The Board's meeting in New York began with two sets of tidings that have broad implications for future BOPS work.
Jon Meyer presented the results of the legal consultation on governance (reported on page 33), which suggested that the Board's legal standing is not recognized under New York not-for-profit law. BOPS must ultimately evolve into either a committee of the corporation or a corporation with one member (the Association) like the American Psychoanalytic Foundation.
Board chair Ron Benson stated that the much-discussed issues of certification, the training analyst system, and the relationship of BOPS to the rest of the organization amounted to a “governance crisis.” He believes that without “relative autonomy,” BOPS cannot accomplish its functions. In order to try to communicate the importance of this issue to the membership, Benson announced his intention to reverse his policy of not participating in Internet discussions.
On another front, the Board received news that the IPA recently passed a resolution allowing institutes to chose one of four training models: the tripartite one we use (sometimes called the Eitigon model), the French model, the Uruguayan, or the Swiss. Each model handles frequency of sessions and TA selection differently. The IPA feels that more flexible options are especially vital in areas where a psychoanalytic community is just emerging, such as eastern Europe, where very rigorous standards might impede the development of a psychoanalytic presence altogether.
Responding to suggestions initiated by Eric Nuetzel, the Board approved the establishment of a new task force to study issues related to training analyst selection.
For example, the task force will address the problem of a potential candidate in treatment with a non-training analyst; the candidate wishes to matriculate but doesn't wish to change analysts. Nuetzel noted that if the graduate is required to work with a training analyst or be ineligible for candidacy, this situation presents three problems: (1) The candidate must change from a productive analysis in midstream, (2) the graduate analyst loses an opportunity for immersion, and (3) the institute may lose potential candidates to other institutes that don't have the same TA requirements. Reliable data are hard to come by, Nuetzel pointed out. No one really knows how many candidates we may be losing because of this problem.
The task force will discuss various models including the granting of waivers, the establishment of an associate training analyst system, and other possible changes in the training analyst system. Any change has possible unintended consequences, Nuetzel cautioned. At the time of this writing, BOPS had not selected a chair for the task force nor established a timetable for the task force's work.
Two other task forces are being established. One will look at recruitment issues, and one will explore such possible designations for certified members as “Fellow of the Association.” The latter might become a joint task force that would consider other Fellows of the Association as well.
The regular work of the Committee on Certification continues. At the January meeting, nineteen analysts were certified (thirteen first-time applicants and six continued applicants), with a 69 percent first-time pass rate (see page 38). Stuart Hauser will serve as consultant to the committee to help make the procedures more reliable and valid. Chair Michael Singer stated that the Committee on Certification agrees it must improve its functioning. It will be making guidelines available in the packets applicants receive; these should be seen as guidelines only, not as a template.
The Committee on Institutes announced twenty new training analyst appointments (see page 38). The committee also reported on a site visit to the Southern California Institute, a training program in transition as it engages in the early phases of exploring a merger with the Los Angeles Psychoanalytic Institute. Committee chair Myrna Weiss noted that the Southern California Institute has particularly strong psychotherapy and CORST programs.
Committee on New Training Facilities chair Ellen Rowntree gave her final report after six years as chair of the committee. Among the committee's accomplishments over the last six years include Florida becoming a full institute, Wisconsin becoming a provisional institute, the development of the “direct sponsorship model,” and a new training facility being established in the Berkshires. Work continues with the Kansas City and Oregon new training facilities. Kansas City needed extra attention following the closing of the Topeka Institute, which had been its sponsoring institute. Bill Bernstein is assuming the chairmanship of the committee. After twelve years of experience with the CNTF, Rowntree arrived at three suggestions which she made to the Board (see the sidebar on page 37 for excerpts of her remarks).
Without “relative autonomy,” BOPS cannot accomplish its functions
The Ad Hoc Task Force on Certification, chaired by Cal Narcisi and Don Rosenblitt, met with four vocal opponents of certification at the New York
Prudy Gourguechon is editor of TAP.
meetings. The task force plans a second retreat to continue its work. Some of the questions being addressed: Why are we doing certification? Does one procedure accomplish all desired functions, or do we need more than one procedure? Issues of reliability and validity will continue to be central.
In other committee news:
The recently formed Committee on Research Education was made a standing committee.
The Board's Committee on Child and Adolescent Analysis, in conjunction with the Council's child analysis committee, announced that it will launch a new brochure on child analysis in May to coincide with Children's Mental Health Week. The future graduates of the new independent child analytic training programs (now pilot projects) will require specific attention from the organization regarding issues like membership status.
Steve Levy is leaving the chairmanship of CORST to become the new editor-elect of JAPA. He reminded the Board that psychoanalysis is very active at most universities. Jerry Winer spoke of the difficultly of finding placements for clinical pre-training for potential CORST candidates and asked for suggestions.
Winer, who chairs the Committee on Impaired Faculty Analysts, said the committee has developed a kit with established models and assistance for setting up an impaired analyst committee. CIFA has sponsored a support group, organized by Norm Straker, for analysts with cancer. CIFA will join with the Council side and become the Joint Psychoanalyst Assistance Committee.