May APA Assembly Highlights

Following are some of the results of the May 18-20 Assembly meeting:

• There are two major “parity” bills before Congress, the Senator Kennedy bill and the Congressman Kennedy bill.  The former has raised major concerns as to abolishing state mandates, which is true for Maryland. To address this and other concerns, the Assembly passed a motion to direct the APA Division of Government Affairs [DGA] to seek input from the DBs on the parity issues.  The motion specified that the APA should support federal legislation that best preserves state requirements for greater coverage than provided under federal law.  Nick Myers presented the DGA’s present thinking, and will email the presentation on request (NMeyers@psych.org). Area III’s representative on the Government Relations Committee, Janis Chester, is already on top of all the issues, and each DB should keep her informed as to the potential impact in their state.
• Initiated the development of an APA Policy Statement on the protection of children who testify in criminal proceedings.
• In response to an Area III motion, asked the Assembly Committee on Public and Community Psychiatry to develop a position on the number of psychiatric facility beds that a state should fund. The basis of the computation should be based on observed needs.
• Supported an increase of resources to treatment for veterans suffering from PTSD and related neuropsychiatric disorders.
• Passed Area III’s motion that the APA champion the need for psychiatric medications being available in the Strategic National Stockpile for victims of disasters and terrorist incidents. At present, there are no psychiatric medications in the stockpile.
• Urged the  APA to develop resources to demonstrate to local health insurance companies the advantages of integrated insurance coverage as opposed to carve outs.
• Passed an Area III motion to clarify the need and to make recommendations as to what the APA should provide members have been sued for malpractice.
• Defeated an Area III motion that the APA develop a definition of “suicidality.” We will bring this motion back in November as the misuse of that word has become deadly.
• Passed an Area III motion that the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry's Practice Parameters should be a resource for APA positions on child and adolescent clinical needs and should be available on the APA website.
• Approved an Area III motion to allow DBs to use their DB listserv for APA campaigning.

MPS member, Joseph Liberto of the Baltimore VA Medical Center, has joined the Assembly as a representative from the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry. 

Michael Vergare completed five years of outstanding leadership as the first chair of the Council on Member and District Branch Relations.  He announced that the deadline for DB grants is June 29.  He also pointed out that there is $100,000 additional for DB infrastructure for those needing such support.

Secretary-Treasurer Donna Norris reported that APA revenues continue to exceed expenditures.  Further, each year the APA puts excess revenue into reserve with a goal of reserves equal to annual expenditures (about $55 million). We have reached about 50% of the goal.

Ronald Burd (North Dakota) was elected Speaker-elect and Gary Weinstein (Kentucky) was elected Recorder.  (One striking fact is that Area III has set the agenda of the Assembly more than any other Area for the past 30 years, but has had no one elected Speaker-elect since 1985.)

John Urbaitis was honored for his service to the Assembly as he moves on to the Board of Trustees representing Area III.

Harry A. Brandt, M.D., APA Assembly Representative

John Chapman Urbaitis, M.D., APA Assembly Representative

Roger Peele, M.D., APA Area III Trustee