Access to Firearms by People with Mental Disorders

Gun violence is a major public health problem in our country. Recent data indicate that 19,392 people used a gun to kill themselves in 2010, and 11,078 killed someone else with a firearm (1). In 2003, the homicide rate in the United States was seven times higher than the average of other high-income countries (2). Although concern is understandably heightened when mass tragedies occur, the daily occurrence of scores of murders and suicides due to the use of guns rarely gets the attention afforde

Education and Training for Substance Use Disorders

Current training of physicians in the recognition and treatment of substance use disorders (SUD) is inadequate to meet the needs of such a diverse and growing population of patients. Medical schools, physician training (residency) programs, and continuing education programs for physicians in practice, provide limited training in the treatment of SUDs. The scope of training on SUDs is disproportionate to the population health need to address these problems, and many with SUDs go undiagnosed and u

Brain imaging and child and adolescent psychiatry with special emphasis on SPECT

Although knowledge is increasing regarding specific pathways and specific brain areas involved in mental disease states, at present the use of brain imaging to study psychiatric disorders is still considered a research tool. Continued study of child and adolescent psychiatric disorders using a variety of brain imaging methods, as well as refinements in imaging techniques, may result in evidence supporting the utility of these tools for clinical work in the future. Imaging research cannot yet be

Alternatives to managed care

Although knowledge is increasing regarding specific pathways and specific brain areas involved in mental disease states, at present the use of brain imaging to study psychiatric disorders is still considered a research tool. Continued study of child and adolescent psychiatric disorders using a variety of brain imaging methods, as well as refinements in imaging techniques, may result in evidence supporting the utility of these tools for clinical work in the future. Imaging research cannot yet be

Physician Health Programs in the Treatment of Substance Use Disorders in Physicians

In 1974, the American Medical Association (AMA) acknowledged physician impairment from alcoholism and drug dependence occurs, and recognized alcoholism and addiction as illnesses. Physician illness and impairment exist on a continuum with illness typically predating impairment, often by many years. This is a critically important distinction. Illness is the existence of a disease. Impairment is a functional classification and implies the inability of the person affected by disease to perform spec

Neuroimaging markers of psychiatric disorders, Consensus report of the APA Work Group on

In May 2009, an Action paper was passed by the APA Assembly calling for the development of an APA Position Paper on the Clinical Application of Brain Imaging in Psychiatry. This action paper was developed in response to questions raised by claims being made that brain imaging technology had already reached the point that it was useful for making a clinical diagnosis and for helping in treatment selection.

Core Principle for Alternative Payment Models for Behavioral Health

The APA’s Position Statement enunciates 10 principles. These are presented below along with their supporting background information. The first principle declares that the predominant goals for behavioral health APMs should be defined as increasing access and improving quality of care for individuals with mental health and substance use disorders (MH/SUDs), in order to improve outcomes.

Complementary and alternative medicine in major depressive disorder

Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) is a term used to represent a number of specific treatments with potentially high public health importance and benefits. That which constitutes conventional or mainstream medicine is subjective and evolves over time. “Complementary” refers to approaches that are not considered mainstream or conventional, but are consistent with Western concepts based on the biomedical model. “Alternative” approaches are usually considered outside of the traditio

Position Statement on Use of the Concept of Recovery

Position Statement on Use of the Concept of Recovery

Position Statement on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury

Position Statement on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury

Guidelines to District Branches for a policy on physician impairment

The American Psychiatric Association has resolved to promote the mental and physical health of all physicians toward the goal of insuring optimum care of patients, protecting the public from possible harm by an impaired physician, preventing loss of valuable medical manpower, and helping the impaired physician regain health and productivity. The APA recognizes that psychiatrists, like other physicians, are at risk for impairment by mental and physical disorders, including addiction (or substance

Position Statement on Abuse and Misuse of Psychiatry

Position Statement on Abuse and Misuse of Psychiatry