Council on Advocacy and Government Relations

The Council on Advocacy and Government Relations advocates at the state and federal levels on all issues of importance to APA and the field of psychiatry. The council defines and recommends action to meet the mental health needs of veterans and military personnel and their families. The council serves as APA’s coordinating body for all legislative activities and actively collaborates with allied groups to work toward the goal of improved quality of care and treatment.

Highlights of Responsibilities

• Proactively analyze problems and anticipating needs for policies & planning strategies regarding current and anticipated legislative and political situations
• Assist the association to bring to fruition resolutions of issues critical to patients and psychiatrists traditionally functioning within public sector psychiatry and keeping the association abreast of emergent public psychiatric issues and next-generation issues
• Educate members on the identification of and the unique challenges facing military personnel, veterans, and their family members in community settings and existing barriers to their care
• Define and recommend action to meet the mental health needs of veterans and military personnel and their families
• Work with agencies that set policy on funding, access & quality of psychiatric services at the federal, state, and local levels to affect legislation, regulations, and guidelines
• Recognize, promote and support the efforts and expertise of Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs psychiatrists in clinical, research, academic and administrative roles and develop methods for increasing their participation and leadership

Committees and Caucuses

• Committee on Advocacy and Litigation Funding (CALF)
• Caucus of VA Psychiatrists

Council Members

• Patrick Runnels, M.D. – Chair
• Steve Hyun Koh, M.D. – Vice Chair
• David Diaz, M.D.
• Michelle Durham, M.D., M.P.H.
• Matthew Erlich, M.D.
• Larry Gross, M.D.
• Napoleon Higgins, M.D.
• Katherine Gershman Kennedy, M.D.
• Debra Koss, M.D.
• David Lowenthal, M.D.
• Cassandra Newkirk, M.D.,P.C.
• Jessica Lynn Thackaberry, M.D. (ECP)
• Jose Vite, M.D.
• Craig Zarling, M.D. (ASM)

Ex-Officio

• R. Scott Benson, M.D. – APAPAC

Fellows

• Adrian Jacques Ambrose, M.D. – APA/APAF Leadership Fellow
• Taiwo Babatope, M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A. – APA/APAF Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• John Chaves, M.D. – APA/APAF Public Psychiatry Fellow
• Daniel Cho, M.D. – APA/APAF Leadership Fellow
• Kali Cyrus, M.D. – Jeanne Spurlock Congressional Fellow
• Kyle Jamison, M.D. – APA/APAF Leadership Fellow
• Pankaj Manocha, M.D. – APA/APAF Leadership Fellow
• Samuel Murray, M.D. – Public Psychiatry Fellow
• Maeve O'Neill, M.D. – Public Psychiatry Fellow
• Alan Rodriguez Penney, M.D. – SAMHSA Fellow
• David Peyok, D.O. – Public Psychiatry Fellow

Consultants

• Uchenna Okoye, M.D.
• Mary Vance, M.D.