Federal News & Issues

WASHINGTON, D.C., Oct. 7, 2020 – A new mobile app, My Mental Health Crisis Plan, allows individuals who have serious mental illness to create a plan to guide their treatment during a mental health crisis. The app was developed by SMI Adviser, an initiative administered by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

The app provides an easy step-by-step process for individuals to create and share a psychiatric advance directive (PAD). A PAD is a legal document that includes a list of instructions and preferences that the individual wishes to be followed in case of a mental health crisis. My Mental Health Crisis Plan allows individuals with serious mental illness to:

• Clearly state treatment preferences, including...

Sep 28, 2020

WASHINGTON, D.C., Sept. 28, 2020 – The American Psychiatric Association (APA) is concerned about the impact a recent Trump Administration Executive Order may have on gender or racial diversity training in federal agencies and by contractors that receive federal funding.

The APA strongly supports education about diversity and inclusion. Diversity and inclusion training truly supports American values and empowers everyone with the skills and knowledge to create a diverse, inclusive and equitable working or learning environment. The goal of such training is to reduce prejudice and discrimination by helping us understand our uniqueness and abilities. The APA believes that all forms of racism, prejudice and discrimination affect mental health and well-being and negatively impact the nation. For this reason, diversity...