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Unveiling APA’s Access Agenda
As President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and the 117th Congress took office, they arrived in the midst of multiple crises impacting Americans’ mental health—the pandemic, economic crisis and systemic racism—as well as the aftermath of the Capitol insurrection. Americans are feeling more anxious and overdose deaths reached a record high last year. Federal policymakers have a fresh opportunity in the next six months to make an impact.
Elevating Bebe Moore Campbell's Legacy in 2023: APA's Dynamic Approach to National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month
In July American Psychiatric Association (APA) embarked on its annual effort to honor of the late renowned author and mental health advocate, Bebe Moore Campbell. Established by Congress in 2008, Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month is a call to action and reminder of the mental health inequities affecting communities, and in particular, young people of color. This month-long recognition is especially important considering the prevalent mental health inequities fac
Personal Perspectives on Major Depressive Disorder, Part 1
These podcasts include the real-life experiences of people with mental illness and family members. Some of the content includes discussions of topics such as suicide attempts and may be triggering.
Mental Health Equity Champion Spotlight: Dr. Michele Reid
Each quarter we highlight an individual in the field of psychiatry who is a champion for mental health equity—whether through their work in direct care, research, advocacy, or in the community. Our champions will share tangible ways to incorporate a health equity strategy into your practice and take action to increase access to quality of care.
APA Applauds Congress for Taking Action to Strengthen Mental Health Parity; Including Key Mental Health Programs in Year-End Funding Package
The American Psychiatric Association (APA) today lauded Congress for passing the Strengthening Behavioral Health Parity Act (H.R. 7539) and including several key mental health and substance use-related programs in its combined $1.4 trillion year-end appropriations and COVID-relief funding package.
Genetic Testing to Improve Psychiatric Medication Choice
Genetic testing is being marketed and used for a variety of different purposes, such as confirming or ruling out a suspected genetic condition or helping determine a person’s chance of developing or passing on a genetic disorder. It is also being marketed to improve the selection of medication for mental illness, such as depression. However, several recent expert reviews caution that while it holds much potential, the evidence does not yet show genetic testing is effective in improving psychiatr
Women, Disasters and Resilience
Do women experience disasters, including planning, preparedness, response and recovery, differently than men? That is the question examined in a new report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The report looks at the long-held notion in disaster behavioral health research that "women are more vulnerable to adverse mental health consequences of disaster than are men."
New Study: Community College Students Often Face Mental Health Challenges
Community college students have higher rates of mental health problems compared to same age peers at 4-year institutions, according to a new national study. It also found that community college students from traditionally marginalized backgrounds were more likely to have mental health problems and less likely to get treatment. The study appears online this week in Psychiatric Services, a journal of the American Psychiatric Association.
7 Tips for Using Social Media for Mental Well-being
Social wellness, a measure of connectedness with family, friends and community, is key in influencing happiness and positive mental health.(1,2) Research has shown social connection to be a protective factor against a host of mental health disorders, from depression to anxiety.(2) The quality and quantity of our social relationships can also impact our physical health.(3)
Women’s History Month: The Rise of Reproductive Psychiatry
During Women’s History Month, we invite you to reflect on the history of women’s mental health and the rapid advancement of the field of reproductive psychiatry over the past several decades. While our understanding of women’s mental health has thankfully progressed from Hippocrates’ attribution of psychological distress to a “wandering uterus,” much of this development has been surprisingly recent.
How to Boost Mental Health Through Better Nutrition
The relationship between nutrition and mental health is bidirectional: the foods we eat affect our mental health, and our mental health status affects what and how well we eat. This month, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and the American Society for Nutrition (ASN) are partnering to highlight the interconnectedness of nutrition and mental health. To learn more about how the public views diet and mental health, APA conducted a poll between March 16 and 17, 2023, among a sample of 2,200
New Poll Finds the Public Perceives Psychiatry as Innovative, But Show Caution on Using New Treatments
In recent years, the field of psychiatry has seen many new developments and innovations in diagnosis and treatment, and that is reflected in public perception. The latest APA Healthy Minds Poll, a national public opinion poll, finds that almost three-fourths of Americans agree with the statement: “Psychiatry is an innovative field, and new diagnostic tools and treatments are being developed that will help people’s mental health.”