Health
Under Pressure, Psychology Accreditation Board Suspends Diversity Standards
The American Psychological Association, which sets standards for professional training in mental health, has voted to suspend its requirement that postgraduate programs show a commitment to diversity in recruitment and hiring.
The decision comes as accrediting bodies throughout higher education scramble to respond to the executive order signed by President Trump attacking diversity, equity and inclusion policies. It pauses a drive to broaden the profession of psychology, which is disproportionately white and female, at a time of rising distress among young Americans.
The A.P.A. is the chief accrediting body for professional training in psychology, and the only one recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. It provides accreditation to around 1,300 training programs, including doctoral internships and postdoctoral residencies.
Mr. Trump has made accrediting bodies a particular target in his crusade against D.E.I. programs, threatening in one campaign video to “fire the radical Left accreditors that have allowed our colleges to become dominated by Marxist maniacs and lunatics” and “accept applications for new accreditors.”
Department of Justice officials have pressured accrediting bodies in recent weeks, warning the American Bar Association in a letter that it might lose its status unless it repealed diversity mandates. The A.B.A. voted in late February to suspend its diversity and inclusion standard for law schools.
The concession by the A.P.A., a bastion of support for diversity programming, is a particular landmark. The association has made combating racism a central focus of its work in recent years, and in 2021 adopted a resolution apologizing for its role in perpetuating racism by, among other things, promulgating eugenic theories.
Aaron Joyce, the A.P.A.’s senior director of accreditation, said the decision to suspend the diversity requirement was driven by “a large influx of concerns and inquiries” from programs concerned about running afoul of the president’s order.
In many cases, he said, institutions had been instructed by their legal counsels to cease diversity-related activities, and were worried it might imperil their accreditation.
“The Commission does not want to put programs in jeopardy of not existing because of a conflict between institutional guidelines” and accreditation standards, Dr. Joyce said.
He would not describe the tally of the March 13 vote, which followed about three weeks of deliberation. “Nothing about this was an easy decision, and not taken lightly,” he said. “The understanding of individual and cultural diversity is a core facet of the practice of psychology.”
The commission opted to retain another diversity-related standard: Programs must teach trainees to respect cultural and individual differences in order to treat their patients effectively. In reviewing each standard, the commission weighed “what may put programs in a compromised position” against “what is essential to the practice of psychology that simply cannot be changed,” he said.
Kevin Cokley, a professor of psychology at the University of Michigan, said he was “absolutely devastated” to learn of the A.P.A.’s decision on a psychology listserv this week.
“Frankly, I think the decision is really unconscionable, given what we know of the importance of having diverse mental health providers,” Dr. Cokley said. “I don’t know how the A.P.A. can make this sort of decision and think that we are still maintaining the highest standards of training.”
He said he thought the A.P.A. had acted prematurely, and could have waited until it faced a direct challenge from the administration.
“I think that there is always a choice,” he said. “I think this is a classic example of the A.P.A. engaging in anticipatory compliance. They made the move out of fear of what might happen to them.”
According the data from the A.P.A., the psychology work force is disproportionately white. In 2023, more than 78 percent of active psychologists were white, 5.5 percent were Black, 4.4 percent were Asian and 7.8 percent were Latino. (The general population is around 58 percent white, 13.7 percent Black, 6.4 percent Asian and 19.5 percent Latino.)
The demographic breakdown of graduate students in Ph.D. programs, in contrast, is more in line with the country. According to 2022 data from the A.P.A., 54 percent of doctoral students were white, 10 percent were Black, 10 percent were Asian and 11 percent Latino.
John Dovidio, a professor emeritus of psychology at Yale and the author of “Unequal Health: Anti-Black Racism and the Threat to America’s Health,” said the A.P.A.’s focus on diversity in recruiting had played a major part in that change.
“It really is something that departments take very, very seriously,” he said. “I have seen the impact personally.”
A memorandum announcing the decision describes it as an “interim action while awaiting further court guidance” on Mr. Trump’s executive order, which was upheld by a federal court of appeals on March 13. The order, it says, “is currently law while litigation is pending.”
Cynthia Jackson Hammond, the president of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, which coordinates more than 70 accreditation groups, said it is “unprecedented” for such bodies to receive direct orders from the government.
“The government and higher education have always worked independently, and in good faith with each other,” she said. “Throughout the decades, what we have had is a healthy separation, until now.”
The federal government began taking a role in accreditation after World War II, as veterans flooded into universities under the G.I. Bill. Accrediting bodies are regularly reviewed by the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity, which advises the Secretary of Education on whether to continue to recognize them.
But government officials have never used this leverage to impose ideological direction on higher education, Ms. Jackson Hammond said. She said diversity in recruitment remains a serious challenge for higher education, which is why the standard is still so commonly used.
“If we think about what our institutions looked like before,” she said, “that might be a barometer of what it’s going to look like if there’s not attention paid.”
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Health
Parasitic infection causing ‘explosive’ stomach illness exceeds 1,000 cases in northern state
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Cases of cyclosporiasis infections are rising across America, with more than 1,000 people diagnosed in Michigan and more than 500 in Ohio.
This is the largest outbreak of its kind in Michigan’s history and one of the country’s largest in years, according to the Associated Press.
The parasitic infection can cause weeks of watery diarrhea. The source of the infections has not been identified and no deaths have been reported.
