Exclusive services for Ohio Psychological Association members
Advocacy
Advocacy is consistently rated as the most important service OPA offers. OPA provides a united front for your voice at the Statehouse and on Capital
Hill: fighting for better fees, faster payment, protection of the profession,
training for psychologists; and better access, prevention, assessment and
treatment for clients.
Staff and board members work hard to make sure the voices of our teachers, practitioners, students and clients are heard. The OPA-Political Action Committee (PAC) provides financial assistance to legislators who support the interests of our profession in the state legislature and Project
FAIR fights against unfair insurance practices on behalf of our members.
Discounts Galore
Members receive discounts on the following OPA services.
- Online classified advertising - FREE postings for 30 days for Office Space or For Sale ads
- Have a job opening in your office? Members receive a 20% discount on advertising in the OPA Career Center
- 20% discount on print copy advertising - more information can be found in the Advertising section
- Mailing lists - 20% discount
on purchase
- Members receive significant discounts on OPA sponsored CE events, including the Annual Convention and our numerous workshops held in various parts of
Ohio.
- Discount
CE coupon - in addition to the already discounted rates, members
receive a discount coupon for the OPA sponsored CE event of their choice
- Mandatory
Continuing Education (MCE) Registration - members receive a $40
discount and free single course reviews ($50 value for each review)
Professional Issues
& Services
Ethics and Law
Members are able to consult with experienced
psychologists regarding ethical concerns at no charge. Access the OPA Ethics
Committee list through the Members Only portal.
Colleague Assistance Program (CAP)
The Colleague Assistance Program
can assist in finding appropriate treatment resources for members who
are concerned that stress, substance use or other problems might have an
effect on their professional functioning. The
CAP can also assist you with helping colleagues you may be concerned about.
Continuing Education (CE)
OPA is an APA Approved Sponsor and
provides some of the highest quality CE programming in the state,
including multiple ethics courses annually.
Mandatory Continuing Education (MCE)
In addition to discounted registration and free single course reviews, OPA members are also eligible to join the OPA-MCE registry program, which tracks a registrant's hours above and beyond
Ohio's requirement of 23 hours per biennium. This is helpful for psychologists licensed in other states who must obtain more than
Ohio's required number of hours. For more information, visit the MCE area.
Information Resources
OPA
keeps its members up to date with links and guidelines about using
technology and many other issues. Refer to the resources section below
for more information.
Group Purchasing Power
Take advantage of services offered by our partners, often at a discounted rate:
- Group Health Insurance - Coming spring 2012:
Healthcare Alliance with Preferred Benefits
- Banking: Ohio Healthcare Federal Credit Union
- Encrypted E-mail Services, Provided by ZixCorp: OPA members receive a 20%
discount
- Disability Insurance, Provided by Principal Financial Group: OPA members
receive a 10% discount - Listen to a podcast about
the importance of disability insurance
- Identity Theft Protection, Provided by Lifelock - OPA members receive a 10% discount
- Merchant/Credit Card Payment Services for your practice, Provided by
Affiniscape - OPA members save up to 25% off standard bank fees
- Continuing Education: The Zur Institute - 10% discount on online/homestudy
courses and catalog items
- Continuing Education: Affect Plus - Free shipping on orders over $150
Networking
OPA membership offers numerous opportunities for networking with colleagues around the state and beyond. From the annual Convention to Board or committee involvement; through the OPA Mentoring Program or our interactive e-mail lists; by participating in the annual Leadership Forum or Peer Consultation Networks – colleagues and experienced field professionals are just a phone call or email away.
Resources
Email Listservs
OPA provides a number of email lists relating to general practice issues, prescriptive privileges, student and early career issues, academic issues, continuing education and more. Choose no-chat/announcement-only or interactive lists that allow continual networking with colleagues. The main OPA-
LINK listserv provides an ongoing forum for discussion on topics such as managed care, treatment and referral inquiries and other professional concerns. Members may register online through the Members Only page.
Print Publications
OPA publishes 8 print publications per year. The Ohio Psychologist peer-reviewed publication provides access to cutting edge psychology research.The
Ohio Psychologist Review is published three times annually and is designed to bring members up-to-date information about statewide and national issues that affect psychologists and consumers. The
Ohio Psychologist Update informs members of news, events and initiatives that impact psychology in Ohio.
Past issues of all publications are available in the Members Only section and the association Annual Report is available to the general public.
Electronic Newsletter
OPA Notes is the association’s electronic newsletter and arrives in member inboxes on the first Tuesday of the month.
Services to Supplement your OPA Membership
Online Psychologist Referral Program
The OPA Central Office receives a minimum of 10 telephone referral requests per day, and the referral page of the OPA website receives approximately 470 page views per week. The Online Psychologist Referral Program provides a convenient and anonymous way for consumers, psychologists, lawyers, physicians and other practitioners to search for psychological assistance at any time of day. All members are eligible for a complimentary listing (name, county and phone number) but can upgrade to a premium listing (including address, areas of practice, treatment orientations, etc.) for $30 per year. Members licensed less than seven years join at half-price. Access the Online Referral Program or subscribe today.
Media Resource Guide
OPA frequently receives calls from students and the media requesting specialists in particular areas of psychology. The Media Resource Guide (MRG) is a free listing of licensed OPA members who serve as professional contacts in their areas of expertise. The MRG generates positive publicity for psychologists and the field. Visit the Media Room for more information.
Website Hosting
Purchase a professionally
designed website with a personalized domain. Subscribers have full
authority to maintain the content of their site, with no technological
skills necessary. More information.
Mentoring Program
The Mentoring Program provides early career psychologists with an opportunity to learn from seasoned individuals in the field, and veteran psychologists a chance to give back to the profession. Participant benefits include professional identity development, goal setting, career development, networking, business and marketing skills, enhanced self awareness, knowledge of ethical standards, awareness of issues affecting psychology and opportunities for supportive, non-supervisory discussions of challenging situations.
Practice Toolkit
The Practice Toolkit is a manual for early career and/or transitioning career psychologists interested in developing a private practice. It has practical advice about the business of a private practice, credentialing with insurance companies, different types of practices, and other valuable tips and resources for psychologists. The Toolkit also offers templates for professional practice such as intake forms, release of information forms, and other required documentation forms for practice. Order the toolkit.
READ about some of OPA's accomplishments during the previous member year in the Summer, 2011 Annual Report
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