Dr. Peter Oppenheimer has been an active and effective leader in psychological association affairs since 1991, beginning with the Rhode Island Psychological Association (RIPA). He served two terms as President (1998-1999 & 2014-2015), Council Representative (1996-1997 & 2007-2012), and treasurer (2000-2003). He has led RIPA’s advocacy program since 1998 with major accomplishments in healthcare policy and the professional interests of psychologists. In 2018 Dr. Oppenheimer became RIPA’s first Director of Professional Affairs. He continues to lead RIPA’s involvement in coalitions with other mental health and medical professions, and consumer groups and government promoting universal insurance coverage and access, health equity and population health in Rhode Island’s healthcare system since the 1990’s. He has been a leader in efforts to promote the inclusion of behavioral health services (and especially psychologists) in integrated care programs.

 

Dr. Oppenheimer has been active in APA since 1996 addressing the interests of members across the US and Canada. He has served as Council Representative for both RIPA and Division 31 (State Provincial and Territorial Affairs, 2017-2022). Dr. Oppenheimer has been in the forefront of leadership in state association and practice issues at Council as chair of the Caucus of State Provincial and Territorial Representatives, the Association of Practicing Psychologists, and the Rural Health Interest Caucus. In 2017 he successfully led the Bylaws Amendment motion in Council to ensure that all state associations and divisions have voting rights on Council and voice in the association. Dr. Oppenheimer was a co-organizer of the Council Effectiveness Workgroup project to make APA governance more inclusive and responsive to the concerns and needs of all our constituencies and membership.

 

Dr. Oppenheimer served as a member of the Committee for the Advancement of Professional Practice from 2012-2019. During his term as President of Division 42 (Independent Practice) he promoted strategies to support practicing psychologists (especially those from traditionally marginalized communities) to engage in practice. He has attended every committee or meeting in which he has been allowed to participate regarding APA’s interest in developing licensing for people with master’s degrees since 2016 including serving on the BPA/BEA Task Force on Master’s Scope and Title.

 

Dr. Oppenheimer has been a member of the Board of Psychology in Rhode Island since 2004 and Chair since 2005. He is Rhode Island’s PSYPACT Commissioner and State Administrator. He has been active in the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB) addressing regulatory issues impacting practitioners, and he is one of the few APA members active in both associations.

 

Dr. Oppenheimer is a graduate of the School/Clinical Child Psychology Program at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA. He interned at the SUNY Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse, NY. He has practiced in Rhode Island and Massachusetts since 1984 and has been an owner of a multidisciplinary group practice in Barrington, RI since 1994. He specializes in working with children and families. He is licensed in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, and he has a PSYPACT APIT.

 

He is a Fellow of APA, Divisions 31 and 42, and a member of Divisions 55 and 56.