Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Welcome to NCPA’s 2023-24 Membership year!

As your local professional organization, we’re grateful for your loyal support and honored by your maintaining your trust in us. We recognize that many others seek your resources: your time, your interest, your membership dollars. Too many of our members have moved on, out of the profession, out of our community, out of our world. We believe our constituents represent the best psychologists in Nassau County, and we will continue to try to understand and meet your needs.

Despite a spate of personal and professional challenges this year, the members of the NCPA Board continue to engage in thoughtful and creative problem-solving. I am encouraged by their wisdom and energy and their commitment to the profession. Please acknowledge them with me: Carol Hassett, Treasurer; Ron Smith, Assistant Treasurer and Trustee; Chuck King, Trustee; Dottie Ahl, Secretary; Shane Owens, Trustee; Nina Goldman, NYSPA Council Rep and NCPA Trustee. Our newest Trustee is Karen Mackler.

Please know that each of these seasoned and talented psychologists is an available resource for you. Have you questions about Veterans’ issues? Carol Hassett can help. Legal/ legislative issues? Nina might be able to help. School/ community issues? Check with Chuck, Dottie, Karen and Ron. General questions? Please send me a note and I’ll do my best.

We hope you’re continuing to update and highlight your own listing and skills on NCPA’s Referral list and that you use this resource to find psychologists able to meet the needs of others.

Important changes are afoot for NCPA. Nassau Psychological Services Institute (NPSI), NCPA's partner organization which has provided educational and community resources, including CE credits, is merging with NCPA. And Angela Russo, our invaluable Executive Director, will be retiring in a few months, after many years of being there for all of us. As psychologists, we applaud her choice to move on with her life while she’s still young(-ish) and healthy, but as a Board, we will miss her terribly, as she has been our glue and guide for so many years. We don’t know how we’ll find someone to replace her, but do let us know if you know anyone interested in this part-time position. Most of all, please join me in wishing Angela good luck and good health in this next chapter of her life.

An urgent request: You may be aware of a contentious bill in the NY State Legislature regarding licensure of School Psychologists. It’s a really tough issue and we seek your input as we consider taking a position. Children and adolescents are critically underserved at this time. Mental Health Counselors with many fewer skills than School Psychologists are already being licensed in New York. It has been suggested that NCPA is seen as just a clinical group, but, many of us have deep roots in school psychology. What position would you like NCPA to take? Please email me and/ or let me know you’d like to join this discussion at our next Board Meeting on Sunday, October 1. Do you have other issues to add to our agenda, too? Please let us know soon.

On behalf of the Board, I thank you again for your support, encourage your active participation in NCPA, and wish you a satisfying and productive year.

Best wishes,
Maxine Marcus, President
NCPA President