View APA's Bylaws, Operations Manual, policies and other organizational documents below. APA does not permit its content, including the publications available on this page, to be input into generative artificial/augmented intelligence or any other machine learning tools without written permission from APA. To request permission, send all details of the requested use to [email protected]. Submission of a request does not constitute permission and use of the content is prohibited absent signed permission from APA.
APA Bylaws (.pdf)
The APA Bylaws provide the framework for its operation. The Bylaws outline the purpose of APA and define the authority of the Board of Trustees, officers, councils, and other organizational bodies.
APA Operations Manual
The APA Operation Manual — in accordance with the Bylaws — serves as a guide for implementation of policies and procedures.
Directories and Databases
Access resource documents, practice guidelines, position statements, and conference publications.
Action Paper Central
The Action Item Tracking System tracks the status of governance actions (including action papers and position statements) through the Assembly, Joint Reference Committee, and Board of Trustees.
Disclosure of Interest Policy (.pdf)
APA believes that maximum transparency regarding participants’ affiliations and interests is critically important and in the best interests of the Association. APA has adopted policies regarding disclosure of interests and affiliations and potential conflicts of interest. These procedures are followed to ensure the integrity of APA’s policies, positions, publications, and other programs and services.
Learn About Ethics and How to Report an Ethics Complaint
All APA members are bound by the ethics code of the medical profession, specifically defined in the Principles of Medical Ethics of the American Medical Association and in APA’s Principles of Medical Ethics With Annotations Especially Applicable to Psychiatry.
Strategic Plan
APA's Board of Trustees approved the following recommendations of the Ad Hoc Work Group on Strategic Planning at the Board's March 2015 meeting.
Future of Psychiatry Workgroup Recommendations
At the March 2023 meeting of the American Psychiatric Association Board of Trustees, a set of recommendations grouped in six sections were approved for implementation by the APA Administration.
Annual and Financial Reports
Contact information to request APA's previous annual and financial reports.