Rule 4. CONSTITUENT AND OTHER ORGANISATIONS
Section A. Constituent Organisations.
(1) Types of Constituent Organisations. The IPA’s Constituent Organisations are its
a. Component Societies;
b. Regional Association; and
c. Provisional Societies.
(2) Component Society. A Component Society is a group recognised by the IPA as being qualified to train students for the practice of clinical psychoanalysis and to determine their qualification as psychoanalysts in accordance with IPA Criteria.
(3) Regional Association.
a. Defined. For historical and legal reasons, the IPA has one Regional Association, the American Psychoanalytic Association, which is made up of members of some Psychoanalytical Societies in its geographic area, the United States of America. This Regional Association, within its structure, ultimately (i) exercises responsibility for the training and qualification of psychoanalysts; (ii) recognises subordinate bodies (its Affiliate Societies, Provisional Societies, Study Groups, and training facilities); and (iii) is responsible for developing and overseeing the performance of those subsidiary bodies.
b. Nonexclusive jurisdiction. The Regional Association’s jurisdiction is not exclusive. The IPA may, in the Regional Association’s territory, establish and recognise one or more separate Constituent Organisations.
(4) Provisional Society. To be recognised to operate as a Provisional Society and thus recognised by the IPA as authorised to train and qualify persons for the practice of psychoanalysis, a group must
a. contain at least ten (10) IPA Members, at least four (4) of whom are recognised by the Board as competent to conduct training analyses;
b. be competent to further the objects of the IPA; and
c. comply with IPA Criteria, including those for reporting, application, training and site visits by a Board Liaison Committee.
d. The Board, by two-thirds vote of the Board’s Entire Voting Membership, may approve interim recognition to a Provisional Society, which will lapse unless ratified by the next Business Meeting.
(5) Obligations of IPA Constituent Organisations. Each Constituent Organisation must comply with these Rules and the Procedural Code.
(6) Training and Qualification of Psychoanalysts.
a. The selection, supervision and training of students and their qualification as psychoanalysts shall be carried out by qualified Constituent Organisations and/or their duly authorised training components or affiliates. All applicants, students and members of Constituent Organisations must agree, in writing if so required by the IPA, (a) not to represent themselves as psychoanalysts unless authorised by a Constituent Organisation and (b) to abide by applicable IPA Criteria, including IPA discretion as provided in these Rules.
b. A Constituent Organisation’s recognition of an individual as competent to participate in the training activities of that Constituent Organisation or its training component or affiliate is valid only for that particular Constituent Organisation or its designated Training Institute.
(7) Application for a Change of Status. Applications for a change of a Constituent Organisation’s status, with requisite supporting information, may be made to the Board pursuant to applicable IPA Criteria, which shall require that the application reach the Vice President at least three (3) months prior to the next Business Meeting.
(8) Obtaining/retaining Constituent Organisation status.
a. Component Societies and Provisional Societies obtain that status by the approval of a Business Meeting on recommendation of the Board.
b. To retain its status, a Constituent Organisation must comply with current IPA Criteria.
(9) Incorporation. Each Constituent Organisation shall be separately incorporated as a membership organisation or association, if possible under the laws of its territory, via organisational instruments that satisfy IPA Criteria. In jurisdictions with laws that distinguish between business and not-for-profit corporations, a Constituent Organisation shall be the latter.
(10) Termination or Suspension of a Constituent Organisation Status.
a. By Business Meeting. On the Board’s recommendation, the Business Meeting, by at least a two-thirds vote of a quorum of 300 IPA Members, at least 20% of whom are from each Geographical Area, may suspend, restrict or terminate the status of a Constituent Organisation upon finding a material violation of IPA Criteria or inability to maintain the Constituent Organisation’s existing status. Each affected Constituent Organisation shall be given an opportunity to present its position to the Board or Business Meeting, whichever is considering termination or suspension of its status.
b. Emergency Suspension by the Board. Between Business Meetings, the Board, by vote of two-thirds of its Entire Voting Membership, may suspend or impose restrictions upon a Constituent Organisation upon finding, after a hearing at which the Board considers the report of its fact-finding Committee or agent and at which the Constituent Organisation is given an opportunity to present its position, that (a) the Constituent Organisation has materially violated applicable IPA Criteria or (b) the Constituent Organisation’s continued IPA relationship poses a serious hazard to the IPA, its Members, its trainees or their adequate training, or the public. An affected Constituent Organisation may appeal the Board’s action to the Business Meeting, which may choose to hold a hearing or fact-finding inquiry; however, the Board’s action shall remain in effect unless the Business Meeting issues a contrary Binding Resolution.
Section B. Study Groups.
(1) Recognition. To apply for Board recognition as a Study Group, a local group including at all times at least four (4) IPA Members and, perhaps, one or more non-IPA Members, must
a. satisfy and comply with pertinent IPA Criteria, which may include recommendations by an Ad Hoc Board Site Visit Committee; and
b. be sponsored by a Board Sponsoring Committee, which will assist the Study Group achieve the standards necessary to apply for Provisional Society status.
(2) Status. Study Groups are approved and overseen by the Board and do not collect or pay dues to the IPA.
(3) Obligations. Each Study Group must comply with these Rules and the Procedural Code.
(4) Training IPA Direct Membership. The selection, supervision and training of students may be carried out by a Study Group only when authorised by, and under the jurisdiction of, the Board Sponsoring Committee. On the recommendation of a Sponsoring Committee, the Board may, by a two thirds vote of its entire Voting Membership, accept a Study Group member as a Direct Member of the IPA. Those approved by the Board as Direct Members will be announced at the next Business Meeting.
(5) IPA Members. The members of a Study Group who are also IPA Direct Members or members of an IPA Component Society, Provisional Society or the Regional Association, must retain their IPA Membership at least until the Study Group is recognised as a Provisional Society.
(6) Termination or Suspension of a Study Group. The Board, by vote of a majority of its Entire Voting Membership, may suspend, restrict or terminate the status of a Study Group, for violation of or failure to meet IPA Criteria, after a hearing at which the Board considers the report of its fact-finding Committee or agent and the Study Group has been given an opportunity to present its position.
Section C. Associated Organisations. The Board may, from time to time, establish relationships with other groups and create guest study groups. The terms of any such relationship shall (a) make clear that the other group, body, or association is not a Constituent Organisation of the IPA and, therefore, is not recognised by the IPA as being authorised to train or qualify psychoanalysts or Members of the IPA, or exercise any other IPA authority of a Constituent Organisation and (b) be subject to periodic review and revision by the IPA.
Section D. Disclaimer of IPA Liability. Recognition or authorisation by the IPA of any Constituent Organisation, Study Group or Associated Organisation shall not constitute a guarantee representation or warranty of their competence and accordingly no responsibility is accepted by the IPA for any of their acts or omissions.