Skip to content

Diversity & Health Equity

Our Vision

APA members represent a diverse and culturally responsive community of psychiatrists that promote mental health equity through the provision of quality mental health care to all persons regardless of race, ethnicity, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religious orientation, and/or disability status.

Our Core Values

We value equity, inclusion, respect, mentorship, and collaboration.

Our Mission

  • Develop programs and resources to bring awareness to and support the needs of evolving, diverse, underrepresented, and underserved patient populations.
  • Implement strategies to enrich the diverse representation of psychiatrists within the APA.
  • Collaborate across multiple medical and non-medical sectors to end disparities in mental health care.
Diversity and Health Equity at APA Fall 2024 Update #AchieveMentalHealthEquity Cover

What's New

Achieve Mental Health Equity Update: Fall 2024

Each quarter, APA highlights the expertise and accomplishments of its member leaders and presents upcoming activities and learning opportunities for diversity and health equity.

Read this month's update here

Featured Events and Initiatives

paper-heads

Structural Racism Accountability Committee

The APA BOT Structural Racism Accountability Committee (SRAC) was formed in 2021 to ensure the recommendations of the 2020-2021 APA Presidential Task Force to Address Structural Racism Throughout Psychiatry (TFSR) are carried out.

run walk roll icons

Moore Equity in Mental Health 5K

Register today! Join us July 20, 2024 for a Virtual 5K: Run, Walk, or Roll benefitting APA Foundation's Moore Equity in Mental Health Community Grants Program.

Explore Activities, Programs, and Initiatives

Featured News Article

Religion News Service: Treading on taboos, a psychiatrist trains Christians to see spiritual side of mental health

Moderated by Dr. Regina S. James, APA Deputy Medical Director and Chief of the Division of the Diversity and Health Equity, and Lead Pastor Ernest Daniels Jr. the APA in partnership with the Christ Community Church and Christian Mental Health Initiative hosted an APA Community Roundtable Discussion "It’s a Family Affair: Exploring the Intersection of Mental Health, Spirituality, and Faith."

Read more here

DEI News and Updates

  • March 28, 2025
  • Diversity News and Updates

Achieve Mental Health Equity Update: Winter 2025

In this issue, we feature APA’s mental health equity champion, Jonathan Shepherd, M.D. Dr. Shepherd explains that to be a champion you must “be bold about what you stand for. You must be bold, and you must be courageous. That alone will make you a mental health equity champion.”

  • March 27, 2025
  • Diversity News and Updates

Mental Health Equity Champion Spotlight – Dr. Jonathan Shepherd

Jonathan Shepherd, M.D., is a board-certified child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist. Dr. Shepherd is the Chief Clinical Officer for the District of Columbia Department of Behavioral Health. He is also a part-time staff psychiatrist at The Ross Center.

View All

Medical leadership for mind, brain and body.

Join Today