In a federal class action, psychologists claim the American Psychological Association extracted millions of dollars a year from its members for decades, under the bogus claim "that a "mandatory' special assessment over and above the annual dues was required". In fact, the class claims, the APA gave the money to a separate, but affiliated, lobbying group.
Named plaintiff Ellen Levine, of Hayward, Calif., claims the APA has been scooping up $6 million a year from its members, through "misrepresented, "mandatory' annual memberships in an organization known as American Psychological Association Practice Organization ("APAPO')."
Levine seeks class damages from both groups, alleging fraud and unjust enrichment.
Levine claims the APA assesses its members psychologists practicing clinical psychology and psychotherapy "a special fee with their annual APA dues", which is calls "a mandatory practice assessment."
But Levine claims the "special fee" now about $140 a year is or should be voluntary, but the APA is forcing it upon its "hundreds of thousands of members."
"In other words, the APA employed a subterfuge to function as a lobbying and lobbying fundraising entity," the complaint states.
Responding to the APA's torture collusion, the Coalition for an Ethical Psychology recently called for new leadership for the psychology profession, arising either from a radical reform, including new leadership, for the APA or for the development of new organizational forms to represent the interests and perspectives of psychologists. The Practice Assessment scandal makes even clearer the extent of the work to be done to restore psychology to a firm ethical foundation, anchored in its "do no harm" ethic and in a respect for truth and honesty.
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
