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APA is offering a new membership discount in a joint venture with the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP). Psychiatrists who belong to one of the organizations and want to join the other save $50 off the initial dues payment. Psychiatrists who don't belong to either organization can join both and save $100.
Kristine Bieg, directoetr of APA's Office of Membership, told Psychiatric News, "The main purpose of the discount offer is to encourage child psychiatrists to join both organizations and see the benefits and relevance of each. Psychiatrists who join APA have the opportunity to be involved in organized psychiatry in general and have an impact on issues that affect their specialty and the profession."
AACAP Treasurer Ted Petty, M.D., told Psychiatric News, "It's exciting that both organizations can support each other at a time when psychiatrists are struggling to make ends meet and the pressure to pay for multiple memberships is increasing. This recruitment offer is a way to help nonmembers belong and participate."
According to a recent analysis of the joint discount offer by a consulting firm, about 2,000 APA members board certified in child and adolescent psychiatry or interested in child psychiatry do not belong to AACAP. About an equal number of AACAP members do not belong to APA. Moreover, 895 psychiatrists board certified in child and adolescent psychiatry or interested in child psychiatry belong to neither organization.
The joint dues membership offer is the latest in a series of collaborative activities between APA and AACAP. Joint efforts since last year include the revision and publication of Level of Care Placement Criteria for Acute Psychiatric Illness, the development of the 1997 CPT Codes Survey for Relative Value Units (RVUs), reciprocal referral of calls regarding managed care issues (for example, child cases to AACAP and adult cases to APA), practice guidelines/parameters on eating disorders and ADHD, and lobbying on several legislative issues.
Membership information about APA can be obtained by calling the Answer Center at (888) 35-PSYCH or visiting APA's Web site at