Federal News & Issues

WASHINGTON, D.C., May 29, 2020 – The American Psychiatric Association (APA) today issued the following statements in response to the death this week of an unarmed Black man in police custody in Minneapolis and the resulting civil unrest.

“The APA condemns all acts of police brutality,” said APA President Jeffrey Geller, M.D., M.P.H. “These acts have a harmful impact on the mental well-being of all Americans, especially the Black community, exacerbating stress, anxiety, and other mental health disorders. We call upon authorities in Minneapolis and throughout the United States, especially during this time of increased tension in our country due to the COVID-19 pandemic, to work harmoniously with community leaders to stop tragedies like this one from happening again and to calm the civil unrest that is raging in pockets of the U...

WASHINGTON, D.C., May 1, 2020 – The American Psychiatric Association (APA) today praises action taken this week by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to increase access to telehealth for Americans who lack the required video technology or live in areas without reliable broadband access. The APA has pushed for this increased, audio-only access for patients who have older phones that do not have a camera or lack internet access.

“We applaud CMS for taking this step to further increase access to telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic by allowing for audio-only visits,” said APA President Jeffrey Geller, M.D., M.P.H. “This allows us to better treat our patients while respecting guidelines on physical distancing. The full impact of the new CMS rule change is...