973 Results
Better Together: Changing Public Health Outcomes in Virginia with the Co-Responder Model
The co-responder model is a recent innovation in behavioral health services that employs a mental health professional and a law enforcement official as dual first responders when an individual experiences a mental health crisis. The Marcus-David Peters Act (“Marcus Alert” or “MA”), signed into law in Virginia in late 2020, commemorates Marcus-David Peters, a young Black biology teacher in Richmond, VA, who was killed by police while undergoing a mental health crisis.
How to Help When Dementia Leads to Agitation
Dementia is a rapidly growing public health problem affecting around 50 million people around the world, according to a recent World Health Organization (WHO) report. It is a major cause of disability and dependency among adults, often causing significant caregiving and financial stress on families. People with dementia may develop agitation or psychosis which can be very challenging for caregivers. Agitation is a state of excessive physical movement or aggression associated with emotional dist
Mental Health Parity: New Proposed Rule
On July 25, 2023, the Departments of Labor and Health and Human Services released a proposed rule intended to strengthen enforcement of the 2008 Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) and improve patients’ ability to access care for mental health and substance use disorders (MH/SUD). At the same time, the agencies also released a Technical Release, seeking feedback on data requirements related to network composition and a possible enforcement safe harbor; a second Report to Congr
APA Releases Official Positions on Issues Affecting Mental Health in America
The American Psychiatric Association (APA) recently released a number of official position statements on a series of major issues affecting mental health for millions of Americans across the country. The statements, approved by APA’s Board of Trustees this month, represent official APA policy on issues of critical importance to mental health in America, including the need for continued research into the use of psychedelics to treat psychiatric disorders, the role of psychiatry in care of patient
African Americans
Rates of mental illnesses in African Americans are similar with those of the general population. However, disparities exist in regard to mental health care services. The resources below assist mental health providers serving African Americans as well as individuals interested the community.
Racial Disparities in ADHD
Two recent reports highlight racial disparities in the prevalence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnoses. A meta-analysis published online in JAMA Psychiatry in September found that Black individuals are at higher risk of ADHD diagnosis than the general population, a finding that “challenges generally accepted statements that Black individuals have a lower prevalence of ADHD compared with others,” the authors note.
Council on Minority Mental Health and Health Disparities
The Council on Minority Mental Health and Health Disparities represents and advocates for both minority and underserved populations and psychiatrists from those groups.
American Psychiatric Association Foundation and Friends of Virginia’s Central State Hospital Host Joint Reception; Discuss History of First State Mental Hospital for Black Americans
On Sept. 13, the American Psychiatric Association Foundation (APAF) and Friends of Virginia’s Central State Hospital brought together psychiatrists, families, historians, and administrators at a reception to mark their recent exhibit on the history and meaning of the hospital.
Diversity and Health Equity Highlights at the Annual Meeting
Join us in advancing equity in mental health care and expanding our collective impact as compassionate and effective mental health professionals.