Virginia Academy of Clinical Psychologists (VACP) is an academy of the Virginia Psychological Association, and is the voice of professional clinical psychology within the Commonwealth of Virginia. Its purpose is "the advancement of Clinical Psychology as a science, as a profession, and as a means of promoting human welfare by developing and encouraging high standards of ethics and training; by providing the opportunity for the exchange of experience and research through discussions, presentation and publications; and by educating the public in the purposes and goals of the art and science of the practice of clinical psychology for the promotion of the public welfare."

WHAT IS VACP?
VACP is the Virginia Academy of Clinical Psychologists and is an academy within the Virginia Psychological Association (VPA). In turn, VACP is comprised of five distinct regional academies:

VACP MISSION (as stated in the VACP By-Laws)
"The purpose of VACP is the advancement of Clinical Psychology as a science, as a profession, and as a means of promoting human welfare by developing and encouraging high standards of ethics and training; by providing the opportunity for the exchange of experience and research through discussions, presentation and publications; and by educating the public in the purposes and goals of the art and science of the practice of clinical psychology for the promotion of the public welfare."

WHY JOIN US? (Join VACP by clicking “Join” above) VACP was founded in 1975 when patients’ rights to receive mental health services directly from clinical psychologists were threatened by insurance requirements that clinical psychologists be personally supervised by physicians. Several practicing clinical psychologists and VACP then collectively and successfully sued Blue Cross Blue Shield of Virginia and the Neuropsychiatric Center of Virginia for restraint of trade and violation of freedom of practice laws. This action insured that clinical psychologists in Virginia and throughout the country could practice independently then and now. VACP has remained a highly active and effective professional organization. Many of our leaders have also assumed and been elected to national leadership roles in organized psychology. Russ Neumann, Ph.D. declared VACP “the special forces of the APA Practice Directorate.” Other VACP accomplishments include the following:

  • Funded and implemented a public media campaign in the 1980’s to inform prospective patients of potential problems in the (then) impending managed health care paradigm (e.g., primary care incentives for gate-keeping, insurance job lock for beneficiaries, etc.)
  • Successfully challenged an insurance carrier initiative in the 1990’s to apply extrapolation formulae to their audits and to retract hundreds of thousands of dollars in previously paid fees from providers whose record keeping was deemed to be inadequate, though there had been no forewarning or prior record keeping guidelines.
  • Successful litigation against CareFirst, a Blue Cross Blue Shield subsidiary in Northern Virginia for truth in advertising distortions and for provider contract violations.
VACP is responsible for much more important work than can be conveyed on a single page. VACP has steadily advocated for licensed clinical psychologists and their patients in the Commonwealth for three decades -- shaping law, regulatory and insurance policies, our own professional skills, and, through our members, the mental health of our citizens. VACP has been ever-present and relentless in its efforts to improve our practice climate. This work has included advocacy and education in relationship to (a) third party payers of mental health services, (b) regulatory licensure boards, (c) state and federal legislative bodies, (d) business enterprises, and (e) the general public. A full time state lobbyist and a large and active Executive Council are continuously engaged in professional issues of the day and keep our members informed about fast changing clinical, economic, and political information in the provision of mental health services at regional and state-wide levels, If you know of topical news pertaining to clinical psychology, you can rest assured that VACP is “on it.” VACP is proud to offer its members excellent continuing education programs at markedly low rates. Even beyond the activism, warm fellowship prevails here. If you are a licensed clinical psychologist or a student in clinical psychology in Virginia, please come in – this is your professional home. 

VACP Officers 
President    Michael Chiglinsky, Ph.D. Roanoke, VA  
Pres-Elect  Robin Haight, Psy.D., Vienna, VA 
Secretary   Eva Abel, Ph.D., Kilmarnock, VA 
Treasurer   Tara Mitchell, Ph.D., Roanoke, VA  
Past Pres.  John Mason, Ph.D., Carrollton, VA
Virginia Psychological Association