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May 7, 1999
Forty members of Congress accepted APA's invitation to a Capitol Hill reception during last month's Federal Legislative Institute, where they could meet psychiatrists from across the U.S. and discuss their views and agendas, including, APA hoped, issues impacting mental health and the practice of psychiatry.
APA's Federal Legislative Institute, organized by the Joint Commission on Government Relations and Division of Government Relations, and held every two years in Washington, D.C., provides an invaluable opportunity for district branch legislative representatives to learn the details of the current Congress's legislative agenda and ways they can have an impact on those issues.
About 115 psychiatrists and district branch executives representing 52 district branches participated in this year's institute, which was held April 11 to 14. They heard from key lawmakers whose decisions will affect the health care system in the U.S. for years to come. Among the critical issues addressed were insurance parity for mental illnesses, Medicare reform, patient protections and medical record confidentiality, and psychiatric research funding.
During one major segment of the institute, the psychiatrists visited with their representatives and senators and key congressional health policy staff-more than 300 in all-in their Capitol Hill offices. The visits followed a training session in which the staff of the APA Division of Government Relations (DGR) identified ways in which the participants could maximize the results of their advocacy efforts on the Hill.
This year's speakers included Rep. Jim McDermott (D-Wash.), Sen. Paul Wellstone (D-Minn.), and Surgeon General David Satcher, M.D.
"By any standard, this year's institute was a tremendous success," said DGR director Jay Cutler, J.D. "APA members did an outstanding job of advocating for our patients and representing APA on key issues such as patient protection, ERISA reform, mental illness parity, and research funding."
Here is a list of the members of Congress who attended the Federal Legislative Institute's reception last month: