Access to MH Care Possible With Creative Problem-Solving, Says Clinton “On balance I think you should be hopeful,” Bill Clinton, the 42nd president of the United States, told APA members tonight in a keynote speech at APA’s 2013 annual meeting in San Francisco. “We have come a long way on this issue of mental health coverage since my grandmother was hospitalized briefly in a state hospital in the 1950s. I have seen the dark side of this, and I have seen the bright, wonderful work that you do.” >>read more

Jeste Passes Presidential Medallion to Lieberman
At today's meeting of the Board of Trustees, APA President Dilip Jeste, M.D., passed the presidential medallion to incoming President Jeffrey Lieberman, M.D., whose one-year term begins at the close of the annual meeting on Wednesday. Also at that time, Paul Summergrad, M.D., will begin his term as president-elect.... >>read more


Assembly Election Results Announced
At the APA Assembly meeting in San Francisco yesterday, Assembly representatives voted to elect Jenny Boyer, M.D., of Oklahoma as the new speaker-elect. Boyer has been the Assembly's recorder. To replace Boyer in the recorder position, the Assembly chose Area 2 Representative Glenn Martin, M.D., of New York. Current speaker-elect Melinda Young, M.D., of California will become the new Assembly speaker. All Assembly officers serve one-year terms. >>read more


APA Says Thank You to San Francisco
At the Opening Session of APA's 2013 annual meeting, APA President Dilip Jeste, M.D., presented a check to Eduardo Vega, the executive director of the Mental Health Association of San Francisco.... >>read more


Cultural Context Important in Psychiatric Diagnosis, Says Bolivar Award Winner
"There is an increasing need to be sure culture and context are included in criteria for disorders," said Glorisa Canino, Ph.D., as she accepted APA's Simon Bolivar award yesterday at APA's 2013 annual meeting. ... >>read more/watch video


Weight Gain May Change Underlying Brain Structure, Function
Weight gain is a common side effect of antipsychotic drugs approved for the treatment of patients with bipolar disorder. That additional weight has long been a matter of concern as a further risk for heart disease or diabetes. Now, a Canadian researcher suggests that this weight gain may have another dimension. ... >>read more/watch video


Time for 'Radicalization' of Psychiatry
Psychiatry relies too much on a technological model in its approach to people with mental illness, said a panel at APA's 2013 annual meeting in San Francisco. "Psychiatry can be a liberating force if it is linked to medical, scientific, and sociopolitical circumstances," said session co-chair Carl Cohen, M.D.... >>read more/watch video


AA Still the Gold Standard for Treatment of Alcoholism, Says Expert
Participation in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), the internationally known 12-step program of recovery from alcoholism developed more than 60 years ago by Bill Wilson and Bob Smith, M.D., works on the neurocircuitry of addiction in ways that might be elucidated by cognitive and brain imaging studies. >>read more/listen to audio


Lyme Disease Presents Diagnostic Challenge to Psychiatrists
Syphilis, caused by the spirochete bacterium Treponema pallidum, has been called the “great imitator” because of its ability to affect numerous systems and be confused with other diseases. ... >>read more


Expert Sets Record Straight on Antidepressant Myths
Antidepressants do "really work" and do not "cause suicide," said Anthony Rothschild, M.D., at APA’s 2013 annual meeting today during a discussion of his second book in the Evidence-Based Guides series,... >>read more


Advances in Geriatric Psychopharmacology Discussed
Pharmacologic intervention on the C/L service was the focus of a workshop presented by Sandra Jacobson, M.D., coauthor of the clinical manual of geriatric psychopharmacology, 2nd edition., published by American Psychiatric Publishing. >>read more


American Psychiatric Foundation Presents
Awards for Advancing Minority Mental Health
The American Psychiatric Foundation presented its Awards for Advancing Minority Mental Health last evening at its annual gala, held this year at the City Club of San Francisco. >>read more