Hi Everyone! We just got back from a fantastic weekend in Providence, Rhode Island for the NASP Northeast Regional Leaders meeting. This year we had 5 attendees representing MSPA: Wendy Price (President), Bob Babigian (President-Elect), Bob Trant (our NASP Delegate), Jen Milia (Program Committee), and Melissa Pearrow (Education Committee and NASP Strategic Plan Committee). The meeting started at 6:00 Friday night, with State Sharing NASP Practice Model Activities and a presentation on Positive Psychology.

Saturday, we were up bright and early for a day of meetings from 7:30-5:00. Topics on the agenda included: NASP Update/Overview presented by Dr. Phil Lazarus, NASP President and then group activities around Implementing the NASP Practice Model Year 2, Reviewing the Model Rollout Progress and Year 2 planning (Goals and priorities), State Needs Assessment & Planning; Supports needed from NASP, State Focus: Examining the climate for change; obstacles, opportunities, and needs, Role-play activities by region, How to utilize NASP Resources and Tools in advocacy activities, Implementation Guidebook, Model Roll-Out Action Planning, School, Psychology Awareness Week and “Possibilities in Action Partner Program,” NASP Assistance to States, Maine Advocacy Victory, NASP Website Resources, and Communities. After a long day of meetings our MSPA representatives enjoyed a collegial dinner at Cassarino’s Ristorante with our friends from Delaware, New Hampshire, New York, and Maryland! We were also joined by NASP president Phil Lazarus.

On our last day, Sunday, we gathered from 8:00 to 11:30 to work on the NASP Strategic Plan and to discuss “Hot Topics” in the Northeast. We were flattered to learn that New York now offers an on-line course modeled after our successful MSPA Ethics course. We brought back some great ideas and can’t wait to start working on them for MSPA members! Photo, click here.