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Abortion and women's reproductive health care rights

Abortion is a fact in the lives of many women. Approximately 20% of American women of childbearing age have already had an abortion, and it is estimated that one out of three American women will have had one by age 45.1 Robinson and colleagues authored a review article entitled “Is there an abortion trauma syndrome? Critiquing the evidence?” (2008)2 that exemplifies the American Psychiatric Association’s position on reproductive rights. Accordingly, the content of this Position Statement is larg

Acute Neuropsychiatric Sequelae of COVID-19 Infection

This resource document will describe acute neuropsychiatric sequelae of COVID-19 infection. Importantly, the literature on neuropsychiatric manifestations of COVID-19 continues to evolve rapidly, and many of the largest and best studies were based on early waves and variants.

Interacting with Caregivers

In this document, we address ethical and legal issues related to involving caregivers in the treatment of patients and provide a comprehensive approach to the engagement of caregivers in the treatment process. This approach revolves around the development and implementation of a caregiver plan (CGP). It is important to note that the development of a formal CGP does not reflect current practice in the field. The discussion of a CGP in this document is for education: to describe a potentia

Use of medication in treating childhood and adolescent depression: Information for patients and families

This revision of the original 2005 Parents Medical Guide to the treatment of depression in children and adolescents is a joint project of the American Psychiatric Association and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. It has been updated to include important research that has added to our knowledge about effective treatments for child and adolescent depression. Its goal is to help parents and families make informed decisions about getting the best care for a child with dep

Safe Consumption Facilities

In 2019, there were nearly 72,000 U.S. overdose deaths, a new record high. Most of these overdose deaths involved opioids, with rising involvement of fentanyl and fentanyl analogues, which are increasingly found in street heroin and other opioids and often without the knowledge of the user. Even more concerning, it appears that the coronavirus pandemic is further worsening the overdose crisis.1 In the context of this ongoing crisis, psychiatrists must be aware of the full range of policy, organi

Marijuana as Medicine

The medical use of marijuana has received considerable attention as several states have voted to remove civil and criminal penalties for patients with qualifying conditions. Yet, on a national level, marijuana remains a schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), the most restrictive schedule enforced by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) (1). The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), responsible for approving treatments after appropriate and rigorous study, addit

Closing a practice at short notice: What every psychiatrist and their family should know

A psychiatrist’s death or incapacity raises immediate problems in the areas of clinical coverage, administrative responsibilities, and medical records. The time to plan for this situation is, of course before such an emergency occurs. By developing the attached guide, the APA is responding to the members’ needs by offering a member benefit that extends to the psychiatrist’s family and colleagues. This document was written to provide relevant and practical guidance to both the psychiatrist and

Ethical Considerations Regarding Internet Searches for Patient Information

The introduction of web search engines and their development in the 1990s dramatically changed the landscape of information gathering. With only a few clicks on a computer, cellphone or other device, an individual could access information on a wide range of topics in a matter of seconds, including personal information of others. To “Google” for information (i.e., to research something via Google or other search engines) has become routine in our daily endeavors. Search engines and social media s

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

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