. Nina Hernandez De La Cerda Clinton, M.Ed., M.A.

 2023 NLPA Conferencia
David Martinez, PhD, Brieanne Kohrt, PhD, Elisa DeVargas, PhD,
Yessenia Mejia, PsyD Student Co-Chair (not pictured): Hannah Meisels

 The Bilingual Issues in Latinx Mental Health SIG aims to offer a space for psychologists and mental health professionals who are interested in training, research, and clinical practice with Latinx, Spanish speaking and bilingual communities. Our group provides Spanish clinical consultation every 6-weeks and offers several didactic-type trainings/discussions, Charlas, throughout the year focused on clinical practice, assessment, supervision, and culture.

The Spanish Consultation Group (SCG) is an hour-long consultation during which licensed professionals and students can consult, in Spanish, on clinical cases, assessment, and cultural adaption. This is also a space for discussions about professional development, challenges as a bilingual professional/student, among many other topics. Students can choose to participate in a break-out room where they can engage in peer-to-peer consultation in Spanish, OR they can choose to stay in the larger group to observe and learn from licensed professionals. This is all done in Spanish!

The Charlas are 1-hour long didactic and discussion spaces focused on a range of topics related to bilingual Latinx mental health. Over the last year, we offered Charlas on forensic/immigration evaluations, espiritualismo, cultural adaptation of CBT, and non-traditional career paths in psychology.

Evidence Based Practice with Latinx Populations

Open Call for SIG Chairs

The purpose of the Evidence-Based Practice with Latinx Populations SIG is to disseminate information on research developments and clinical innovations related to the use of evidence-based practices (EBPs) with Latinx populations. There is an increasing emphasis on the use of EBPs on one hand and limited research findings specifically examining the use and outcomes of EBPs with Latinxs on the other. This SIG creates a forum for NLPA members to 1) keep current on the latest research findings, 2) promote and support new research, 3) disseminate practice-based evidence from clinicians experienced in using EBPs with this population, 4) advocate for improved training in EBPs, and 5) discuss barriers to the use of EBPs and potential ways of overcoming these barriers. Therefore, the overall goal of the SIG is to promote the development and application of knowledge specific to using EBPs with Latinxs in an effort to improve access to effective treatments.

Latinx Child, Adolescent, & Family Psychology

Open Call for SIG Chairs

The Latinx Child, Adolescent, & Family Psychology SIG is a network of NLPA members interested in exchanging ideas about issues and research related to Latinx children, adolescents, and families. Latinx youth represent the fastest growing segment of theU.S.population and it is important to advance our understanding of the strengths, challenges, and needs of this group. In addition to improving our understanding of this group, it is essential that this knowledge is used in the service of promoting positive youth development and advocating for the mental health and educational needs of youth. This SIG seeks to 1) create a forum for sharing and discussing issues related to Latinx youth and families, 2) facilitate the dissemination of research related to this population, 3) promote awareness and advocate for issues of special significance to Latinx youth, and 4) foster professional relationships among NLPA members who study and serve this population.

Mentoras/es y Líderes: Mirando hacia el Futuro

Open Call for SIG Chairs

The mission of this special interest group (SIG) is to promote opportunities for professionals and students in the field of Latinx psychology to engage in leadership and mentorship within and outside of NLPA.

Objectives: The limited representation and participation of Latinx psychologists and students in mental health organizations makes the need for a structured mentoring and leadership development a high priority within NLPA. The need for support, networking, and validation throughout a career are imperative to fostering success and representation of Latinxs in the field of psychology and enhance NLPA's visibility and presence in the broad arena of mental health. Latinx students and psychologists frequently have few role models and/or mentors to inform, guide, and/or assist them to successfully navigate the challenging process of becoming a psychologist.

The Mentoras/es y Líderes SIG seeks to be a vehicle from which to receive and provide feedback, support, and validation regarding professional development, transitional periods, research, tenure, etc. Through this forum, NLPA members will be able to have access to role models and accomplished leaders from across NLPA’s vast membership.

NLPA Neuropsychology

Open Call for SIG Chairs

The purpose of this special interest group (SIG) is to provide a forum for members to discuss issues that affect Latinxs within the field of neuropsychology. This SIG promotes the use of neuropsychological assessments that have demonstrated psychometric reliability and validity for use with Latinx populations. It is sensitive to cultural differences that are typically associated with this population group with respect to these assessments. It promotes increasing cultural competence in the assessment of Latinxs by addressing cultural and linguistic differences that impact assessment. Through collaborative efforts with other members, this SIG highlights and disseminates relevant information, including current research, normative data, and recently published assessments pertinent to Latinxs. This SIG serves as a reference point for individuals seeking information regarding the application of neuropsychology. Specifically, it provides information regarding clinical practice, training programs, and outreach services.

