Reminder: Special Issue of AJCP on Community Psychology and Community Mental Health, Proposals DUE SEPTEMBER 15, 2016

[Announcement from SCRA-L]

Dear Colleagues,

Just a reminder notice that Molly Brown, John Sylvestre, and I are co-editing a special issue of AJCP entitled Community Psychology and Community Mental Health: A Call for Reengagement.  The call for proposals is below and attached.  It can also be accessed and shared via the following link: http://www.scra27.org/publications/ajcp/special-issue-call-papers1/

The deadline for proposals is September 15, 2016.  Please contact us directly with any questions and to submit your proposals (gtownley@pdx.edu, molly.brown@depaul.edu, and jsylvest@uottawa.ca).

We also ask for your help in sharing the attached call with interested colleagues and collaborators. 

Thanks-- we look forward to receiving your proposals!

Greg

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CALL FOR PAPERS

Community Psychology and Community Mental Health: A Call for Reengagement

A special issue of the American Journal of Community Psychology

Guest Editors: Greg Townley, Molly Brown, and John Sylvestre

Community psychologists have made numerous contributions to the advancement of community mental health research and practice through early frameworks, such as George Fairweather’s Lodge program and Barbara Dohrenwend’s influential ecological model of stress and coping, as well as more recent recovery-oriented interventions, such as Sam Tsemberis’ Housing First model. There is now an evidence-base supporting key programs for enabling people with psychiatric disabilities to work toward recovery and live more satisfying lives in the community. They include Assertive Community Treatment, Housing First, Supported Employment, Peer Support, and Family Support and Education. Community psychologists have played important roles in studying or developing these programs. Yet, evidence for these programs is often based on outcomes of interest to policymakers, such as cost-effectiveness, as opposed to indicators of individual and community well-being. Indeed, a critical examination of community psychology’s history and scholarship suggests that the field has reduced its focus on promoting mental health, well-being, and liberation of individuals with psychiatric disabilities over the past several decades (Kloos, Ornelas, & Nelson, 2014). For many scholars, providers, and individuals with lived experience, progress in community mental health has stalled.

Regardless of currently available evidence-based programs, many individuals continue to confront seemingly intractable problems of poverty, social isolation, discrimination, and marginalization.  Community psychology can bring to bear its foundational values of social justice, diversity, empowerment, citizen participation and collaboration, as well as its methods and theories, to move the field of community mental health forward to address these problems.  Equally important, new generations of community psychologists are exploring new theories, new methods, and new technologies that can further enhance the potential of community psychology to contribute to this critical area of study. We can make use of new concepts (e.g., complexity theory, the capabilities approach) and technologies (e.g., Geographic Information Systems, mobile mental health platforms) to create better understanding and change within systems and societies. Finally, our field can broaden the evidence base for community mental health programming to emphasize outcomes of greatest import to those with lived experience.

This special issue aims to engage community psychology in a discourse about how we can utilize our values, theories, and methods to address the barriers faced by individuals with mental health challenges and promote broader inclusion, empowerment, and recovery. We are looking for a variety of contributions from community psychology and related disciplines that will individually and collectively point toward ways of moving community mental health research and practice forward. 

Potential submissions may include:

·         Discussions of new and emerging theories or concepts in the field of community mental health (e.g., capabilities, citizenship, complexity theory, e-society, systems change theory)
·         A focus on how community psychology values can improve community mental health research and action
·         Participatory research methods and projects focused on lived experience and its role in policy development, program planning, evaluation, and research
·         Consumer/ survivor involvement in community mental health research and action
·         Research or program evaluations of innovative and promising interventions or other avenues to promote wellness, self-determination, and community inclusion
·         Articles focusing on the role of diversity and intersectional social identities that impact community mental health research, practice, and policy at a global and local level
·         Demonstration of new or emerging research methods or techniques (e.g., GIS, GPS, mobile mental health, photography, video)

Manuscripts may be theoretical, empirical, or praxis-oriented pieces.  In addition to contributions from community psychologists, we are very interested in papers authored by or including the perspectives of mental health consumers/ survivors/ users, practitioners, policy makers, and researchers in other fields or disciplines who are doing related work.  Submissions focusing on adults with psychiatric disabilities are strongly encouraged.

Submissions process: Email proposals (750 words) to Guest Editors Greg Townley (gtownley@pdx.edu), Molly Brown (molly.brown@depaul.edu), and John Sylvestre (jsylvest@uottawa.ca) by 9-15-16.  Guest editors will invite full submissions by 11-15-16.  Full manuscripts in English should be submitted to the Guest editors by 3-15-17. Authors should follow author guidelines for AJCP that can be found in the online system: http://www.edmgr.com/ajcp.  Peer review will occur in accordance with AJCP guidelines.  Acceptance and Online First publication is expected in Fall 2017. 

Email inquiries to Guest Editors Greg Townley, Molly Brown, and John Sylvestre.  

Please disseminate this call for papers to interested colleagues and collaborators!

--

Greg Townley, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

Department of Psychology

Portland State University
Phone (503) 725-3910

http://www.pdx.edu/psy/greg-townley