The Council will serve as the advocacy hub and as APA’s coordinating body for legislative activities for Association membership and other components – specifically:
- Provide advocacy leadership on behalf of APA members and recommend advocacy strategy.
- Coordinate advocacy between councils, the Board of Trustees, the Assembly, the Department of Government Relations (DGR), and District Branches and State Associations.
- Facilitate collaboration and communication with other APA components to stay informed about advocacy issues to ensure necessary support and input.
- Reflect the expertise and knowledge of the APA membership while galvanizing and facilitating membership advocacy efforts on behalf of all individuals impacted by psychiatric conditions and on issues pertinent to our members
- Collaborate with DGR staff in developing advocacy-related deliverables (e.g., action papers, resource documents, trainings), and leverage advocacy tools and skills for active, well-informed advocacy engagement
- Interface with DGR to set and advise on federal advocacy and legislative activities, and message national priorities to members
- Collaborate with DGR staff to support state advocacy efforts.
- Expand opportunities to engage APA fellows in advocacy through mentorship and/or guidance from the Council, APA central, DGR staff, and state government relations.
- Promote advocacy education at all levels of training; and
- Actively collaborate with allied organizations with shared goals to improve the practice and quality of psychiatric care.
Staff Liaisons
- Dana Doran
Committee
Council Members
- Lannis (Lee) Tynes, DLFAPA – Chairperson
2024-2026 - William Arroyo, M.D., DLFAPA
2024-2027 - Debra Barnett, M.D., DLFAPA – Assembly Representative
2024-2026 - Enrico Castillo, M.D., M.S., FAPA
2024-2027 - Jasleen Chhatwal, M.D., M.B.B.S., C.P.E., DFAPA
2022-2025 - Michelle Durham, M.D., M.P.H., DFAPA
2024-2027 - Matthew Goldman, FAPA
2019-2025 - Sabina Lim, M.D., M.P.H.
2024-2026 - Michael Mensah, M.D., M.P.H., MHS – Early Career Psychiatrist Representative
2024-2027 - Karen Pierce, M.D., DLFAPA
2020-2025 - Patrick Runnels, M.D., M.B.A., DFAPA
2017-2025 - Suzanne Sampang, M.D., DFAPA
2024-2026 - Veronica Searles Quick, M.D., Ph.D.
2022-2025 - Anil Thomas, M.D., DFAPA
2024-2027 - Laura Willing, M.D.
2022-2025 - Clarence Chou, M.D., DLFAPA – Corresponding Member (Ex Officio as Chair of APA Political Action Committee)
2024-2025 - Micah Hoffman, M.D., FAPA – Corresponding Member
2024-2025 - Brian S. Hart, M.D., FAPA – Corresponding Member
2024-2025