Both Initial APA Fellows and SCCAP Fellows applications need to be submitted no later than December 1, 2024; decisions are made in the spring of 2025, the APA council of Representatives will vote at the APA Convention for a Fellow Status start date of 1-1-2026
There are two types of Fellow applications: Both Require APA and SCCAP 53 Membership.
- Initial APA Fellow
- SCCAP Fellow (requires previous APA Fellow status through another division)
Initial APA Fellow process: first time applicant is recommended for Fellow status by a division. The applicant applies through the APA Fellows Portal. If Fellow status is conferred, the applicant becomes both an APA and SCCAP Fellow. The process requires:
- Self-Statement
- Curriculum Vita – highlighting contributions to Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology
- 3 Endorsement Letters from Current SCCAP Fellows (see list below)
SCCAP members who are already APA Fellows through another Division: Individuals who achieved Fellow status through another division may apply to become a SCCAP fellow through the SCCAP Fellow’s portal. This application process is less rigorous because APA Fellow qualifications have already been documented. SCCAP Fellows status requires documentation of contributions to the field of child and adolescent mental health.
Overarching Policies and Criteria
Fellow status requires that a person’s work has had a national impact on the field beyond local, state, or regional levels. A high level of competence or steady and continuing contributions are not sufficient solely to warrant Fellow status. In order to demonstrate outstanding contributions or performance in clinical child and adolescent psychology, the applicant must be able to provide:
- Documentation of sustained contributions or performance in clinical child and adolescent psychology over a period of a minimum of ten (10) years
- Evidence of distinctive contributions to clinical child and adolescent psychology that are recognized by others as excellent
- Data exhibiting a documented impact beyond the immediate setting in which the candidate/nominee works
There is no single criterion upon which approval for Fellow status can be based for a recommendation to the APA Membership Committee and APA Council of Representatives. Examples of such contributions include:
- Strong impact of publication in a specific area of clinical child and adolescent psychology
- Strong impact through community service or teaching
- Work that has been cited by others
- Presentation of papers
- Chairing symposia
- Conducting workshops
- Holding office in psychological organizations
- Influencing legislation or policy
- Receiving awards or grants
- Documented innovations in clinical child and adolescent psychology
- Production of empirically supported interventions
Single or even repeated performance of these activities is expected of a noteworthy professional.
Fellow status is awarded based on long-term impact and broad achievement contributing to the science and practice of clinical child and adolescent psychology. Thus, a Fellow designation is most often achieved at least mid-career or beyond.
The Society seeks to recognize a variety of exceptional contributions that significantly advance the field of clinical child and adolescent psychology including, but not limited to:
- Theory Development
- Research
- Evaluation
- Teaching
- Intervention
- Policy Development and Implementation
- Advocacy
- Consultation
- Program Development
- Administration and Service
- Model Service Delivery
- Empirically Supported Clinical Applications
Minimum Qualifications for Both APA and SCCAP Fellows
Prior to applying, applicants for Fellow status should meet the following minimum qualifications:
- The receipt of a doctoral degree based in part on a psychological dissertation or from a program primarily psychological in nature.
- Prior membership as an APA and SCCAP Member for at least one year. APA membership must be renewed and active prior to the July 1 deadline set by APA for membership during the application year.
- Active engagement at the time of nomination/application in the advancement of psychology in any of its aspects.
- Ten (10) years of acceptable professional experience.
- For Initial (new) APA Fellows: supporting letters from at least three (3) SCCAP Fellows who are familiar with the applicant’s work with supportive statements attesting specifically to significant contributions to psychology and to clinical child and adolescent psychology. Letters are NOT required for current Fellows in APA who were previously elected through other Divisions and are seeking SCCAP Fellow distinction.
- Self-statement identifying the applicant’s significant contributions to psychology in general, and to clinical child and adolescent psychology in particular, with a curriculum vita in which these contributions are highlighted. The self-statement should address the criteria elaborated in the Policies and Criteria section above.
Additional information about APA Fellow Status is available at http://www.apa.org/membership/fellows/
Application Procedure
Both Initial APA Fellows and SCCAP Fellows applications need to be submitted no later than December 1, 2024 for consideration during the 2025-2026 cycle (reviewed during 2025, Fellow Status in 2026).
Initial APA Fellow Applications:
Initial APA Fellow Applications are reviewed by the SCCAP Fellows Committee, and if the review is positive, the Fellows Chair forwards supporting materials to the APA Membership Committee in February. The APA Membership Committee then decides whether to endorse the application and forwards it to the Board of Directors and Council of Representatives for a vote at the annual meeting during the APA Convention in August.
The application and submission process differ for initial (new) APA Fellows and current APA Fellows who were previously elected through another division.
Initial APA Fellows will complete their application electronically through APA’s website. They must meet all six minimum qualifications and steps that are addressed above. Note that there is a requirement for initial Fellow applicants to obtain three endorsements from current SCCAP Fellows. A list of SCCAP Fellows and the Fellows Committee members is provided below.
If you need help accessing the platform or have any questions, please contact Sonja Wiggins in APA’s Central Office at 800-374-2721 or email swiggins@apa.org.
Additional Information can be found at the links below:
- APA Fellows Page (PDF, 350KB)
- Suggestions for APA Fellows Application, presented at APA 2018 (PDF, 635KB)
- Instructions for initial fellow applicants (PDF, 846KB).
- Instructions for endorsers (PDF, 701KB).
- Sample fellows endorsement letter (PDF, 77KB)
SCCAP Fellows Applications:
Current APA Fellows through another Division should submit their application materials via the Fellows portal on the SCCAP53.org website.
The application requests:
- Curriculum Vita with highlighted child and adolescent contributions
- Membership in SCCAP and APA for one year and be active during the year of the application. APA membership must be renewed prior to the July 1 deadline set by APA for your membership to be considered active during that current year.
- Self-statement identifying applicant’s significant contributions to psychology in general, and to clinical child and adolescent psychology in particular, and examples of active engagement in the advancement of psychology in any of its aspects. The self-statement should address the criteria elaborated in the Policies and Criteria section above.
Please contact Martha C. Tompson, PhD, Fellows@SCCAP53.org, Chair of the SCCAP Fellows Committee, with any questions.
SCCAP encourages and welcomes applicants with diverse backgrounds with respect to age, disability, gender, geography, nationality, race, religion, ethnicity, and sexual orientation.
Current Fellows
This list represents everyone who at any point was elected to Fellow status. To maintain Fellow status you must be a current member of APA. Please verify with your letter writer that they are a current member of APA before they write your LOR.