At the APA Board of Trustees meeting last month in Philadelphia, three district branch presidents-elect and the chair of a rapidly growing committee described some concerns their members have about their relationship with APA and ways in which that relationship could be enhanced.

A common theme expressed by presidents-elect Gustavo Alva, M.D., of the Orange County Psychiatric Society, Charles Price, M.D., of the Nevada Association of Psychiatric Physicians, Barbara Kennedy, M.D., Ph.D., of the Kentucky Psychiatric Association, and Oscar Perez, M.D., chair of the Committee of Hispanic Psychiatrists and president of the El Paso chapter of the Texas Society of Psychiatric Physicians, was the need for better communication and more resource sharing between the APA national office and its members throughout the country.

Speaking as leader of one of the smallest and least affluent district branches, Price described the problems he and his colleagues face in taking care of the organization’s business without the benefit of even a part-time staff person. He expressed his satisfaction that some financial aid is imminent since APA followed through on its commitment to share nondues revenue with the district branches and state societies. He also asked the Trustees to consider a mechanism by which APA would financially support local CME activities.

Alva focused on the time and money the California district branches have had to devote to a barrage of legislative initiatives, both favorable and unfavorable, for psychiatry. These include battles against the annual psychologist-prescribing bill and on behalf of parity legislation, which recently was enacted.

Kennedy also noted her district branch’s success in helping Kentucky legislators to pass a parity bill, though she and her colleagues are monitoring how the initiative is actually implemented. She also discussed complaints some members have registered about trying to contact APA headquarters and suggested it would help if APA supplied district branches with staff phone lists and areas of expertise.

Perez asked the Trustees to expand the charge of the Committee of Hispanic Psychiatrists, which they voted to do later during the meeting. He felt that the committee’s purview has been too limited and that it could provide valuable input to APA and Hispanic members in a variety of areas. He also urged district branches to set up their own committees for Hispanic members to work on more local concerns.