Folks,

Following are the UNOFFICIAL, INCOMPLETE, BRIEF notes from the Assembly meeting of May 15-17 in San Francisco. Keep in mind that Assembly actions are recommendations, not yet APA policy.

1. The major two clinical motions passed were to approve 1] the new wording of the Practice Guideline on Major Depressive Disorder and 2] the new wording of the Practice Guideline on Bipolar Disorder.
2. Voted to explore whether major allied organizations might be of help in keeping the APA Practice Guidelines current.
3. The 2008 saw the first drop in membership numbers in recent years. It appears that we will see an increase in the membership this year.
4. A decrease in revenue from publications and a decrease in revenue from the annual meeting are increasing the pressures on our budget. APA Headquarters has decreased their staff 9%.
5. The relations of the APA and pharmaceutical firms got considerable attention and passed the following motion: That the APA leadership continues to meet with appropriate representatives of the pharmaceutical industry to collaborative in seeking a modus Vivendi that recognizes the legitimate interests of each party.
6. Some of the DSM-IV-TR NOS criteria sets are vacuous. This Assembly approved of rewordings of the NOSs, and these recommendations will go the Board.
7. Voted that the APA develop a position on lifetime incarceration without the possibility of release for crimes committed as juveniles.
8. Voted that the APA develop a position on Children and guns.
9. Voted that physicians should be reimbursed for performing utilization review and other such activities.
10. Voted that APA adopt a document on Responsibilities of Training Programs for Psychiatric Residents and Fellows.
11. Voted that the APA website needed to be improved.
12. Voted that the APA develop an educational program on telepsychiatry.
13. Received with enthusiasm Dr. Sorel's report on the APA's position on the relationship of psychiatry and primary care physicians.
14. Voted that the APA write a position statement on use of BEAM, fMRI, PET, and SPECT.
15. Voted to reinstatement of the Committee on Psychiatric Dimensions of Disasters.
16. Elected Bruce Hershfield {MD & PA], Speaker-Elect, and Ann Sullivan [NY], Recorder.
17. Elected WPS's Hind Benjelloun Area III Early Career Psychiatrist Deputy Representative.

--Roger