Coming for the 2022 Dues Year
The APA will be instituting two new membership categories that will replace the Rule of 95 beginning January 1, 2022 as approved by the Board of Trustees and Assembly in 2018. The newly created categories of semi-retired and retired provide more flexibility for a more diverse and changing workforce.
The changes:
- acknowledge that people are working longer than they did in the early 1990s when the Rule of 95 was created;
- simplify the membership structure;
- encourage renewal of members of all ages; and
- continue to support the mission of the APA and District Branches.
Beginning in Spring 2021, members may opt-in to these categories for the 2022 membership renewal year once the individual requirements for Semi-Retired or Retired Memberships are met.
Those who are in the Rule of 95 prior to January 1, 2022 can remain or opt-into the new categories.
Semi-Retired Member Category
A Semi-retired member is defined as a General or Life Member who is near retirement age and works less than 15 hours per week in any administrative or clinical role or roles (i.e. across multiple settings).
- Members will be asked to ethically certify, during the opt-in process that will be created, that they meet the above criteria.
- In attesting to these categories, members will be reminded of Section 2 of the Principles of Medical Ethics with Annotations Especially Applicable to Psychiatry and their duty be honest in all professional interactions, and to strive to report physicians deficient in character or competence or engaging in fraud or deception to the Ethics Committee of their District Branch. Members will agree to immediately report any change in work status to the APA membership Department. The APA and DBs will regularly audit these categories to verify compliance.
- APA dues will be half APA's current full dues rate.
- District Branches and State Associations dues may not exceed more than half of their current full dues rates (i.e. dues can be less but not more).
- Members in this category will continue to receive all member benefits and be able to vote and hold office.
- Once the application has been submitted, Semi-retired Membership status will begin on January 1; off-cycle applications will be considered for the following year.
Retired Member Category
A Retired members is defined as a General or Life Member who has reached retirement age and is fully retired from all administrative or clinical responsibilities.
- Members will be asked to ethically certify that they meet the above criteria.
- In attesting to these categories, members will be reminded of Section 2 of the Principles of Medical Ethics with Annotations Especially Applicable to Psychiatry and their duty be honest in all professional interactions, and to strive to report physicians deficient in character or competence or engaging in fraud or deception to the Ethics Committee of their District Branch. Members will agree to immediately report any change in work status to the APA membership Department. The APA and DBs will regularly audit these categories to verify compliance.
- APA dues will be one-third APA's current full dues rate.
- District Branches and State Associations dues may not exceed more than one-third of their current full dues rates (i.e. dues can be less but not more).
- Members in this category will continue to receive all member benefits and be able to vote and hold office.
- Once the application has been submitted, Retired Membership status will begin on January 1; off-cycle applications will be considered for the following year.
Life Status
Starting in 2022, Life Status will be a designation that can be achieved by either (i) being a member for 30 or more years; or (ii) paying lump sum dues.
For Members Currently in the Rule of 95
Everyone who has entered the Rule of 95 prior to the 2022 renewal year will continue through automatically and achieve Lifetime Membership status.
Starting in Spring 2021 (for the 2022 membership year), those who are currently in the Rule of 95 can choose to opt into semi-retired or the retired categories. Once a member has opted-out of the Rule of 95, he/she will not be able to opt-back in.
Questions?
Please contact the APA Membership Department at membership@psych.org or at +1-202-559-3900.