VA New England Healthcare System

Terence M. Keane, Ph.D.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced that the Director of the Behavioral Science Division of the National Center for PTSD at VA Boston Healthcare System, Terence M. Keane, Ph.D. is the new president of the American Psychological Foundation (APF), the philanthropic arm of the American Psychological Association.

Dr. Keane officially began his tenure on New Year’s Day at what he described as a very exciting time for the APF. According to the APF Executive Director Elisabeth Straus, “APF currently has approximately $16 million in net assets, of which about $6 million was raised in the capital campaign that concluded on 31 December. At the same time, APF gives away approximately $800,000 per year in grants and scholarships.” Dr. Keane said, “The focus of the APF is to support psychologists who are doing cutting edge research and clinical projects at early stages of their careers.  We provide fundamental support for them - a very important part of shaping their careers.”

Having first-hand knowledge of the importance of research, for the past 37 years Keane’s program of trauma research has been supported by federal funding agencies such as the Department of Veterans Affairs, National Institute of Health, the Department of Defense and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Most recently, he was named the Co-Principal Investigator of the Consortium to Alleviate Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), an initiative supported by the VA and the Department of Defense to improve the care of active duty military and Veterans with PTSD.

Keane serves as Professor of Psychiatry and Assistant Dean for Research at Boston University School of Medicine and has published more than 300 articles, books and chapters on the assessment and treatment of PTSD.