Orgullo Latinx: Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity

Open Call for SIG Chairs

The Orgullo Latinx: Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity special interest group (SIG) is a community of NLPA members invested in addressing the needs and challenges faced by Latinx sexual and gender diverse individuals.  Latinx sexual and gender minorities negotiate multiple marginalized identities and often experience discrimination in family, community, and institutional settings. As a group, we work to address issues of intersectionality including the intersection of sexual orientation, gender identity, race/ethnicity, national origin, and social class, among other critical identities. We promote and expand education, research, and the clinical application of affirmative practices that safeguard mental health and resiliency in Latinx people whose sexual orientation, gender identity and expressions, or reproductive development varies from culturally determined norms. Join us in this important work!

We achieve our goals by (1) creating a community where NLPA members and professionals serving, researching, and advocating for Latinx sexual and gender diverse people can network and share community-specific resources; (2) conducting and disseminating scientific and applied research focusing on the integration of Latinx, sexual, and gender identities; (3) providing education concerning the unique needs of sexual and gender diverse people, their families, and ally communities to NLPA membership, affiliates, and the public-at-large; and (4) increasing the visibility and mentorship of Latinx sexual and gender diverse people.

Please email us if you are interested in joining NLPA’s Orgullo Latinx: Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity SIG. We’d love to have you join our Latinx familia!

NLPA International

Open Call for SIG Chairs

Description of the Special Interest Group- International

1. Identifying and sharing resources related to international psychology, Latin American Psychology, and a global perspective,
2. Identifying and sharing opportunities for international collaborations with a focus on Latin America,
3. Encouraging and ensuring the inclusion of international topics and education in NLPA.

Immigrant Collaborative

The Immigrant Collaborative aims to identify, support, promote, and advocate for culturally responsive and contextually relevant strategies to help immigrants, their families, and their providers. The Immigrant Collaborative seeks to address issues impacting all immigrants, regardless of their documentation status. This special interest group is dedicated to utilizing best practices in research, training, evaluations, and service to enhance the mental health and well-being of immigrant communities, while also emphasizing their valuable contributions to society. Moreover, the Immigrant Collaborative is committed to social justice and fostering strong relationships through effective multi-disciplinary collaboration and communication among researchers, practitioners, community organizations and institutions that serve immigrant communities and through advocating for immigrant rights and protections. The purpose of this special interest group aligns with the overall mission of NLPA to provide equitable inclusive treatment for the Latinx/e population. 

1)     Clinical/Forensic Team: The Clinical/Forensic Team seeks to identify, promote, and develop culturally competent and empirically supported strategies to work more effectively with immigrant populations in clinical and forensic settings. This team will discuss and clarify clinical and forensic considerations and guidelines for the provision of mental health services to Latinx/e immigrant communities. Documents that respond to this goal will be placed on a Google Document on the NLPA website. Once installed, NLPA members will be invited to add resources.  This team is led by Dr. Cassandra Bailey, PhD [email protected] 

2)     Clinical Team: The Clinical Team seeks to identify, promote, and develop culturally humble and competent clinical practices to more effectively support and advocate for undocumented, documented, and mixed-status immigrant community members. This team will discuss and clarify clinical considerations based on research and lived experiences for the provision of mental health services that promote an understanding of social inequalities and amplify the strengths of immigrant Latine/x communities. The clinical team will engage in social justice action to advocate for socially just and culturally responsive mental health care (treatment and prevention) at different levels.  This team is led by Dr. Susana A. López, PhD ([email protected]) and Dr. Frances M. Chiliquinga, Psy.D. ([email protected]).

3)     Research Team:  The Research Team seeks to foster mutually respectful conversations and collaboration among researchers, educators and practitioners to move research to practice (and vice versa) and create actionable recommendations to support migrant youth, adults and families and the professionals who serve them. The Research Team invites participation across stages of professional development (e.g., undergraduate and graduate students, post-doctoral trainees, and across years of professional experiences) and especially welcomes participants who may not see themselves as researchers. We seek to work together to conduct research that informs training, policy and practice, to create a supportive environment for collaborative projects, to troubleshoot common barriers to research with immigrant communities, and to disseminate new and upcoming research within the Immigrant Collaborative SIG and the NLPA community. Moreover, we seek to integrate this work into the larger field of psychology and reach multi-disciplinary audiences, such as psychologists, attorneys, and healthcare providers, who serve immigrants but might not traditionally access work in immigration. The contact person for this section is Dr. Diana Formoso ([email protected]). 

4)     The Resources Team: The Resources Team aims to identify resources for trainees, researchers, practitioners, and community members who work with or are interested in working with immigrants. The team is currently comprising a list of psychologists across the United States who offer immigration evaluation services and a list of graduate training opportunities (e.g., graduate programs, predoctoral internships, postdoctoral fellowships) for students interested in building expertise with immigrant populations.  This list will be published and distributed on the NLPA website. The Resources Team is co-led by Isabel López ([email protected]) and Dr. Adrian J. Hernandez ([email protected]). 

