News Releases

Celebrating 175 Years Since the Founding of the American Psychiatric Association

On Oct. 16, 1844, 13 superintendents of U.S. institutions for people with mental illness came together in Philadelphia for a four-day meeting that led to the creation of the Association of Medical Superintendents of American Institutions for the Insane. It was the first national medical society in the U.S. In 1892, the Association’s name was changed to the American Medico-Psychological Association, and in 1921, it became the American Psychiatric Association (APA).

Study Finds Long-Term Mental Health Benefits of Gender-Affirming Surgery for Transgender Individuals

For transgender individuals, gender-affirming surgery can lead to long-term mental health benefits, according to new research published online today in The American Journal of Psychiatry. The study found that among transgender individuals with gender incongruence, undergoing gender-affirming surgery was significantly associated with a decrease in mental health treatment over time.

Nation’s Top Child-Focused Organizations Strongly Urge California Federal Court to Oppose Trump Administration’s Move to End Flores Settlement

On behalf of a coalition of the nation’s leading organizations dedicated to protecting the health and welfare of children, Arent Fox LLP filed an amicus brief in the US District Court for the Central District of California in support of the Plaintiff in Jenny Lisette Flores, et al., v. William Barr, Attorney General of the United States, et al. More than 20 organizations adamantly oppose the Trump Administration’s new regulations that overturn protections guaranteed to immigrant children under the Flores Settlement Agreement.

Joint Statement of America’s Frontline Physicians Opposing Final Rule Rolling Back Protections in Flores Settlement Agreement

The Department of Homeland Security issued a final regulation that would roll back critical protections for immigrant families established under the Flores Settlement Agreement. In response, the American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American College of Physicians, and American Psychiatric Association issued this statement:

APA Statement on the Administration’s Decision to End the Flores Settlement Agreement

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) is deeply concerned with the administration’s decision to end the Flores Settlement Agreement, and issued the following statement from APA President Bruce Schwartz, M.D.

Health Care Coalition Commends Administration’s Actions to Modernize SUD Treatment Privacy Law and Enhance Coordinated Care and Safety

The Partnership to Amend 42 CFR Part 2 (Partnership), a coalition of nearly 50 health care organizations committed to aligning 42 CFR Part 2 (Part 2) with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) for the purposes of treatment, payment, and health care operations (TPO), issued the below statement today in response to the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM), “Coordinating Care and Information Sharing in the Treatment of Substance Use Disorders,” released by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Joint Statement of America’s Frontline Physicians Opposing Public Charge Final Rule

The Department of Homeland Security issued a final regulation that changes long-standing rules governing how and whether immigrants can be determined to be a “public charge;” widens the scope of programs considered by the government in making such a determination; and serves as a barrier to accessing health care for legal immigrants, as doing so can now serve as a basis for denying individuals green cards or U.S. visas. In response, the American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Osteopathic Association, American College of Physicians, and American Psychiatric Association, collectively representing more than 597,000 of America's frontline physicians, issued this statement:

APA Joins Call to Action to Prevent Firearm-Related Injury and Death

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) today joined six other physician and health professional organizations in calling for action to address the public health epidemic of firearm-related injury and death. In 2017, nearly 40,000 people died as a result of a firearm, a 20-year high, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Providing Veterans with Video-Enabled Tablets Leads to Improved Mental Health Care Access

Veterans Health Administration (VHA) program that provides tablets to veterans with mental health conditions leads to improved access and continuity of care. A new study published online in Psychiatric Services in Advance finds that video-enabled tablets can improve mental health care access for patients who experience barriers because of geographic, social, or health-related circumstances.

APA Condemns Loss of Life from Gun Violence, Disputes Link to Mental Illness

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) today condemns the senseless loss of lives from gun violence that has become all too common in this country, most recently in mass shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio.

Media Contacts

Glenn O'Neal, 202-459-9732
press@psych.org

Erin Connors, 202-609-7113
econnors@psych.org