The Justesens in the White House

Justesen brothers jointly receive CPD Trainee of the Year

The careers of Troy and Tracy Justesen are remarkable: they both had stints in the White House. Both shaped national policy before returning to Utah earlier this year.

Soon they will jointly receive the Center for Persons with Disabilities' Trainee of the Year award for 2009.

In this month's cover story they reflect on their time at the CPD and offer glimpses into working in Washington. People who knew them at the center remember them, too.

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Clinical Services Coordinator Robert Cook

CPD administrator to serve as Utah Psychological Association president

Dr. Robert Cook will soon add a new title to those he already has: President.

Dr. Cook is a psychologist and the Coordinator of Clinical Services at the Center for Persons with Disabilities at Utah State University. He also coordinates the center's Bear River Activity and Skills program. Now, his work at the CPD has influenced his goals as the new president of the Utah Psychological Association. His term starts July 1.

The Utah Psychological Association is a professional organization of psychologists, educators and students in the field. In addition to supporting and informing professionals, the organization encourages legislative action.

Dr. Cook plans to advocate for people with mental health needs in the state of Utah, and for health in general. He is especially interested in strengthening psychology for professionals and people who live outside Utah's larger cities.

It's a goal that is in line with Cook's previous work with the UPA, said Teresa Bruce, UPA's executive director. Since he started work as a board member he has kept the organization's rural membership in mind. Eighty percent of the association's membership is from the Wasatch Front; the other 20 percent is scattered in remote areas of the state. "They feel very isolated, so it was Robert's portfolio to come up with the means of bringing UPA to those members and bringing those members to the UPA," she said. He has done it by ensuring a slot on the board for a rural member, and by offering workshops outside the Salt Lake area.

Dr. Cook said he plans to do more to strengthen psychology in rural Utah. For example, video streaming and other distance education technology could be used to deliver conferences and workshops to professionals who do not live on the Wasatch Front.

"Seeing how the CPD tries to reach out through things like virtual home visits ... helps me to understand what we need to do with the Utah Psychological Association in order to be successful," he said.

Likewise, he said people with psychological needs can have a hard time accessing services if they live in rural Utah. They often must drive long distances to see a professional. Sometimes, even if local professionals are available, they are not on insurance companies' lists of preferred providers. His goal is to make psychological services easier to access.

Bruce said Cook's dedication to providing access to psychological care shone after Hurricane Katrina, when 700 evacuees from the New Orleans area arrived at Camp Williams, a National Guard training site south of Salt Lake City. "Obviously there was a great need for psychologists to be onsite 24 hours a day, seven days a week," Bruce said. She sent out requests for volunteers.

Cook and his wife, English associate professor Kelli Cargile Cook, volunteered their time. They even paid to stay in hotels so that they could be close to Camp Williams.

"Robert was always there," Bruce said.