Advocacy on behalf of psychology is a critical element in the growth and development of our discipline. To honor individuals who have been in the forefront of advocacy, Presidential Awards are given each year at the APA Convention to some of those who have worked so hard and to whom we owe so much. The award is named for Karl F. Heiser, the person who succeeded in advocating for the passage of the first state statute defining psychology. Nominations are sought that identify people in the states/provinces or APA Practice Divisions who should receive recognition for their work in advocacy.
The Karl F. Heiser Award honors those psychologists who have given voluntarily of their time to define the discipline of psychology statutorily by state and federal laws and regulations through advocacy at the state level. Such laws and regulations include, but are not limited to, licensure, freedom of choice, Medicare, Medicaid, workers compensation, disability determination, mandatory mental health/substance abuse coverage, civil commitment, hospital practice, prescriptive authority, child protection, and elder protection. Advocacy efforts that have stopped the passage of laws inimical to psychology may also be recognized.
A commemorative pin and certificate are presented to each winner by the APA president at a special award ceremony at the APA convention. Please nominate individuals who have a significant history of advocacy efforts as defined above and provide a detailed nomination statement as outlined in the How to Apply section.
Eligibility
A psychologist at any career level is eligible to be nominated based on their substantial contribution to the statutory or regulatory successes which promote the practice, values and priorities of psychology. Nominations are sought that identify people in the states/provinces or APA Practice Divisions who should receive recognition for their outstanding work in advocacy. Individuals may be nominated regardless of dates/years when their contributions were made. The awardees will be chosen from the nomination pool by a distinguished panel of psychologists who have already been recipients of the award.
How to Apply
Only a State Provincial or Territorial Psychological Association or an APA Division may submit a nomination of a member. The annual submission deadline is March 21, 2026.
If you are nominating more than one person, please submit a separate nomination for each nominee. Please nominate individuals who have a significant history of advocacy efforts and provide a statement that reflects:
- The nominee is a member of the American or Canadian Psychological Association and their State, Provincial or Territorial Psychological Association. Nominations must come from an SPTA or APA Division
- State advocacy is done in conjunction with the SPTA.
- Clear documentation of the specific pieces of legislation or regulations passed and signed into law or if antithetical to psychology was prevented from passage which their advocacy made possible.
- Any supporting data about their advocacy impact on other psychologists, legislators, regulators or the public.
Sample letters are appended to this announcement to illustrate the level of advocacy activity of past Heiser Awardees.
Please email all nominations to Elena Eisman, EdD, ABPP at Elena.Eisman@gmail.com and use the subject line: Heiser nomination for (last name of nominee).