California Psychological Association

What California Psychological Association does

The California Psychological Association (CPA) is a 501(c)(6) professional membership association founded in 1948 and headquartered in Sacramento, California. It is the largest state psychological association in the United States, serving licensed California psychologists and related mental health professionals through eight specialty divisions, an annual convention, a member magazine, regional chapter programming, and advocacy. The organization also operates a Continuing Education (CE) provider approval program that is integrated into the regulatory workflow of licensee renewal in California.

CPA's business model is multi-stream: membership dues across individual and student tiers, convention and event registration revenue, fees from CE provider approvals, advertising in member publications, and division-level subscriptions. Its 51-100 employees support member services, government affairs, event production, and editorial operations under the leadership of CEO Scott Parker, MBA, CAE. The association is undertaking a planned headquarters relocation in 2026, indicating operational reinvestment.

Recent strategic emphasis has been placed on emerging technology in psychology, including the establishment of Division VI focused on Technology, Media, and AI, and editorial coverage of AI ethics in the CPA magazine. These initiatives extend the association's relevance to evolving practice domains while maintaining its core functions of advocacy, education, and community-building for California psychologists.

Name

California Psychological Association

Legal name

California Psychological Association

Website

https://cpapsych.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The California Psychological Association, founded in 1948 and headquartered in Sacramento, is the largest U.S. state psychological association. It serves California psychologists through membership dues, eight specialty divisions, an annual convention, a CE provider approval program, and advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Sacramento

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from Standard, Premium, Student, Associate/Affiliate, and Life members. Calendar year membership expiring December 31st. Payment plans available with maximum 6 installments.
2. Convention and Events: Revenue from annual convention registration fees, summit events, CE webinars, and workshops. Includes exhibitor and sponsorship opportunities.
3. CE Provider Approval: Office of Professional Development (OPD) maintains a provider approval system for CE sponsors with annual fees and course application processing.
4. Advertising: Revenue from advertising in The California Psychologist magazine, website banner ads, classified ads, and CE event calendar listings.
5. Division Memberships: Additional fees for joining one or more of the eight specialty divisions including Clinical Practice, Education/Training, I/O Psychology, Public Service, Clinical Psychopharmacology, Technology/Media/AI, Diversity/Social Justice, and Neuropsychology.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

California Psychological Association is a nonprofit professional membership association that provides tiered membership services to licensed psychologists, graduate students, and early career psychologists in California. Its core offerings include annual membership subscriptions, APA-approved continuing education (CE) programs and webinars, the annual CPA Convention and on-demand New Frontiers Summit, specialty division memberships across eight practice areas, ethics/legal/professional practice consultations, and the Find a Psychologist consumer referral service.

Product overview

California Psychological Association (CPA) is a professional association offering a unified membership-based platform rather than a commercial product. The core offering is membership at multiple tiers (Standard, Premium, Student, Life, Associate/Affiliate) providing access to continuing education, advocacy, practice consultations, and networking. Supporting products include The California Psychologist quarterly magazine, the annual Convention and New Frontiers Summit events, the CPA Career Center job board, Find a Psychologist referral service, Ethics/Legal/Practice consultations, the CARE wellness program, and the Office of Professional Development for CE provider approval. Eight specialty Divisions extend coverage across clinical practice, education, I/O psychology, public service, psychopharmacology, technology/AI, diversity, and neuropsychology. CE programs are APA-approved and deliver via live webinars, on-demand recordings, and in-person events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CPA Membership Professional association membership providing psychologists access to advocacy, continuing education, networking, practice resources, ethics consultations, and member discounts.
• Continuing Education (CE) Programs APA-approved continuing education including annual convention, webinars, virtual workshops, specialty practice programs, and on-demand recordings for psychologists.
• CPA Annual Convention Annual four-day convention providing CE credits, educational sessions, networking, exhibits, and professional development opportunities for California psychologists.
• New Frontiers Summit Annual on-demand summit offering 11 CE credits covering topics at the intersection of psychology and technology, including AI chatbot companions, trauma, and emerging clinical practices.
• CPA Specialty Divisions Eight specialty divisions covering Clinical Practice, Education/Training, I/O Psychology, Public Service, Clinical Psychopharmacology, Technology/Media/AI, Diversity/Social Justice, and Neuropsychology.
• The California Psychologist Magazine Quarterly magazine with news, practice concerns, and CE credit opportunities through identified articles with online tests.
• CPA Career Center Online recruitment resource for posting jobs, viewing openings, and posting resumes for psychology professionals.
• Find a Psychologist Service Consumer-focused referral service allowing search by name, city, zip code, specialty areas, and languages spoken.
• Ethics On Call Consultation Free confidential consultation service for Standard/Premium/Life members on ethics questions, provided by CPA Ethics Committee members.
• Legal Consultation Two hours free legal consultation for Premium members on professional practice issues, referred to private attorneys.
• Professional Practice Consultation Free confidential consultation for Standard/Premium members on professional practice issues including record-keeping, confidentiality, and mandated reporting.
• Office of Professional Development (OPD) CE Provider Approval Provider approval system for CE sponsors, maintaining APA standards and offering continuing professional development resources for psychologists.
• CPAGS (California Psychological Association of Graduate Students) Graduate student membership and professional development arm of CPA, providing leadership opportunities, networking, and career preparation for doctoral psychology students.

