We are very excited to share with you the wonderful news that the UN’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) has granted ISSTD special Consultative Status. Our acceptance letter states that consultative status enables us to actively engage with ECOSOC and its subsidiary bodies, as well as with the United Nations Secretariat programs, funds and agencies in a number of ways, including consulting with Member States and the United Nations system at large. Consultative Status also enables the Council or one of its bodies to seek expert information or advice in the areas of our competence. We are allowed information about the provisional agendas of the ECOSOC, and we can request the Secretary-General, through the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to place items of special interest in the provisional agenda of the Council. Being affiliated with the UN will also give us the opportunity to network and develop connections with over 3000 NGO’s around the globe. We now have the opportunity to let our voice be heard at an international level. UN meetings are held in New York City, Geneva, and Vienna. At this point, we are identifying those ISSTD members who will represent ISSTD at the UN. We also need people to help identify the most relevant UN meetings to attend, and people to help create information sheets and talking points for our representatives to use. If you are interested in being considered as one of our representatives, or are able to help with checking the UN calendar or developing resources, please contact Lynette Danylchuk at l.danylchuk@usa.net. The ISSTD UN Task Force will review all requests. Congratulations to all of the ISSTD UN Task Force members, current and past, who have spent two years doing what has been necessary to make this happen. Lynette S. Danylchuk, PhD Chair Vivian Pender, MD Karen Hopenwasser, MD Christa Kruger, MD Lisa Danylchuk, MFT Sonia Smuts, Psychologist Victor Welzant, PsyD
