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2025 IPA Spring Conference
Friday, April 04, 2025, 9:00 AM to Saturday, April 05, 2025, 5:15 PM CDT
Category: Events

2025 IPA Spring Conference
Friday, April 4 and Saturday, April 5 | 9am – 5pm
Hilton Garden Inn Cedar Rapids, 4640 N River Blvd NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52411

Day 1 Registration | Day 2 Registration
Day 2 AM Registration | Day 2 PM Registration

 

Day 1: Clinical Psychopharmacology Update for Psychologists
(6 CEs) April 4, 2025, 9am – 5pm

Day 1 Registration

In this 6 hour workshop, the presenter will cover recent clinical advances in the pharmacological treatment of common mental disorders. New and newer drugs in the antidepressant, antipsychotic, mood stabilizer, psychostimulant and anxiolytic classes will be described, along with evidence-based guidelines for utilization of such agents. We will discuss risks and benefits associated with commonly used drugs, and the evidence supporting their use. Understanding that pharmacological interventions for mental disorders are never complete, we will discuss where available evidence supporting the use of combined treatments (pharmacological and psychological) for mental disorders. Data on use of such agents in patients of different ethnicities and sexes will be covered where available.

Morgan T. Sammons is the retired Chief Executive Officer of the National Register of Health Service Psychologists. He is a retired Captain in the US Navy where he served as the leader of the Navy Clinical Psychology community of approximately 200 uniformed psychologists. He is one of the first graduates of the Department of Defense’s Psychopharmacology Demonstration Project and has an extensive history as a prescribing psychologist. He is the Founding Editor of the Journal of Health Service Psychology, a translational clinical journal focusing on enhancing complex clinical decision making via presentation of evidence-based interventions that can be incorporated into individual treatment planning.  He is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, past- president of APA’s division 55, and past Chair of the California Psychological Association’s Division 5 (Psychopharmacology) and a past president of the Maryland Psychological Association.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Participants will appreciate new brand name and generic drugs that have been introduced in the recent past.
  2. Participants will understand the drug development and marketing process as it affects the use of psychotropic agents.
  3. Attendees will be able to identify evidence- supported forms of psychological intervention that are used in combination with pharmacological agents used to treat mental disorders, including data on special populations where available.
  4. Attendees will understand the strengths and limitations of current treatments for common mental disorders and what evidence exists to enhance patient management. 
  5. Participants will be able to describe in clinical terms the mechanisms of action of commonly used psychotropic agents.
  6. Participants will be able to describe at least one drug from the above named classes and how such drugs are optimally employed in patient management.


Day 2 AM: ABCs of your Zzz: Understanding the physiological and psychological functions of sleep and their implications for mental health
(3 CEs) April 5, 2025, 9am – 12pm

Day 2 AM Registration
Day 2 Registration

In this workshop, the audience will be introduced to (1) the brain mechanisms of how sleep is initiated and maintained, (2) how sleep and circadian (daily) rhythms change throughout the lifespan, and (3) cognitive and affective functions of sleep. With this knowledge base, we will discuss evidence regarding how sleep loss and sleep disruption interfere with cognition and emotional regulation, and precipitate mental illness. Then, the audience will be introduced to various methods sleep is measured in clinical and research settings. This will also involve a hands-on session on state-of-the-art questionnaires on sleep health, circadian rhythm, insomnia and sleepiness and how to interpret them. Finally, we will end with empirically backed recommendations for maintaining sleep hygiene.

Dr. Baran received her PhD in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst where she studied the effects of aging on the cognitive function of sleep. Then she went on to complete post-doctoral research training at Harvard Medical School in sleep and psychiatric brain imaging. Prior to establishing her lab at the University of Iowa’s Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, she was appointed as an Assistant Professor at the Psychiatry Department at Massachusetts General Hospital, where she studies sleep mediated deficits in chronic severe mental illness. She is interested in understanding the role of sleep in the etiology of psychiatric disorders. A specific focus is on identifying sleep-related biomarkers of risk for psychotic disorders using functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), sleep electroencephalography (EEG) and clinical and cognitive assessments. Dr. Baran’s work is funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, Iowa Neuroscience Institute and through philanthropy. She also serves as the Director of Neuroscience Research of the Psychosis-risk Intervention, Education, and Research (PIER) Program, a research and clinical service program that aims to enhance our understanding of at-risk mental states, identify neuroscience-informed predictors of conversion and dramatically reduce the duration of untreated psychosis in the community.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Evaluate the evidence for the critical role of sleep in cognition and emotional processing
  2. Determine whether sleep can be considered as a culprit for the emergence (or exacerbation) of neuropsychiatric disorders.
  3. Interpret ways in which polysomnography and actigraphy have been utilized to identify sleep-related biomarkers of mental health.
  4. Practice how different scales and questionnaires can be utilized to assess sleep hygiene, circadian rhythm and sleep disorders.
  5. Understand ways in which individuals can keep a healthy sleep regimen.