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability2 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, specialty and regional.

• ZandacoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Zanda is listed as a CPA Strategic Partner and Diamond Sponsor of CPA 2026. Zanda is a behavioral health technology company providing services to CPA members.
• The TrustcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026The Trust is a Diamond Sponsor of CPA 2026 Convention and co-sponsors Virtual Risk Management workshops with CPA.
• McLean HospitalmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026McLean Hospital is a Platinum Sponsor of CPA 2026, providing mental health treatment services and educational content.
• California CorrectionalmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026California Correctional is a Silver Sponsor of CPA 2026.
• National RegistermajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026National Register is a Silver Sponsor of CPA 2026 and offers webinars with CPA discount code CPA10.
• NUHW (National Union of Healthcare Workers)majorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026NUHW is a Silver Sponsor of CPA 2026.
• APA, Inc.majorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026APA, Inc. is a Silver Sponsor of CPA 2026.
• Covered CaliforniaspecialtyGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Covered California is a Specialty Sponsor of CPA 2026.
• Glendon AssociationmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Co-sponsor of Suicide: Effective Risk Assessment and Intervention course along with The Glendon Association. Provides CE programming content.
• CPA Division IcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Division I (Clinical and Professional Practice) is Diamond Sponsor of CPA 2026 Convention.
• CPA Division IImajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Division II (Education and Training) is Division Sponsor of CPA 2026.
• CPA Division VmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Division V (Clinical Psychopharmacology) is Division Sponsor of CPA 2026.
• Chapter SponsorsregionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2026Chapter sponsors include: The Wright Institute, ACPA (Alameda), SFPA (San Francisco), SDPA (San Diego), Olida Therapy Suites, Biola Rosemead - supporting CPA 2026 Convention.
• Glendon AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Co-sponsors suicide prevention training course with Dr. Lisa Firestone. Glendon Association provides expert content while CPA provides APA-approved CE credits.
• National RegistermajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024National Register offers discounted webinar registration to CPA members using code CPA10. PSYPACT informational webinar partnership.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• National Register of Health Service Psychologists: Credentialing and membership organization for health service psychologists. CPA co-markets webinars with National Register (CPA10 discount code), making it a peer-and-partner in the CE and credentialing ecosystem.

Others

• California Board of Psychology: California state regulatory body governing psychologist licensure. Not a competitor but the regulator whose CE acceptance decisions directly enable CPA's member value proposition; a structural counterpart in the California psychology ecosystem.
• The Trust (Professional Risk Management): Professional liability insurance and risk management provider specifically serving psychologists. CPA's Diamond partner The Trust delivers co-sponsored Virtual Risk Management workshops, making it a complementary (not competitive) peer in the practitioner ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• American Counseling Association: National professional association for counselors with a comparable membership, CE, convention, and publishing model. Adjacent rather than directly competing profession, but highly relevant structural analog to CPA's association economics.
• American Psychological Association: National professional association for psychologists in the U.S. CPA is the largest state affiliate; both provide APA-approved CE, advocacy, publications, and member services to psychologists, with APA operating at the national scope while CPA is California-specific.

Direct peers

• Texas Psychological Association: Texas state psychological association offering membership, CE, advocacy, and conventions. Operates the same association model for a different large state license base, making it a structurally identical peer.
• Florida Psychological Association: Florida state psychological association offering membership, CE programs, and legislative advocacy. Comparable to CPA as another large-state professional association serving licensed psychologists.
• New York State Psychological Association: State-level psychological association serving New York psychologists with the same membership/CE/advocacy model as CPA. Closest functional peer in another large state with comparable member-base dynamics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/jlccpa
• Facebookfacebook.com/289165669667
• Instagraminstagram.com/capsychassn
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/california-psychological

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about California Psychological Association