BRINGING PSYCHOLOGY TO CAPITOL-HILL - BRIEFINGS ON CHILD AND FAMILY POLICY

Although major innovations in child and family policy continue to occu r primarily at the state and community level, the framework for child and family policy has been set increasingly in federal law. Given this fact and the enormous social importance of child and family welfare, there is a need to ensure that Congress has easy access to relevant so cial science research and policy analysis. Since 1989, with sponsorshi p by several units of the American Psychological Association, a nation al consortium of centers on children, families, and the law has provid ed an annual series of briefings for congressional staff. Determinatio n of the impact of specific events and actors in the policy process is difficult, but there is evidence that the briefings have affected sev eral important legislative actions.