News and Notes for APA District Branches/State Associations
June 2021
 
This monthly newsletter is prepared by the APA’s Communications Team as a benefit for our District Branches and State Associations. Feel free to share the articles below in your own newsletter. If you have any questions, please contact James Carty at jcarty@psych.org or 202-609-7077.
 
Want to keep up with APA in between newsletters? Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, (@APAPsychiatric), Instagram and LinkedIn for the latest news and updates.
 
What’s New at the APA

• APA released a statement marking the anniversary of the killing of George Floyd and recommitting to achieving mental health equity for all. You can read the full statement here.
• APA released a summary of results centered on Workplace Mental Health from its Annual Public Opinion Poll. Over half of respondents reported that their employers have been more accommodating about mental health issues since the onset of the pandemic. However, slightly less than last year felt comfortable discussing mental health at work. You can read more about the poll here.
• APA jointly filed an amicus brief in Wit v. United Behavioral Health (UBH) along with several California psychiatric and medical organizations and issued a call to put patients care ahead of insurance company profits. The brief calls on the court to uphold a prior ruling that found UBH had violated its duty to beneficiaries by making coverage decisions based on their financial interests rather than according to accepted industry standards. You can read more about this case and the full amicus brief here. 

 
Key Dates and Observances
APA Communications staff maintains a calendar of key dates, observances and events at APA and in the world of mental health in general. The calendar is kept up to date a few months in advance. You can view the calendar and keep track of important mental health dates and observances here.
 
Save the Date: MOORE Equity in Mental Health 5K – Saturday, July 10
In honor of Bebe Moore Campbell, this virtual event will raise funds and awareness to advance mental health equity. Participants can run, walk, or roll in their own communities, or support a peer.
https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/cultural-competency/moore-equity-in-mental-health
 
Briefs for Your Newsletter
 
Educational Opportunities:
June Course of the Month – Correctional Psychiatry: Improving Access, Safety, and Efficacy
Correctional systems in the United States house inmate populations with high rates of mental health conditions. The high need for mental health services is coupled with a shortage of correctional psychiatrists, which limits access to services. This course discusses interventions that some correctional systems have employed to expand access to mental health care, improve the quality of care provided, and enhance patient safety.
Click here to access the Course of the Month and sign up for updates about this free member benefit.
 
Enroll in Summer Courses:
Starting June 7 with Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
APA is offering 10 interactive, collaborative online courses this summer covering topics from geriatric psychiatry to complicated grief to disasters and mental health, among others. Attendees can earn up to 4 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ accredited activities during each two-week course. Learn more:
https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/meetings/annual-meeting/learning-opportunities/courses
 
Interactive Learning with FOCUS Live! June 9 & June 16
Test your knowledge of either schizophrenia or psychopharmacology at these two 90-minute interactive sessions, and earn self-assessment CME credit for Part 2 of MOC. Learn more:
https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/meetings/annual-meeting/learning-opportunities/self-assessment
 
Get Involved With APA:
Serve Your Association and Make a Difference:
Members of the Board of Trustees make the important decisions that ultimately steer the organization and have a real-life impact on patients. To reflect APA’s diversity, members of minority or underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to run for office. Nominate yourself or a colleague for the following national offices for 2022: president-elect, treasurer, trustee-at-large, Area 3 and 6 trustee, and resident-fellow member trustee-elect. The deadline for nominations is Wednesday, September 1.
https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/awards-leadership-opportunities/leadership-opportunities/elections
 
General Call for Nominations: APA Presidential Appointments for Councils and Committees
APA President-Elect, Rebecca W. Brendel, M.D., J.D., invites APA voting members to indicate their interest in serving on APA’s 13 councils and committees. Members who are willing to share their expertise and make a significant time commitment to serve APA, the field of psychiatry, and patients are asked to submit their names or nominate a colleague. Dr. Brendel seeks APA members who represent the varied demographics of APA's member and patient populations. The deadline to submit a nomination is August 31.
https://www.psychiatry.org/about-apa/meet-our-organization/councils  
  
Join Minority and Underrepresented (M/UR) Caucuses
The M/UR caucuses provide networking opportunities, advance treatment of minority patients, advocate for minority mental health, provide representation in APA governance, and foster communication. Update caucus memberships in your profile to join any of the following groups:
American Indian/Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian; Asian-American; Black; Hispanic; International Medical Graduates; LGBTQ and Women. https://my.psychiatry.org/apa_login
 
 
Other Opportunities:
Help Endow the Chester Pierce Award
APA has launched a campaign to endow the Chester Pierce Human Rights Award, creating a new lectureship and travel stipend for each year's APA Annual Meeting. The award recognizes the extraordinary efforts of individuals and organizations to promote the human rights of populations with mental health needs by bringing attention to their work.
https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/awards-leadership-opportunities/awards/chester-pierce-award-endowment-campaign