American Psychiatric Association Statement on Terrorist Attacks in Israel

The American Psychiatric Association condemns the recent terrorist attacks in Israel. Innocent civilians should never have to endure the violence and chaos that happened last weekend. APA sends our support to all those affected in Israel and around the world. We mourn those who were lost and call for the immediate return of all hostages to their families. The scale of this terrorist act and the harm it is causing is unfathomable.

APA Offers Resources to Cope with COVID-19

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19), in addition to its physical health impacts on thousands of Americans, has disrupted the lives of millions more. Many now face uncertainty over their medical condition and that of their families, management of their daily lives, social isolation, financial stressors, and other issues. In the face of this pandemic and the turmoil it has caused, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) offers the following guidance for maintaining mental health and coping with st

APA and AACAP Deeply Concerned Over Reports that Parents of Children Separated from Families at U.S. Border Cannot be Found

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry today issued the following statement in response to media reports that the parents of 545 migrant children separated from their families at the U.S.-Mexico border can no longer be found.

Coping After Trauma and Disaster: Mental Health Tips and Resources from APA

As heat waves, hurricanes and fires are impacting millions across the country, the American Psychiatric Association offers some tips and resources on coping with the mental health impacts of aftermath of disaster-related trauma.

November Issues of American Psychiatric Association Journals Cover Trauma, Suicide, Resilience and More

The November issues of two of the American Psychiatric Association journals, The American Journal of Psychiatry and Psychiatric Services are available online.

New APA Healthy Minds Monthly Poll Finds that Nearly 40% of Americans Face Declining Mood in Winter

With most of the country ready to “fall back” this weekend, nearly a quarter (24%) of Americans report that they generally feel depressed in the winter. Two in five (38%) say their overall mood declines in the winter. But they do look forward to certain winter traditions: 44% of Americans look forward to spending time with friends and family during the holidays and 49% say enjoying good food improves their mood.

National Report Offers Solutions to Overcome the Three Major Obstacles to Rural Mental Health Care

One in 25 adult Americans has a serious mental illness (SMI) in a given year, but people in rural areas are more likely to experience it, and they face unique barriers to receiving treatment. A recent report from SMI Adviser explores three obstacles to connecting rural and remote populations with mental health care—availability, accessibility and acceptability—and offers solutions developed by clinicians, administrators, and staff in those geographic areas.

A Child’s Home Environment Can Impact the Risk of Developing Depression

New research, published online today in the American Journal of Psychiatry, finds that children’s rearing environment has a meaningful impact on their risk for major depression later in life, and notes the importance supporting of nurturing environments when children are at risk . In the study, authors analyzed the health records of full and half siblings with at least one biological parent with depression who were raised by either their biological parents or in carefully screened adoptive homes

New Research Highlights Lack of Follow-up Care for Youth and Young Adults after Hospitalization or ER Visit for Mental Health

In a study of more than 100,000 emergency room visits and 95,000 mental health hospitalizations of youth and young adults with private insurance, less than half who visited the emergency room had follow-up care within 30 days and two-thirds of those hospitalized received follow-up care within that same time period.

American Psychiatric Association Welcomes Mental Health and Telehealth Investments in Omnibus Bill, Urges Further Investments

Last night the U.S. Senate passed H.R. 2471, Omnibus Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2022, a $1.5 trillion package to fund the federal government through the end of the fiscal year and provide aid to Ukraine. The president is expected to sign it today. The Labor-Health and Human Services-Education appropriations measure included in the omnibus bill provides critical funding for mental health programs. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) expresses its support for the progress made in fundin

APA Reasserts Support for Affordable Care Act as Supreme Court Hears California v. Texas

The Supreme Court is hearing arguments today on California v. Texas, litigation challenging the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The suit seeks to have the ACA entirely invalidated now that the so-called individual mandate has been essentially removed.

Medicare Telemental Health Care Beyond the Public Health Emergency: Changes APA Advocated for in the Physician Fee Schedule

On November 1, 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the final CY 2023 Physician Fee Schedule, effective January 1, 2023. With the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) expected to come to an end in 2023, this fee schedule provides some clarity around the telemental health practice and reimbursement landscape post-PHE