Dr. Maureen O’Connor will explore the current state of California’s mental and behavioral health workforce, highlighting both challenges and opportunities. Her talk will focus on the distinct roles and scopes of practice of the five major licensed providers in California: psychiatrists, psychologists, marriage and family therapists (MFTs), licensed professional clinical counselors (LPCCs), and licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs). By understanding the unique contributions of each discipline, and how they can collaborate more effectively, Dr. O’Connor will offer insight into how an integrated approach can help address the state’s pressing mental health workforce crisis.
Maureen O’Connor, Ph.D., J.D. is the president of Palo Alto University (PAU) which specializes in Psychology and Counseling. Prior to joining PAU, Dr. O’Connor held multiple roles at the City University of New York (CUNY) in New York City over a period of 18 years. Dr. O’Connor completed a Ph.D. and J.D. in a dual-degree program in psychology, law, and policy at the University of Arizona prior to launching her academic career. Recent work has focused on evidence-based pedagogy development for doctoral students, and on innovative mentoring strategies.
Her book Teaching Psychology: An Evidence-Based Approach, with co-authors Drs. Jill Grose-Fifer and Patricia Brooks, was published in 2019.
When: Tuesday, June 10, 2025
Time: 7:00 to 8:30 PM
