September 2013
September is National Recovery Month – a time to celebrate people in recovery from mental illness
and substance use disorders. Prevention works, treatment is effective, and people recover. Learn
more!
Nominations and letters of recommendation for the following open offices on the APA Board of Trustees
can be forwarded to election@psych.org. The deadline for nominations is October 1. For more
information on the national elections process and eligibility information, please visit the APA website.
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President-Elect
Treasurer
Trustee-At-Large
Member-In-Training Trustee-Elect (MITTE)
Area 2 & 5 Trustee
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American Psychiatric Association’s 65th Institute on Psychiatric Service
“Transforming Psychiatric Practice, Reforming Health Care Delivery”
View the Preliminary Program for complete educational program, registration, hotel and travel
information!
Don’t miss a special “Conversations” event at the APA Institute on Psychiatric Services. Former
Congressman Patrick Kennedy talks stigma, recovery and mental health parity with APA President
Jeffrey Lieberman, M.D. on Friday, October 11th @ 5:30 pm (doors open @ 5:00 pm), Marriott
Philadelphia Downtown, Liberty Ballroom, Level 3.
Become a Mentor and Help Younger Psychiatrists
APA members are encouraged to join the National Minority Mentors Network and become mentors to
APA’s younger minority colleagues. To facilitate membership, the Selection Advisory Committee for the
minority fellowships will host a reception for mentors and current fellows during the 2013 September
Component Meetings on Friday, September 20, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. This year, the meetings are being
held at the Hilton Crystal City in Arlington, Va. This event will provide an informal setting for fellows to
network with mentors.
Mentors play an important role in the professional growth and development of psychiatrists starting
their careers and receive great satisfaction from sharing their hard-earned wisdom and experience.
Moreover, mentoring is critical to fostering successful careers in psychiatry and ensuring the field's
future success.
All APA members are welcome to join the mentor network regardless of ethnicity. If you would like
additional information about the network or would like to attend the reception, please contact Marilyn
King at (703) 907-8653 or mking@psych.org.
Applications Invited for Congressional Fellowship
The American Psychiatric Foundation is inviting nominations for the Jeanne Spurlock
Congressional Fellowship. This fellowship provides psychiatry residents, fellows, and early
career psychiatrists a unique opportunity to work on Capitol Hill in a congressional office on
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federal health policy, particularly policy related to child and/or minority issues. The fellowship was
established in honor of the late Jeanne Spurlock, M.D., who was deputy medical director and head of
APA's Office of Minority/National Affairs and an advocate for child and minority issues.
The fellowship is open to all psychiatry residents, fellows, and early career psychiatrists. Applicants must
be APA members and U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Applications, which must include a letter,
three letters of recommendation, and a CV, should be sent by September 20 to Marilyn King, APA Office
of Minority/National Affairs, 1000 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1825, Arlington, Va. 22209.
Participate in AJP’s Journal Club
The goal of the Journal Club is to facilitate the study of a major article in an APA scholarly journal and
discuss it with other psychiatrists. A series of questions following a description of the article will help
readers focus on its main points.
ASSOCIATION OF PREDEPLOYMENT GAZE BIAS FOR EMOTION STIMULI WITH LATER
SYMPTOMS OF PTSD AND DEPRESSION IN SOLDIERS DEPLOYED IN IRAQ
Christopher G. Beevers, Ph.D., et al. American Journal of Psychiatry, July 2011
The authors examined the relationship between predeployment gaze bias for emotion stimuli and later
symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression in soldiers deployed to Iraq.
Discussion questions:
• Which eye gaze indices predicted increased PTSD symptoms in the context of war zone stress?
• Which eye gaze indices predicted increased depression symptoms in the context of war zone stress?
• Why might attentional avoidance of threat-related stimuli be associated with vulnerability to PTSD?
Earn CME credits by reading articles in the American Journal of Psychiatry. Subscribe to the
AJP CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION COURSE PROGRAM.
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September’s National Suicide Prevention Month
Former Congressman and APA spokesperson Patrick Kennedy conducted a national broadcast and online
satellite media tour from Washington, D.C. on September 4-5 in honor of September’s National Suicide
Prevention Month. The tour, which consisted of 24 interviews across television, radio, and digital media
outlets, presented an opportunity to showcase APA’s leadership role in fighting the stigma that prevents
so many from getting the effective care needed for suicide prevention and recovery from mental illness
and substance use disorders. Broadcast interviews, including MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell Reports, aired
clips from APA’s new national PSA campaign called “A Healthy Minds Minute.”
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