In line with the conference theme “Finding Equity Through Advances in Mind and Brain in Unsettled Times,” this session aims to embolden participants in their paths to becoming clinician advocates. Psychiatrists and psychiatric professional organizations are vital to improving mental health systems and reducing the entrenched racial inequities and inequalities that impact access to and provision of mental health care in the United States.(1-3) This role involves both understanding the key issues that intersect to impact patients and providers, and in turn dismantling structures and attitudes that perpetuate already existing inequities.(4) Primary objectives of the session will be to understand the meaning of anti-racist policies and anti-Black racism in the context of mental health, define key issues (e.g., existing structural racism in mental health), describe the need for and barriers to implementing anti-racist policies, and identify anti-racist policy solutions at the federal, state, regional and institutional level. This session will leverage expertise from APA Department of Government Relations staff as well as members of the Council on Advocacy and Government Relations to engage participants in practical skill building on best advocacy practices, including tackling parity with an equity lens, actively working to recruit leadership and practitioners that represent the surrounding communities, expanding access to culturally-centered care, involving local stakeholders in defining issues and designing advocacy efforts, and taking an introspective view to examine internal obstacles to change (e.g., structural racism at the organizational level, or implicit biases at the individual level). We will provide examples of effective actions individuals can take to support policy change and will discuss resources available through the APA that members can utilize when undertaking advocacy efforts. This session will include breakout sessions to facilitate discussions on topics of interest to participants and develop action items to pursue.

**This content was captured at the 2021 APA Annual Meeting and may reference information from various sources and terminology from previous editions of the DSM.

Learning Objectives

• Be able to conceptualize the meaning of anti-racist policies, of anti-Black racism, and how they influence mental health at systemic and individual levels
• Describe current key equity and equality issues in mental health care
• Identify the importance of serving as a clinician advocate
• Describe current efforts being undertaken at the local, regional and national level to address inequities in mental health care
• Identify tangible ways psychiatrists can effectively engage in advocacy individually and through professional organizations

Target Audience

Psychiatrists, Residents/Fellows

Estimated Time to Complete

Estimated Duration: 75 minutes
Begin Date: November 1, 2022
End Date: October 31, 2025

How to Earn Credit

Participants who wish to earn AMA PRA Category 1 Credit ™ or a certificate of participation may do so by 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

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. 

The APA designates this enduring CME activity for a maximum of 1.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Faculty and Planner Disclosures

Program Presenters

• Divya Chhabra, MD, Child Psychiatrist, Director of Early Childhood, Emma Bowen Center. Reports no financial relationships with commercial interests.
• Craig Obey, MD, Chief, Government Relations, APA. Reports no financial relationships with commercial interests.
• Matthew Goldman, MD, Cleveland Clinic. Reports no financial relationships with commercial interests.
• Christina Mangurian, MD, UCSF. Reports no financial relationships with commercial interests.
• Steven Starks, MD, FAPA, University of Houston. Reports no financial relationships with commercial interests.

Program Planners

• Jacqueline Maus Feldman, M.D., Chairperson, Scientific Program Committee, Reports no financial relationships with commercial interests.
• Robert O. Cotes, M.D., Vice-Chairperson, Scientific Program Committee, Reports no financial relationships with commercial interests. 
• Uchenna Okeye, M.D., Vice-Chairperson, Scientific Program Committee, Reports no financial relationships with commercial interests. 

Accessibility for Participants with Disabilities

The American Psychiatric Association is committed to ensuring accessibility of its website to people with disabilities. If you have trouble accessing any of APA’s online resources, please contact us at 202-559-3900 for assistance.

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