The American Psychiatric Foundation awarded a $10,000 grant to the APA Office of Education to support special seminars in leadership and career development at the APA Institute on Psychiatric Services in New Orleans.

The foundation made this grant through the Abbott Laboratories Educational Fund, which was established with the foundation in 1995. The purpose of the fund is to provide capital for new educational initiatives that are of significant interest to psychiatry and are vital to the profession’s future.

The seminars were designed to improve the leadership skills of early career psychiatrists and expand their knowledge base in areas related to career development. The seminars are one part of a continuing effort by APA to provide education and other services related to career development.

Managed care, understanding and working in the APA governance structure, and the legal aspects of service delivery were the specific focus of these seminars.

Four seminars were held during the institute. Shumarry Chao, M.D., M.B.A., led seminars titled "The Fundamentals of Managed Care" and "Managed Care Implications for Mental Health."

David Kraus, J.D., M.P.H., led "Health Law and Managed Care Contracting," which provided an overview of key legal issues in health care such as professional liability and confidentiality. Miles Shore, M.D., led "Leadership and the Functioning of Organizations," which provided participants with insight into the tasks and tools of leadership, the management of change, the elements of strategy, and the characteristics of organizations that succeed and those that fail.

APA plans to conduct these special seminars again at next year’s institute in Philadelphia and is hoping to increase the number and range of topics.