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CONTROVERSIES IN PSYCHIATRY
Summer 2021 Issue

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American Psychiatric Association Assembly Meeting - April 24-25, 2021

By John P.D. Shemo, MD, DLFAPA
APA Assembly Representative
Psychiatric Society of Virginia

This was the 94th meeting of the American Psychiatric Association Assembly and the second, and hopefully last, to be held in a virtual format.  The meeting began with a tribute to Joseph Napoli, MD, Speaker of the Assembly, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor just before the start of his term and died two weeks before this meeting.  Mary Jo Fitz-Gerald, MD, Speaker-Elect, has functioned as acting speaker for the past year and will now begin her own term as Speaker. 

It is further, sadly, noted that the prior Assembly Speaker, Paul O’Leary, MD, Chair of the Rules Committee and the Nominating Committee, died unexpectedly soon after this meeting.

The total time of the meeting was somewhat shorter than at live meetings.  The agenda was adjusted to maintain time for discussion of the position statements and action papers at the expense of shorter presentations by APA administrators and committee chairs.   More extensive reports from these individuals were available on-line for review. 

There were 49 issues voted on by the Assembly.  It is noted that a lot of work had been done prior to the assembly meeting to edit and revise these items – with a lot of input and consultation.  Thus, some of the items were passed on “consent calendars” because there was broad support.  Any single member of the Assembly can have an item removed from a consent calendar, requiring that it be presented and discussed “on the floor.” 

So as to not have this report be ten pages long, I will briefly outline a sample of the actions that passed or failed. 

There was a complex array of papers submitted on the topic of “Addressing Structural Racism in the American Psychiatric Association.” This is, of course, a very important but complex topic.  Some progress was made, but a lot remains to be addressed.

Significantly more detail on all the subjects I have addressed is available on the APA website.

As always, if you have an issue you would like addressed at the Assembly level, Adam Kaul, Varun Choudhary and I are available for consultation and assistance.


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