The American Psychological Association’s (APA) Advisory Steering Committee for Development of Clinical Practice Guidelines is seeking nominations for individuals to serve on a panel that will update APA’s 2019 Clinical Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Depression. The Advisory Steering Committee seeks to produce an updated version of the guideline to be approved as policy by the APA Council of Representatives in 2026 or as soon as feasible, in keeping with the widely accepted recommendation that clinical practice guidelines periodically be considered for updating.

Individuals with expertise in treating and studying adults or older adults with depression, especially those with marginalized or underrepresented identities (e.g., related to race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, culture, language, gender, sexuality, physical and mental abilities), are sought. Further, members of the broader community who are affected by depression and have relevant demonstrated leadership experience, are encouraged to self-nominate. Nominees who will enhance the diversity of the panel membership and perspectives are particularly encouraged to apply. Individuals who previously served on the 2019 guideline development panel are eligible for consideration.

The update panel will consist of approximately 7 or 8 members. They will include:

• Researchers and practitioners from psychology and related disciplines (e.g., psychiatry, social work, nursing, counseling) with expertise, experience and diverse theoretical orientations (e.g., psychodynamic, humanistic, feminist-multicultural, cognitive-behavioral approaches) related to the evidence-based treatment of depression in adults or older adults.

• Community members who have been treated for depression or have had lived experience interacting with, supporting, or advocating for individuals who have been treated for depression.

Nominees’ materials will be initially reviewed by the Advisory Steering Committee (ASC). The ASC’s recommendations will then be sent to the Board of Professional Affairs and Board of Scientific Affairs for review, with a final decision and approval by APA’s Board of Directors. One member of the panel will be designated as the Chair and another member will be designated as the Vice Chair. Appointments will be contingent on a review of nominees’ potential conflicts of interest. Membership in APA is not a requirement to serve on the panel.

The panel will selectively update the 2019 guideline focusing on the inclusion of contextual information (e.g., cultural considerations, change processes / mechanisms of change literature). In addition, the panel will update the organization and text of the guideline document to align with guidance from the Advisory Steering Committee and other sources. The panel will not itself

conduct systematic reviews but will utilize existing reviews and/or solicit new reviews, with the guidance of the Advisory Steering Committee and potentially other consultants.

It is expected that the panel’s work will take approximately two years. Progress reports will be provided to the Advisory Steering Committee, Board of Directors, Council of Representatives, and APA governance groups on a regular basis. The panel’s activities will be supported by designated staff from APA Practice Directorate.

Panel members should have expertise or experience in one or more of the following areas:

• Treatment of depression

• Clinical practice guideline development

• Comparative effectiveness research

• Systematic reviews

• Designing and conducting clinical trials

• Contemporary methods for evaluation of psychological, behavioral, or pharmacological interventions

• Dissemination/implementation research

• Relevant expertise in research design and statistical analysis

• Experience applying clinical practice guidelines in practice settings.

• Experience using or providing training in evidence-based practices.

• Direct provision of psychological or medical care in diverse practice settings or with diverse populations

• Conducting research on mental health equity

• Patient/consumer perspectives (i.e., lived experience with depression or advocating / working with individuals with depression)

• Federal agency policies and programs related to clinical practice guidelines.

• Health care systems administration

• Public health research and applications

• Public and community health delivery systems

• Experience in change processes research

• Experience in qualitative and/or mixed methods research

It is anticipated that the members of the panel will collectively have experience working with a broad range of populations (including those described on such dimensions as race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, culture, language, gender, sexuality, and physical and mental abilities) and in a broad range of settings.

Panel members will be expected to commit to the following:

• Attending one to two 2-day meetings. The meetings will be held either virtually or hybrid / in-person in Washington, DC and will be scheduled after the panel is constituted.

• Active participation in monthly videoconference calls and email communications.

• During some periods, commit several hours per week to assessing systematic reviews and related literature and to writing or revising sections of the guideline document.

• Respond to emails and requests for information from fellow panel members and APA staff throughout the guideline update process.

• Respond to public comments on the panel’s Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcome, Timing, Setting (PICOTS) framework and identified systematic reviews as well as the draft guideline document.

• Willingness to serve for two years (or until the guideline update is complete).

Interested individuals will self-nominate. Nomination materials should include a cover letter indicating your willingness to serve for two years (or until the guideline update is complete), a brief statement of your specific expertise and qualifications related to the criteria described above, and a current resume/curriculum vitae.

Current members of the following APA governance groups that have oversight of APA guideline activities are not eligible to serve on the panel: Board of Directors, Board of Professional Affairs, and Board of Scientific Affairs.

In general, individuals may serve on only one active APA clinical or professional practice guideline panel at a time, although they may serve on more than one over the course of time.

All nominations and supporting materials must be submited by October 25, 2024.


Background

• APA Clinical Practice Guideline Development

• Clinical Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Depression (APA, 2019)