Skip to content
This search input has a predictive search function. When 3 letters or more are entered, a number of predictive results appear in a dropdown. Use arrow keys to navigate and use the enter key to go to the page highlighted.
    RENEW JOIN
    Dashboard

    Council on Psychiatry and Law

    The Council on Psychiatry and Law’s principal responsibility is to evaluate legal developments of national significance, proposed legislation, regulations, and other government intervention that will affect the practice of psychiatry. The council focuses on legislation, regulation, and case law that has the potential to influence the provision, quality, or availability of mental health care and services, alter the psychiatrist-patient relationship, affect confidentiality or the rights of patients, or otherwise regulate the practice of psychiatry in the public or private sector. Additional areas of attention include child forensic psychiatry, corrections, assessment of violence risk, and psychiatric issues that reflect international concerns.

    Highlights of Responsibilities

    • Make recommendations to the Board of Trustees regarding appellate cases in which APA should participate as amicus or support DB/SA participation as amicus, based on input from the Committee on Judicial Action.
    • Make recommendations concerning pending legislation that may affect effective psychiatric treatment, research and training.
    • Prepare model statutes for district branch use.
    • Draft appropriate statements, resource documents, and recommendations for APA policy.

    Committee

    • Committee on Judicial Action

    Council Members

    • Debra Pinals, M.D. – Chair
    • Peter Ash, M.D.
    • Paul Applebaum, M.D.
    • Jorien Campbell, M.D. (ECP)
    • Michael Champion, M.D.
    • Renée Binder, M.D.
    • Elizabeth Ford, M.D.
    • Tanuja Gandhi, M.D.
    • Eugene Lee, M.D. (ASM)
    • Li-Wen Grace Lee, M.D.
    • Ashley MacLean, M.D.
    • Ray Patterson, M.D.

    Corresponding Members

    • Connor Darby, M.D.
    • Carl Fisher, M.D.
    • Reena Kapoor, M.D.
    • Neil Kaye, M.D.
    • Danielle Kushner, M.D.
    • Maya Prabhu, M.D.
    • Amam Saleh, M.D.

    Ex-Officio

    • Jeffrey Janofsky, M.D. – AAPL
    • Reena Kapoor, M.D. - Committee on Judicial Action, Chair

    Fellows

    • Austin Blum, M.D. – APA/APAF Leadership Fellow
    • Jessica Chaffkin, M.D. – APA/APAF Leadership Fellow
    • Matthew Edwards, M.D. – Public Psychiatry Fellow
    • Sophie Feller, M.D. – Public Psychiatry Fellow
    • Dhruv Gupta, M.D. – Diversity Leadership Fellow
    • Ali Haidar, M.D. – APA/APAF Leadership Fellow
    • Kate Hsih, M.D. – Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellow
    • Robert LaBril, M.D., M.Div. – SAMHSA Minority Fellow
    • Zachary Lenane, M.D. – Edwin V. Valdiserri Correctional Public Psychiatry Fellow
    • Erin Li, M.D. – Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellow
    • Taber Lightbourne, M.D., M.H.S. – Diversity Leadership Fellow
    • Juan Sosa, M.D. – Public Psychiatry Fellow

    Medical leadership for mind, brain and body.

    Join Today