MYSTERY PARASITE LEAVES AMERICANS BATTLING ‘EXPLOSIVE’ ILLNESS AS CDC INVESTIGATES
Michigan officials announced the outbreak last week following the identification of more than 170 cases since June 22 in the southeastern part of the state. Typically, only about 50 cases are identified in Michigan each year, according to AP.
A cyclospora infection often causes watery, “explosive” diarrhea that can last for weeks or even months if left untreated, the CDC says. (iStock)
Similar illnesses have been reported in 28 other states, including neighboring Ohio, where diagnoses have popped up across the Michigan border.
Cases have been climbing since the CDC identified an uptick in infections in mid-June, with illnesses now reported in dozens of states.
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Michigan has now reported more than 1,200 cases and at least 40 hospitalizations. In Ohio, northwest counties have identified more than 500 cases, including at least 306 in Lucas County, according to the latest available local figures.
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Texas has reported at least 48 cases, and illnesses have been identified in numerous other states as health officials investigate the source.
The hallmark symptom of a cyclospora infection is watery, often “explosive” diarrhea that can last for weeks or even months if left untreated, the CDC says.
Other symptoms of cyclosporiasis include severe abdominal cramping, bloating, nausea, fatigue and significant weight loss. (iStock)
Other symptoms include severe abdominal cramping, bloating, nausea, fatigue and significant weight loss.
The official outbreak season for the parasite runs from May 1 through Aug. 31, a window where warmer temperatures historically coincide with a spike in infections, according to the CDC.
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While the infection can sometimes clear up on its own, it frequently requires antibiotics. The CDC advises anyone experiencing symptoms of cyclosporiasis to contact a healthcare provider for testing and treatment.
The CDC, alongside the Food and Drug Administration and state health officials, is actively investigating several multistate clusters, but they have yet to find a cause behind the spread.
Fresh produce should be washed thoroughly before eating, although this may not eliminate the risk of infection, the AP noted. (iStock)
Past infections have reportedly been linked to consuming contamined fruits or vegetables, or being exposed to contaminated irrigation water.
Fresh produce should be washed thoroughly before being eaten, although this may not eliminate the risk of infection, the AP noted.
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Michigan officials recommend purchasing salad mixes or whole heads of lettuce instead of pre-washed, bagged lettuce. Remove two to three leaves from the outer layer of the lettuce head before washing and cook vegetables when possible.
Fox News Digital’s Khloe Quill contributed to this report.
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Washington, DC – GLP-1 weight-loss drugs have become a prevalent part of American healthcare, and the current administration is getting behind the movement.
In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital at the Great American State Fair in the nation’s capital on July 6, CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz voiced his support for the use of GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) medications, such as Ozempic, for appropriate uses.
“I’m a fan of GLP-1 drugs when used correctly,” he said. “They do help people who are overweight lose weight quite effectively. They’re not a replacement for diet and exercise, but they might jumpstart the system so it’s easier for you to use healthier tactics.”
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This is especially helpful for those who may have trouble moving due to joint pain or are experiencing internal dysfunction, Oz said.
Certain GLP-1 drugs are covered by Medicare for overweight candidates with certain conditions, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, and Oz projected the benefits will continue to benefit taxpayers.
Dr. Mehmet Oz is pictured in Washington, D.C., at the Great American State Fair, where he spoke about federal health policy. (Angelica Stabile/Fox News Digital)
“We believe these are so effective in reducing conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes that they’ll actually save money for the federal taxpayer, because [they’re] going to make you healthy enough that you don’t have to consume health services,” Oz said.
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“We think about 70% of all the money we spend on healthcare is caused by chronic conditions, and obesity is the No. 1 driver of all that, so it’s a smart decision.”
Oz recently announced the launch of the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge program, which will allow more seniors to access GLP-1 drugs for only $50 a month if they meet qualifying health criteria and receive prior authorization from a doctor.
The doctor expressed support for broadening affordable access to GLP-1 medications for Americans. (iStock)
“There are a lot of overweight people who don’t have high blood pressure, diabetes or other conditions, so they don’t get access to the drug normally,” he said. “We want them to have the ability to use it as well.”
Although these access shifts could boost Americans’ overall health — and in some cases could be lifesaving — Oz noted that there is “no silver bullet” when it comes to these medications.
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“I love the fact that the innovation that’s coming out of pharmaceutical companies is allowing us to save lives and make lives better,” he said. “But the real secret to longevity is eating right, exercising, sleeping, dealing with the stress of your life, finding some purpose in your existence [and] realizing you have agency over the future.”
“These are things that your mom would have told you [and that] you don’t need a doctor to be emphasizing.”
Medicating appropriately, combined with eating right, exercising and staying connected with others, can help make health goals attainable, the doctor said. (iStock)
While GLP-1s may not be a fix-all, combining these medications with foundational health practices “makes a lot of sense,” Oz said.
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“I don’t want people being fat-shamed … I don’t want you feeling guilty that you’re gaining weight even though everyone else around you seems to have figured it out,” he said. “It’s not that simple — our set points for hunger are different. We have different things going on in our lives.”
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“But if you realize how precious you are — the temple of the soul is so valuable. It’s the greatest gift your parents ever gave you, and you take advantage of every tool out there to make it work … which includes using medications when appropriate. That, to me, is MAHA.”
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