What's New at the APA

• More Americans are concerned about finances than they are difficult conversations around the dinner table this holiday season, according to the APA's latest Healthy Minds Monthly poll. More than half of those polled said they are worried about affording holiday gifts, and nearly 40% said they were concerned about affording holiday meals. About a third of those polled anticipated being more stressed about the holidays than last year. You can read more and see the full poll results here.

• APA released a statement on the passing of former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, who died this month at the age of 96. Carter was a tireless advocate for mental health throughout her life and used her platform to speak on behalf of those who could not speak for themselves. For her great service to all who live with mental illness and substance use disorders, APA made Mrs. Carter an Honorary Fellow of the APA. You can read the full statement on Rosalynn Carter's passing here.

• Small acts of kindness make most Americans feel better, according to a recent Healthy Minds Poll fielded by APA and Morning Consult. 89% of those polled said showing someone else an act of kindness made them feel better, while 90% said receiving an act of kindness made them feel that way. You can read more about how acts of kindness influence our moods and see the full poll results here.

Visit APA's Newsroom for the latest news releases, statements, blogs, monthly public opinion poll results, and other information.                                                                                         

APA Communications Update

Videos for Sharing:

APA's Youtube channel has a plethora of mental health focused videos you can use on social media or share elsewhere. We have recently added a video on opioid use disorder, in support of President Levounis' theme. In addition, check out our playlist of Spanish language mental health explainers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyBKDUY3d-c&list=PLf3_-c0tpWquvGObsROanF_Eb6jgS0eR2

Naloxone Nation Docuseries Out Now

Episode 1 of Naloxone Nation, a docuseries on Opioid Use Disorder featuring Dr. Lief Fenno, has just premiered. The first episode features Dr. Fenno in conversation with a captain from the Opioid Program of the Austin-Travis County EMS in Texas. Check out Naloxone Nation here.

Briefs for Your Newsletter

December Course of the Month – Bipolar Depression: Outcome and Pharmacological Treatment

Bipolar Depression is a largely understudied area. Patients are frequently misdiagnosed as Major Depression Disorder, which leads to utilization of inappropriate treatments including antidepressant monotherapy. This course will review risk factors of emergence of mixed symptoms with the use of antidepressants, the challenges and opportunities of the use of antidepressants, as well as Ketamine, and the efficacy and tolerability of antipsychotics, lithium, and mood stabilizers in the treatment of Bipolar Depression.

Click here to access the Course of the Month and sign up for updates about this free member benefit.

Webinar on Eating Disorders: Early Diagnosis for Better Prognosis

Tune in to the next live lunch and learn webinar in APA's Policy & Practice Insights series. Tools for recognizing and treating eating disorders will be discussed, followed by an opportunity to engage with APA Practice Guidelines staff. You can register for the Webinar here.  

SAMHSA Summer Medical Student Program Seeking Speakers

APA's SAMHSA Summer Medical Student Program is looking for speakers to host didactic sessions for our 2024 Cohort. Our program provides medical students interested in serving underserved communities the experiential learning, training, and professional development they need to be leaders in the field of psychiatry. Our main program offering is a month-long live speaker series aiming to provide program participants the opportunity to learn from world-renowned psychiatrists! We are currently looking for speakers with expertise and experience in these psychiatric subfields:

• Geriatric Psychiatry
• Community Psychiatry
• Reproductive Psychiatry
• Addiction Psychiatry
• Forensic Psychiatry
• Child, Adolescents, & Family Psychiatry
• Working with Marginalized Populations in Urban and Rural Settings

If you have practiced any of these subspecialties, served underserved communities, own a practice or hold a leadership position in your institution, and are looking to pour into the next generation of psychiatrists, please reach out to jbrown@psych.org with a CV and professional bio. Speakers are rewarded a $500 honorarium for their services and are asked to give a 90 min virtual presentation and Q&A session for program participants. Speakers are also expected to attend a closing session panel to network with program participants. Preparation is only needed for your session, not the closing session. The speaker series will be hosted between June 17 and July 12, 2024. 

Be a part of APA's Speakers Bureau

APA is seeking members who are active and engaged in Component and/or District Branch activities to be a part of APA's Speaker's Bureau. The Speaker's Bureau is aimed at diversifying and broadening APA's bench of public-facing experts. In addition to traditional media requests, APA has a number of other opportunities available for members who are willing to share their expertise. This includes writing blogs on important mental health topics, providing government testimony, and participation in social media events, like Twitter/X chats, Instagram live, and more.