A Call to Action for an Antiracist Clinical Science

Abstract

Clinical psychological science is a field committed to reducing the negative impact of psychiatric illness through innovative research and psychological treatments. Unfortunately, the impact of racial injustices that pervade American society and permeate our academic institutions is felt not only by the individuals who work in our departments as faculty, staff, and students, but also by those who seek our services as mental health providers. Representing the collective work of numerous graduate students and postdoctoral trainees from multiple institutions, this call to action instantiates the need for prompt and consistent efforts towards dismantling institutionalized racism and inequity in clinical science. Specifically, we articulate the multiple roles our field plays in perpetuating racial oppression and outline concrete demands and recommendations for structural reform in the following key areas: (1) the mental health needs of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) students, (2) clinical training and supervision, (3) curriculum and pedagogical approaches, (4) research and methods, and (5) the recruitment, retention, and success of graduate students and faculty.