Afro-Latinx

Open Call for SIG Chairs

The Afro-Latinx SIG seeks to address the psychological implications of the historical and presistent invisibility, marginalization, and social exclusion of Latinx of African descent, also known as Afro-descendientes, Afro-Latinx or Black Latinx. The relationships between racism, poor health outcomes, psychological distress, trauma symptoms, poor self-concept, and lower life satisfaction have been increasingly reported among Afro-Latinxs. In collaboration with NLPA we aim to do the work of supporting the Afro-Latinx community by bringing visibility to these experiences and their consequences, while fostering affirming and supportive spaces for Afro-Latinx, and leading the way in advocating and organizing social justice efforts that promote the well-being of Latinx of African descent. 

Guidelines for proposing a Special Interest Group (SIG)

Special Interest Groups (SIGs) create an opportunity for NLPA members to collaborate around their particular shared interests. Current membership in NLPA is required for membership in a SIG. 

If you are interested in establishing a Special Interest Group within NLPA, please reach out to NLPA members via the listserv, [email protected], and complete the SIG application. To reduce excessive email activity on the listserv, be sure to provide your email, so members can contact you directly. Please send all proposals to NLPA’s President-Elect at the moment of your submission.

Special Interest Groups are part of the National Latinx Psychological Association, will act in accordance with the Association’s bylaws, www.nlpa.ws/bylaws, and should not represent themselves as independent entities. They are expected to provide a brief annual report to the NLPA Executive Board (via the office of the President-Elect) on the group’s goals, activities, and accomplishments as well as their membership roster. 

Please note that according to the NLPA bylaws, the office of the President-Elect, in consultation with NLPA's Leadership Council, is responsible for the organization and management of the process for the creation, establishment, activation, development, and/or routine management of Special Interest Groups (SIGs) within the NLPA governance structure and serves as the liaison from the Executive Board to approved SIGs.

In the SIG proposal, please provide the following:

1. Suggested name for the proposed SIG
2. Chair(s) name(s), affiliation(s) and email(s)--Chairs can be professional and student members
3. Rationale, purpose, and goals for the proposed SIG
4. How the proposed SIG relates to the mission of NLPA
5. Names of the NLPA members petitioning for the group (minimum 8). Please note that current membership in NLPA is required for membership in a SIG.

Support for SIGs from NLPA

NLPA offers monetary support of SIGs for up to $250, on a yearly basis, as long as the monies are available in NLPA’s budget. Additionally, funds cannot be carried over from year to year. SIGs interested in using these funds will need to submit a request that must include a plan for spending the allocation. Requests need to be submitted by November 1^st of the preceding year with a spending plan for the following year (e.g., November 1^st 2025 to support expenses during 2026).

NLPA’s LC wants to promote creativity and therefore won’t set specific parameters on ways to use such funds other than making sure that the proposed ways comply with our tax-exempt status. Please refer to the following sections of our bylaws as relevant boundaries:

Article VIII GOVERNANCE and OPERATIONS 

2. Operations.

c. Prohibited Activities. Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, the Association shall not conduct any business, activities, and/or efforts prohibited by IRS Rules governing 501(c)3 not-for-profit organizations, such as NLPA.

d. Lobbying, Legislative Advocacy, and Electioneering. In accordance with IRS Rules governing 501(c)3 not-for-profit organizations, such as NLPA, no substantial part of NLPA efforts, activities and/or resources shall be involved in partisan political activity or otherwise attempt to influence legislation that directly benefits NLPA and/or its officers. Moreover, NLPA shall not engage, participate, and/or intervene in (including the publication or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to, any candidate for public office. However, from time to time legislation and/or legislative advocacy-related issues may arise that could benefit from and/or contribute to the development of effective public policy if NLPA’s perspectives and/or advice were to be made known and available to policymakers. In such instances, the Executive Board will consider actions that may benefit or inform legislators and/or policymakers on NLPA science, practice, and/or education-based efforts, activities, and/or initiatives of particular relevance.

Article V. COMPOSITION, AUTHORITY, and FUNCTIONS of the EXECUTIVE BOARD and LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

2 c: Except for the distribution of information and other business-related expenses, no part of the assets of the Association shall be used for the personal benefit of its members or officers. Reimbursement of expenses properly incurred in adherence with the NLPA Expense Policy (please see the Policies and Procedure Manual), may be paid by the Treasurer with the approval of the President, to members and officers in furtherance of Section 501(c)(3) purposes; documentation of said expenses must be provided. 

SIGs that requested the monies will need to submit a report on the activities at the end of the year and return to NLPA’s general budget any monies that weren’t used.

Questions regarding this matter should be directed to NLPA’s president-elect and NLPA’s treasurer.