Our Next Event
LGBTQ+ Mental Health: Challenges, Advocacy, and Clinical Considerations for Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Persons
- Wednesday, March 1
- 7:00 - 8:15 p.m. EST
- 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™
Panelists will discuss mental health inequities affecting transgender and nonbinary people and provide strategies for incorporating evidence-based gender-affirming mental health care into clinical psychiatric practice. In addition, panelists will provide an introduction to current topics relevant to the mental health of transgender and nonbinary people and raise awareness of resources to support psychiatrists in advocating for this population.
Learning Objectives
- Provide an overview of the mental health inequities affecting transgender and non-binary people.
- Identify the positive impact of gender-affirming mental health care and discuss best practices for incorporating gender-affirming care into clinical psychiatric practice.
- Examine the term “autogynephilia” and provide an introduction to the controversy surrounding its inclusion in the DSM.
- Explore recent legislation aiming to restrict/exclude the participation of transgender and non-binary persons in youth sports and explore the potential mental health implications of such an exclusion.
- Communicate to current and new advocates about APA's existing resources supporting the mental health of transgender and non-binary people and preview future APA endeavors to address mental health disparities affecting the LGBTQ+ community.
Panelists
(she/they) Psychiatrist and Chief Medical Officer at the Jed Foundation (JED)
Psychiatrist and Director of Psychiatry, Los Angeles LGBT Center (Moderator)
(they/them or he/him) Psychiatry Resident at the University of Pennsylvania
(they/them) Consultation Liaison Psychiatry Fellow, Mayo Clinic, Rochester
Deputy Medical Director & Chief, Division of Diversity and Health Equity American Psychiatric Association (Moderator)
Upcoming Events
LGBTQ+ Mental Health: Challenges, Advocacy, and Clinical Considerations for Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Persons
- March 1, 2023
- 7:00 - 8:15 p.m. EST
- 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™
- Register Here
Series Archives
Clinician Bias and Disparities in the Mental Health Treatment Continuum
February 21, 2023
Bias in clinical practice is a persistent cause of healthcare disparities, compounding the vulnerabilities of historically excluded populations such as those comprising minority ethnic populations, immigrants, the poor, low health-literacy individuals, sexual minorities, children, women, the elderly, the mentally ill, the overweight and the disabled. Implicit or unconscious provider biases impact the mental health treatment continuum at various stages including patient–provider interactions, treatment decisions, patient treatment adherence, and patient health outcomes. This webinar session will provide an analysis of the individual and institutional biases that manifest in mental health care and address these with cognitive and other strategies to mitigate their impact on patient populations.
Learning Objectives
- Gain insight into provider and institutional bias and discrimination as a driver of disparities in diagnosis and treatment.
- Examine relationships between implicit attitudes about racial/ethnic groups and health care outcomes.
- Explore approaches to reducing bias in clinical practice including egalitarian communication networks and other strategies to impart culturally competent clinician-patient interaction.
The Collaborative Care Model to Optimize Patient Outcomes in Mental Health Care
January 19, 2023
Systems-based integrated approaches, such as the Collaborative Care Model (CCM) have the potential to address disparities that stem from a lack of equal access to effective care. The Collaborative Care Model holds promise for closing the mental health treatment and outcome gap for at-risk populations, including low-income, racial and ethnic minorities, and rural and geriatric groups. Research has demonstrated the efficacy and effectiveness of CCM for the treatment of depression and anxiety, as well as improvement of treatment initiation, quality of care received and health outcomes for diverse populations. Panelists will describe the principles and evidence-based results of the Collaborative Care Model through a mental health equity lens.
Learning Objectives
- Deconstruct the components and principles of the Collaborative Care Model (CCM) and the research supporting its efficacy and effectiveness in mental health care.
- Analyze the impact of CCM on mental health care access, treatment quality and outcomes and its potential to address inequities among at-risk populations.
- Provide examples on practical implementation for practitioners, institutions, governments and communities.
- Evaluate emerging innovations (technology, cultural centering) applied in parallel with CCM frameworks.
Climate Change-Driven Mental Health Inequities
December 13, 2022
Inequality, climate-related disasters and ecological destruction, and adverse mental health outcomes are inextricably linked. Populations vulnerable to climate change-related impacts such as older adults, children, pregnant women, individuals experiencing homelessness, persons with behavioral health conditions, people with lower incomes, individuals with limited English proficiency, migrants or refugees, communities of color, and tribes and indigenous peoples are at a heightened risk of related negative psychosocial effects. Panelists will analyze the contributing factors to the compounded vulnerability of at-risk groups and address strategies for mobilizing climate justice and resilience.
Learning Objectives
- Analyze impacts of global climate change-related disasters on mental health of vulnerable groups.
- Understand the historical roots of transgenerational trauma that impact vulnerable populations facing current climate impacts.
- Understand unique psychological and behavioral responses of diverse populations and the role of mental health professionals in ameliorating climate anxiety.
- Learn how to apply disaster psychiatry principles to enhance community preparedness, resilience, and recovery.
Disentangling Race and Place and Their Implications on Mental Health Disparities
April 20, 2022
According to the Brookings Institution (2020), “prior to the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, nearly one in three Hispanic Americans and one in five Black Americans were uninsured, compared to about one in eight white Americans.” Mental health inequities and the resulting disparities amongst our diverse communities persist for a myriad of reasons, such as access to high-quality patient care, social and behavioral factors, and social policy. The panelists will tackle the issue of race in mental health care and the necessity for evidence-based research frameworks as avenues for removing inequities and barriers in mental health. This discussion will use an interdisciplinary approach through a medical, public health and social epidemiological lens.
