Description 

The significant challenges facing mental health systems in the future include policy, funding and regulatory issues, workforce capacity and diversity, and achieving health equity and structural competency. These challenges will be met most effectively by reimagining how and where services are delivered and who will deliver them. As the nation becomes increasingly more dependent on publicly funded services, we are seeing that even those with income or private insurance find themselves relying on the public mental health system at some point. Families with members who are seriously mentally, young adults experiencing their first episode of psychiatric illness and dependent on their families for assistance and support, those unemployed or homeless, and dependent children all may find the only available help is in what we call the “public mental health” system. And while historically these were often considered substandard services, today they provide some of the most cutting-edge, patient-centered services available for many of these groups. The American Association for Community Psychiatry (AACP) and its members have been in the forefront of developing, testing, and promoting recovery-oriented services, inclusion of patient and family engagement and peer support in treatment models, and the use of consultation and collaboration strategies in working with communities and stakeholders on system transformation. Individually and collectively, we have advocated for system changes, integrating trauma-informed practices, and a commitment to a social just and an equitable mental health care delivery system. And as has been the case with previous significant changes in the mental health system, community psychiatry and those who identify as community psychiatrists will be at the forefront of this next wave of reform. This session will describe the work underway in AACP and our plans to assure that a comprehensive continuum of services will be available to meet the goal of a "mentally healthy nation for all". Attendees will learn to learn effective strategies to navigate and lead healthcare systems struggling with issues such as structural competency, mental health inequity, lack of workforce diversity, and effective community engagement as they work to provide the highest quality care for those persons from diverse backgrounds that present with psychiatric disorders, across multiple treatment and practice settings.

Format 

Recorded webinar.

This content was recorded during the APA 2023 Annual Meeting.

Learning Objectives 

1. Review history of psychiatry in US and understand how current care delivery systems evolved in an environment dominated by eurocentric models and a foundation of structural racism. 
2. Demonstrate awareness of how institutions can make changes to achieve health equity.
3. Identify and address challenges in clinical care, education and research for increasingly diverse population.

Target Audience 

Medical Students, Residents/Fellows, Psychiatrists, non-psychiatrist Physicians

Estimate Time to Complete 

Estimated Duration: 1.5 hours 
Program Start Date: May 1, 2025
Program End Date: May 1, 2028

How to Earn Credit 

Participants who wish to earn AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ may do so after completing all sections of the course including the evaluation. After evaluating the program, course participants will be provided with an opportunity to claim hours of participation and print an official CME certificate (physicians) or certificate of participation (non-physicians) showing the completion date and hours earned. 

Continuing Education Credit  

In support of improving patient care, the American Psychiatric Association is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team. 

The APA designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. 

Faculty and Planner Disclosures 

The American Psychiatric Association adheres to the ACCME’s Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Medical Education. Any individuals in a position to control the content of a CME activity — including faculty, planners, reviewers or others — are required to disclose all relevant financial relationships with ineligible entities (commercial interests). All relevant conflicts of interest have been mitigated prior to the commencement of the activity. 

Instructors 

• Altha Stewart, MD

Planners  

• Vishal Madaan, MD, Chief of Education and Deputy Medical Director at the American Psychiatric Association.

Accessibility for Participants with Disabilities 

The American Psychiatric Association is committed to ensuring accessibility of its website to people with disabilities. Please contact the American Psychiatric Association at 202-559-3900, if you require assistance seven (7) business days prior to the start of a live webinar. 

Technical Requirements 

This internet-based CME activity is best experienced using any of the following: 

• The latest and 2nd latest public versions of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Safari 
• Internet Explorer 11+ 

This Web site requires that JavaScript and session cookies be enabled. Certain activities may require additional software to view multimedia, presentation, or printable versions of the content. These activities will be marked as such and will provide links to the required software. That software may be: Adobe Acrobat Reader, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Windows Media Player. 

Optimal System Configuration: 

• Browser: Google Chrome (latest and 2nd latest version), Safari (latest and 2nd latest version), Internet Explorer 11.0+, Firefox (latest and 2nd latest version), or Microsoft Edge (latest and 2nd latest version) 
• Operating System: Windows versions 8.1+, Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) +, Android (latest and 2nd latest version), or iOS/iPad OS (latest and 2nd latest version) 
• Internet Connection: 1 Mbps or higher 

Minimum Requirements: 

• Windows PC: Windows 8.1 or higher; 1 GB (for 32-bit)/2 GB (for 64-bit) or higher RAM; Microsoft DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM driver; audio playback with speakers for programs with video content 
• Macintosh: Mac OS X 10.5 or higher with latest updates installed; Intel, PowerPC G5, or PowerPC G4 (867MHz or faster) processor; 512 MB or higher RAM; audio playback with speakers for programs with video content 

For assistance: Contact educme@psych.org for questions about this activity | Contact learningcenter@psych.org for technical assistance