Psychologists working as policy specialists apply their expertise in human behavior and scientific inquiry to inform and influence the development of evidence-based public policy. Psychologists possess specialized knowledge about traditional psychological concepts including, but not limited to, etiology, assessment, and treatment for mental illnesses; relevance of developmental milestones over the life span; impacts of various chemical substances introduced into the body; relationships between thoughts and actions; and many other aspects of mental health. This expertise can be shared with policy makers with the goal of influencing program development, such as mental health parity (i.e., the requirement that health insurance carriers provide equal treatment and financial benefits for mental health and substance use disorders and medical disorders) and resource commitment in these areas.

Because of their ...

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