The North Carolina Psychological Association (NCPA), the primary professional association for psychologists in North Carolina, advocates for psychology as a science, a profession, and a means of promoting human welfare through mental health and mental health education. NCPA has over 1,000 members and represents a diverse group of doctoral-level psychologists (LPs), master’s level psychologists (LPAs), and students. Although a legal independent entity, NCPA is an affiliate of the American Psychological Association (APA), the largest professional association for psychologists serving over 173,000 members. NCPA works to enhance the professional growth and development of psychologists, to maintain professional psychological standards, and to support sound social policies that promote justice, human rights, fairness, and dignity for all, recognizing these values as central to psychology.

Psychologists provide services in a multitude of settings in both the public and private sectors. Psychologists hold master’s or doctoral degrees in psychology and provide clinical mental health services in North Carolina; in 2025, there are almost 4,300 LP and LPAs in the state. Psychologists are a vital and critical component of the behavioral health care in the state of North Carolina. 

NCPA’s Legislative Commitment and Agenda is designed to support and advance the role of the profession and science of psychology, sound social policies in adherence to the APA’s Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct, codified in the North Carolina Psychology Practice Act, and the APA’s Policy Statement on Reaffirming APA’s Commitment to Justice, Human Rights, Fairness and Dignity, (APA Policy Statement on Reaffirming APA’s Commitment to Justice, Human Rights, Fairness and Dignity:), throughout the North Carolina legislative session. Our commitment is to:

Protect and Strengthen the Profession and Practice of Psychology 

1) Support a pathway to independent licensure for existing LPAs and future master’s level psychologists based on an appropriate scope of practice and professional title commensurate with education, training, and accreditation standards. 

2) Support increased access to care, reduce barriers for psychologists to participate in both public and private health insurance panels, support appropriate reimbursement for psychologists' services including parity for mental health services, and ensure that telehealth remains a viable option for the provision of behavioral health care.

Social Policy Priorities 

1) Oppose efforts to restrict access to affordable mental, medical, and reproductive health care and to restrict providers ability to fully care for their clients and patients. 

2) Advocate for legislation that centers equity, racial, and social justice for all people and oppose bills that may have unfair or inequitable outcomes for historically disadvantaged racial and ethnic groups, women, and other vulnerable communities. 

3) Advocate for legislation that supports, promotes, and protects equity for all regardless of sexual identity, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and perceived gender identify and gender expression, including a ban on conversion therapy. Oppose legislation that attacks the rights, equity, and dignity of people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and/or gender expansive, queer and/or questioning, intersex, or asexual. 

This is a working document that is not exhaustive. As legislative bills are introduced, they are reviewed and their impact on the profession is assessed.