The APA Presidential Task Force to Address Structural Racism Throughout Psychiatry was formed by APA President Dr. Jeffrey Geller in June 2020. Read the announcement of the task force here.

Jump to the following sections:

[Recommended Reading: A curated list of medical journal articles, news, media, websites, documents and books, recommended by our Task Force.]

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Charge of the Task Force

Focusing on organized psychiatry, psychiatrists, psychiatric trainees, psychiatric patients, and others who work to serve psychiatric patients, the Task Force is initially charged with:

1. Providing education and resources on APA’s and psychiatry’s history regarding structural racism;
2. Explaining the current impact of structural racism on the mental health of our patients and colleagues;
3. Developing achievable and actionable recommendations for change to eliminate structural racism in the APA and psychiatry now and in the future;
4. Providing reports with specific recommendations for achievable actions to the APA Board of Trustees at each of its meetings through May 2021; and
5. Monitoring the implementation of tasks 1-4.

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Task Force Membership

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Provide Input to the Task Force / Survey Results

The Task Force’s initial survey to gauge your impressions of the effects of structural racism on our patients has been completed. Future surveys will be listed here as they are launched.

Survey Results

Results from the initial Task Force Survey  

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Webinars

Future webinars planned by the Task Force will be included here.

SAVE THE DATE

APA Addresses Structural Racism Town Hall Part 2: The March Continues

•  August 24, 2020 | 8:00 – 9:30 p.m. ET

Join APA leadership and our esteemed panel for a virtual Member Town Hall on Monday, August 24, to commemorate the 57^th Anniversary of the March on Washington in August 1963. The March drew attention to the continuing challenges and inequalities faced by Black Americans a century after emancipation. It is also where Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his now-iconic “I Have a Dream” speech.

The Town Hall will examine:

• How the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement is an outgrowth of the civil rights initiatives reducing the inequalities faced by Black people and their families.
• Impact of racial injustices within APA and psychiatry.
• How far we still must go to address structural racism.

Panelists will join APA President Dr. Jeffrey Geller to discuss how structural racism plays a role in these inequalities and propose solutions to improve Black America’s mental health outcomes. Dr. Geller will also discuss the formation of the APA Presidential Task Force to Address Structural Racism Throughout Psychiatry, and its structure, charge, how members can provide feedback, and expected outcomes. Panelists and a registration link will be shared soon.

Member Town Hall: APA Addresses Structural Racism, Part One

•  June 5, 2020
•  Danielle Hairston, M.D.; Thea L. James, M.D.; Ayana Jordan, M.D., Ph.D.; Walter E. Wilson, Jr., M.D., M.H.A.; Jeffrey Geller, M.D., M.P.H.

These distinguished speakers discuss the ways in which APA can address structural racism, including the role of associations and allies in supporting this work. Panelists, including APA President Dr. Jeffrey Geller, shared their perspectives and participated in a Q&A session with APA members in a dialogue about the way forward for our organization.

Watch Recording 

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APA Position Statements

Clicking on the below links will download the .pdf Position Statements to your device for viewing.

• Position Statement on Resolution Against Racism and Racial Discrimination and Their Adverse Impacts on Mental Health 
• Position Statement on Diversity and Inclusion in the Physician Workforce 
• Position Statement on Police Brutality and Black Males 
• Position Statement on Police Interactions with Persons with Mental Illness 
• Position Statement on Xenophobia, Immigration, and Mental Health