August 6, 1999

APA and the Canadian Psychiatric Association (CPA) have signed a "Complementarity of Vision" statement celebrating their agreement to pursue shared goals.

Michael Myers, M.D., of Vancouver, British Columbia, is Area 7 trustee to APA's Board of Trustees and a member of the CPA. "We've always had very good communication between APA and CPA," said Myers. "But the new statement gives a more concrete framework for that." It may also enhance "continuing dialogue about the insurance-related problems that confront both American and Canadian psychiatrists," he added.

The statement notes that both associations share "a mutuality of concerns in advocating for the optimal care of the mentally ill in North America, as well as the essential roles of the psychiatrist in providing this care."

The statement identifies these common advocacy goals of the two associations:
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• Attainment of the highest possible standards of care for the mentally ill.


• Active promotion of the role of the psychiatrist in the care of the mentally ill.


• Recognition of the psychiatrist's competence derived from equivalent training in either country.


• Maintenance of the psychiatrist's competence through the mutual accreditation of continuing professional development.


• International research activities into the delivery of services to the mentally ill and the related activities of the psychiatrist.


• Demonstration to the business community and the public at large of the burden of mental illness and the possibility of building collaborative coalitions to manage this burden optimally.

The statement was approved by the CPA Board of Directors in September 1998 and by the APA Board of Trustees in December 1998. It was officially signed at a reception at the Canadian embassy in Washington, D.C., in May. The reception was attended by 350 people including outgoing APA President Rodrigo Muņoz, M.D., and incoming APA President Allan Tasman, M.D., as well as a number of former APA and CPA presidents. The president of the Mexican Psychiatric Association, Luis Ruiz Flores, M.D., also attended.