OPA Diversity Committee
Thank you for visiting the OPA Diversity Committee. This page provides an overview of the purpose and goals of the Committee. In addition to current and previous activities, please use our expanded list of diversity resources, including continuing education opportunities, article, reports and organizations focused on diversity and multiculturalism.
If you are interested in diversity, please join us for our monthly conference call. New members are welcome.
Wanda McEntyre, Ph.D., Diversity Committee Chair
Statement of Purpose
The purpose of the Ohio Psychological Association Diversity Committee shall be to integrate cultural sensitivity and a commitment to racial and ethnic diversity throughout the organizational structure of OPA and the broader community of psychology in Ohio.
As a means of promoting OPA’s commitment to diversity, the committee shall work with OPA to:
- Create greater diversity within the membership and leadership
- Develop, enhance and sustain relationships with other professional organizations throughout the state that share OPA’s value regarding diversity
- Develop initiatives that support the inclusion of other forms of diversity, including but not limited to sexual orientation, spirituality, disabilities, age, and/or gender.
The Diversity Committee is charged with the responsibility of moving the Association and its leaders to a point where consideration of diversity issues is intuitive. Ultimately, each OPA committee should consider diversity, cultural competency and related issues in every deliberation, and every decision should reflect due consideration of the impact of that decision on a diverse psychology community. The committee is charged with the task of keeping this in the forefront of thought throughout the association. Key areas in which this must occur are Education, Advocacy, Membership, Public Interest, Ethics, Planning/Development and Communication/Technology.
Links and Resources
Ethnic Minority Psychological Associations
- Asian American Psychological Association
- Association of Black Psychologists (ABPsi)
- National Latino(a)/Hispanic Psychological Association
- Society of Indian Psychologists
Continuing Education Opportunities
- OPA Ethics Diversity Homestudy #1 (3 CE Credits in Ethics)
- OPA Ethics Diversity Homestudy #2 (3 CE Credits in Ethics)
- OPA LGBT Homestudy (3 CE Credits in Ethics)
- Readings in Multiculturalism (Pennsylvania Psychological Association 4 CE credits)
- An interview with Kenneth Hardy, Ph.D., on diversity, social justice and psychotherapy (2.5 CE credits)
- Cultural Competence Homestudy courses offered by the New Mexico Psychological Association. Questions should be directed to the NMPA. Courses include: Cultural Competency Assessment (1 CE), Multicultural Counseling Competencies/Research (2 CEs), Awareness-based articles (3 CE), Knowledge based articles (3 CE), Skills-based articles on counseling (3 CE) and Skills-based articles on assessment (3 CE).
Articles Related to Diversity
Additional Resources
- American Indian Resource Directory
- Association of American Medical Colleges, tools for assessing cultural competence training
- Center for Cross-Cultural Research
- Chicana/o/Latina/o Studies Department at University of California
- Office of Ethnic Minority Affairs, American Psychological Association
- Surgeon General’s Report on Mental Health
Diversity Committee Happenings
- Dr. Michael Sullivan Diversity Scholarship Award Information
- The Committee brought Dr. Melba Vasquez to Columbus for two workshops on April 18-19, 2009
- OPA and several statewide organizations sponsored two workshops, “African for Life” and “Pluralistic Leadership” with Dr. Thomas Gordon on April 4-5, 2008
What is Cultural Assessment?
Read OPA’s 2004 Cultural Assessment. Sue (1995) suggests that agencies strive to become what he called multicultural organizations. He indicates that multicultural organizations value diversity rather than just tolerating it. Additionally, Sue notes that multicultural organizations work to develop a multicultural vision for the agency. The first step that Sue recommends for an agency committed to transforming itself into a multicultural organization is to conduct an internal audit of its current multicultural status. Another vital step that Sue indicates must occur is that the leadership of the organization needs to have a firm commitment to multicultural development. OPA has taken these admonitions to heart. The executive committee has charged the Diversity Committee with conducting a cultural assessment of OPA to identify areas of strength and areas of concern that need to be improved. After extensive research and consultation with a number of professionals in the field, the Diversity Committee developed a Diversity Assessment Questionnaire that will be made available to OPA members in the near future. Even more important than gathering information about OPA’s cultural development, however, is the fact that OPA’s leadership is firmly committed to acting on the results of the assessment to ensure that the needs of all members are met. The Diversity Committee is honored to be a part of this process.
Sue, D. W. (1995). Multicultural organizational development. In J. G. Ponterotto, J. M. Casas, L. A. Suziki, & C. M. Alexander (Eds.), Handbook of Multicultural Counseling (pp. 474-492). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
By Colin Christensen, OPA Diversity Committee Member
Committee Members
Wanda McEntyre, Ph.D., Chair
Christine Agaibi, M.A.
Jim Brush, Ph.D.
Colin Christenson, Ph.D.
Cathy Gaw, Psy.D.
Gary Carrington, Ph.D.
Jennifer Franklin, Ph.D.
Rachel Juran, BS
Shelly Jebens, Psy.D.
Cathy McDaniels Wilson, Ph.D.
Kershini Naidu, Ph.D.
Tiffany Porter, M.A.
Christina Rideout, Ph.D.
Jonathan Shelton, Psy.D.
Alice Wang
Erica S. White, Ph.D.
Staff: Michael Ranney
Contact the OPA Central Office or the above listed Committee Chair if you are interested in participating with this group.