Learning Objectives
- Examine social and environmental conditions that may impact the race differences in mental health inequalities.
- Adopt the inclusion of historically excluded communities in the research to practice pipeline to increase equity in mental health.
- Incorporate evidence-based interdisciplinary research and innovated frameworks to address mental health inequities and disparities.
- Integrate innovative tools and resources to better serve diverse communities with high-quality patient care and increased access to care
Exploring the Role of Genomics in Ameliorating Health Inequities
March 16, 2022
Join us for the upcoming webinar, Exploring the Role of Genomics in Ameliorating Health Inequities on Wednesday, March 16 at 7:00pm ET. Mental health equity in the context of genomics requires an understanding of how biology influences disease and how disease is influenced by biological and non-biological determinants of health (i.e., social determinants of health) in all populations. Successful implementation of genomic medicine will mean that all populations have equal, effective, and affordable access to genomic medicine and that diagnosis, prevention, and treatment strategies can target the bases of mental illness without bias for or against any group.
Learning Objectives
- Examine genomics and its role in mental health inequities.
- Adopt genomics into mainstream medical and public-health practices.
- Incorporate evidence-based interdisciplinary research and innovated frameworks to address mental health inequities and disparities.
- Integrate innovative tools and resources to better serve diverse communities with high-quality patient care and increased access to care.
123 Years Since W.E.B. Du Bois' Case Study…Social Determinants of Health Inequities Continue
February 24, 2022
Join us for the upcoming webinar, 123 Years Since W.E.B. Du Bois' Case Study…Social Determinants of Health Inequities Continue on Thursday, February 24 at 7:00pm ET. Panelists will first set the stage by underscoring how the social determinants of health impact the mental health of diverse communities, and then move this discussion towards “next steps.” What we need to do to ensure that SDOH are taken into consideration in the mental health arena. This discussion will use an interdisciplinary approach by incorporating a medical, public health and social epidemiological lens to the discussion.
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Mental Health of Indigenous Communities
November 30, 2021
Panelists will examine strategies and opportunities to improve the mental health of our Indigenous people during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The panelists will discuss the concerns of the communities and highlight solutions incorporating cultural humility and respect. In addition, they will raise awareness of other unique pandemic stressors facing the Indigenous communities.
Learning Objectives
- Provide an overview of the mental health inequities experienced by Native Americans due to assimilation and its current relation to the COVID -19 pandemic.
- Provide tools and resources that educate the Native American community about mental health, particularly for those who are diagnosed with and suffer from mental illness and substance use disorder.
- Communicate COVID-19 vaccine safety, particularly those who are diagnosed with and suffer from a mental illness and substance use disorder.
- Dispel COVID -19 misinformation through the lenses of practicing psychiatrists, a psychologist and advocates.
- Communicate to current and new advocates about APA's existing resources supporting physician involvement in patient care, as well as resources on safely increasing access to care.
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Mental Health of Latinas/os
October 4, 2021
Panelists will examine strategies and opportunities to improve the mental health of Latinas/os during and post pandemic and will raise awareness of the additional pandemic stressors facing this community such as unemployment, insurance benefits inequities, and social isolation.
Learning Objectives
- Provide an overview of the mental health inequities experienced by Latinos and its relation to the COVID-19 pandemic and how the virus has disproportionately sickened Hispanic Communities in the United States.
- Share Prevention programs and opportunities, leveraging resources such as community health workers to reach Hispanic populations.
- Communicate to current and new advocates about APA's existing resources supporting physician involvement in patient care and resources on safely increasing access to care.
The Mental Health of Asian-American and Pacific Islanders: Coalition-Building and Support During the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Rise of Xenophobia
May 17, 2021
Join APA for a webinar that will examine strategies and opportunities to improve the mental health of Asian-American and Pacific Islanders during the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of xenophobia. Prominent leaders in their respective fields will discuss policies, data, coalition-building, and resources to support and improve the safety and mental health of Asian-American and Pacific Islanders.
Learning Objectives
- Describe Mental health and physical inequities experienced by Asian-American and Pacific Islanders and their relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Apply in practice knowledge about COVID-19 vaccine misinformation through the lens of an elected official, researcher, and practicing psychiatrists.
- Use available Strategies and opportunities to navigate the physical and mental trauma being experienced by Asian-American and Pacific Islanders.
- Access APA's existing resources supporting physician involvement in patient care, as well as resources on safely increasing access to care.
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Mental Health of African Americans
April 8, 2021
Join APA for a two-part webinar series that will examine strategies and opportunities to improve the mental health of African Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic, while also raising awareness and building trust on the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine. Prominent leaders in their respective fields will discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of African Americans.
Part One, Open to the General Public
- COVID-19 vaccine safety, particularly considering those who are diagnosed with a mental illness and/or substance use disorder.
- Mental health inequities experienced by African Americans and their relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- COVID -19 vaccine misinformation through the lens of a researcher and a practicing psychiatrist.
Part Two, Member Log-In Required
- Mental health inequities experienced by African Americans and their relation to the COVID -19 pandemic.
- COVID -19 vaccine misinformation through the lens of a researcher and a practicing psychiatrist.
- APA's existing resources supporting physician involvement in patient care, as well as resources on safely increasing access to care.