Vice President Joe Biden to Speak at APA Annual Meeting

Vice President Joe Biden will address APA’s 167th Annual Meeting in New York City on Monday, May 5. He will deliver the William C. Menninger Memorial Convocation Lecture at 2 p.m. at the Javits Convention Center in Hall 3E, Level 3.

“We are delighted that Vice President Biden will join us at the APA annual meeting to address the psychiatric community on the important issues of how our country can best care for persons with mental illness and addictions,” said APA President Jeffrey Lieberman, M.D.

APA’s annual meeting runs from Saturday, May 3, to Wednesday, May 7.

“Vice President Joe Biden has been a long-time supporter of the importance of psychiatric research and access to care, and has been a leading voice on reducing the stigma of mental illness and bringing an end to the suffering it has caused,” said APA CEO and Medical Director Saul Levin, M.D., M.P.A. “We are honored that the Vice President has agreed to present the keynote lecture at this year’s annual meeting.”

Biden graduated from the University of Delaware and Syracuse Law School and served on the New Castle County Council. Then, at age 29, he became one of the youngest people ever elected to the United States Senate. As a Senator from Delaware for 36 years, Senator Biden established himself as a leader on some of our nation’s most important domestic and international challenges. As Chairman or Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee for 17 years, then-Senator Biden was widely recognized for his work on criminal justice issues including the landmark 1994 Crime Bill and the Violence Against Women Act. He has been at the forefront of issues and legislation related to terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, post-Cold War Europe, the Middle East, and Southwest Asia.

Now, as the 47th Vice President of the United States, Joe Biden has continued his leadership on important issues facing the nation. The Vice President was tasked with implementing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, helping to rebuild our economy and lay the foundation for a sustainable economic future. As part of his continued efforts to raise the living standards of middle-class Americans across the country, Vice President Biden has also focused on the issues of college affordability and American manufacturing growth, key priorities of the Administration.

While the convocation lecture will be presented on Monday afternoon, the Convocation of Distinguished Fellows will still be held that day at its regular time: 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. APA members and award recipients who are being honored this year will receive further instructions about the evening ceremonies. The convocation will be held in Hall 3E, Level 3, of the Javits Convention Center.

To accommodate the afternoon change in schedule and allow the largest number of attendees to hear Vice President Biden’s address, the scientific sessions and other meetings and events that were scheduled to occur at 2 p.m. will be moved to a later time that day. More information on the adjusted schedule will be emailed to meeting registrants, and information will be available on site at the Javits Convention Center and other locations where sessions will be held.

Those who plan to attend the Vice President’s address should arrive early so they have ample time to pass through security and obtain a seat, as seating will be limited. Live video feeds will also be available where scientific sessions and other events are being held at the New York Hilton, the Sheraton New York and Towers, the Marriott Marquis, as well as in several locations in the Javits Convention Center. This will allow those attending events in those facilities to watch the live feed without having to travel to the Javits Convention Center. The additional locations in the Javits Center will allow attendees to avoid the long lines and security checks to get into the room or if there are not enough seats in the room to accommodate all who want to hear the Vice President. Signs listing the exact locations for the live video feeds will be placed throughout the meeting venues. ■

For the latest news about APA’s annual meeting, follow @APAPsychiatric and #APAAM14. Registration information can be accessed here. Online registration closes on May 1; on-site registration begins Friday, May 2, at noon.