Day 2 PM: Evaluation of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children and Adults
(3 CEs) April 5, 2025, 1:15pm - 5pm

Day 2 PM Registration
Day 2 Registration

This workshop will focus on the evaluation of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) across the lifespan. The presenter will provide an overview of the DSM-5 TR criteria, describe how ASD can be viewed through a medical and social model of disability, review commonly utilized autism screening and evaluation tools, and provide case examples.  Diversity-related concerns when evaluating ASD will be reviewed.

Dr. Kopelman is a psychologist and Board Certified Behavior Analyst in private practice at Meadowlark Psychiatric Services in Iowa City. He also serves as an adjunct professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, The Wendell Johnson Speech and Hearing Center, and The University of Iowa College of Education. Dr. Kopelman's primary clinical interests are the assessment of Autism Spectrum Disorders in children and adults and providing behaviorally based therapy services. He is an active board member of the Autism Society of Iowa and co-teaches a graduate course on Autism Spectrum Disorder. He has coordinated three federally funded research projects on telehealth evaluation and treatment of disruptive behaviors displayed by young children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Participants will be able to describe core features of autism in children and adults
  2. Participants will be able to identify 3 research-supported assessment measures for the evaluation of autism
  3. Participants will be able to discuss key differences in the medical and social models of disability related to autism


Cost per day
IPA Member: $198
IPA Lifetime Member: $165
IPA ECP Member: $165
IPA Retired Member: $99
IPA Student Member: $40
Non-Member: $247.50
Cost per HALF day
IPA Member: $99
IPA Lifetime Member: $82.50
IPA ECP Member: $82.50
IPA Retired Member: $49.50
IPA Student Member: $20
Non-Member: $123.75

Location and Accommodations (​Anti-human trafficking Certified)
Hilton Garden Inn Cedar Rapids
4640 N River Blvd NE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52411
To book a room within our room block ($129/night exclusive of applicable state and local taxes, fees, and assessments), please visit https://www.hilton.com/en/attend-my-event/ipaspringconference2025. Book by: March 14, 2025
 

THINGS TO KNOW

  • Registration is offered for Day 1, Day 2, Day 2 AM and Day 2 PM.
  • CE is available to those who attend each full day. CE certificates will be emailed to attendees who complete the training evaluation.

Continuing Education

CE will be emailed to attendees who have completed the training evaluation.

Conference Program

Day 1, Friday, April 4, 2025

8am – 8:55am    Check in, light breakfast
8:55am – 9am    Welcome and opening remarks
9am – 10:30am    Dr. Sammons Presentation | Clinical Psychopharmacology Update for Psychologists
10:30am – 10:45am    Morning break
10:45am – 12pm    Dr. Sammons Presentation | Clinical Psychopharmacology Update for Psychologists
12:00pm – 1pm    Lunch - IPA Business Meeting
1pm – 2:30pm    Dr. Sammons Presentation | Clinical Psychopharmacology Update for Psychologists
2:30pm – 3pm    Afternoon break
3pm – 4:45pm    Dr. Sammons Presentation | Clinical Psychopharmacology Update for Psychologists
4:45pm – 4:50pm    Closing Remarks
5pm – 6:30pm    Social and Student Poster Session


Day 2, Saturday, April 5, 2025

8am – 8:45am    Check in, light breakfast
8:55am – 9am    Welcome and opening remarks
9am – 10:30am    Dr. Baran Presentation | ABCs of your Zzz: Understanding the physiological and psychological functions of sleep and their implications for mental health
10:30am – 10:45am    Morning Break
10:45am – 12pm    Dr. Baran Presentation | ABCs of your Zzz: Understanding the physiological and psychological functions of sleep and their implications for mental health
12pm – 1:15pm    Lunch - Presentation of the Phil Laughlin Meritorious Achievement Award, Michele Greiner Early Career Psychologist Service Award, Diversity Leadership Award, DSJ Diversity Graduate Student Award, Outgoing IPA Board recognition
1:15pm – 2:45pm    Dr. Kopelman Presentation | Evaluation of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children and Adults
2:45pm – 3:15pm    Afternoon Break
3:15pm – 5pm    Dr. Koppelman Presentation | Dr. Kopelman Presentation | Evaluation of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children and Adults
5pm – 5:15pm    Concluding remarks, farewell


Day 1 Registration | Day 2 Registration | Day 2 AM Registration | Day 2 PM Registration


Refund and Cancellation Policy

We understand, sometimes things come up!

Participants must register by March 27, 2025 at noon. Cancellation is available on the IPA website until March 27, 2025 at noon. No cancellations or refunds will be accepted after March 27, 2025 at noon.