DB Leaders Describe Initiatives

Jeffrey Chou, M.D., president-elect of the San Diego Psychiatric Society, and Thomas Dodson, M.D., president-elect of the Oregon Psychiatric Association, discussed district branch issues and concerns with APA Trustees at their October meeting.

Chou described the district branch's concern that a new psychologist-prescribing bill is likely to emerge soon in the California legislature, as it has several times in the past years, and cited its partnership with the California Psychiatric Association and California Medical Association to defeat the legislation. He also noted that the district branch faces serious financial problems and has raised member dues for the first time in more than a decade. On the up side, recruitment efforts contributed to a 10 percent increase in membership over the last five years.

He added that the district branch has begun planning for events it will hold in conjunction with APA's 2007 annual meeting, which is in San Diego.

Dodson, who reported by speaker-phone, noted the enactment of Oregon's new mental health parity law and the district branch's successful effort to kill a psychologist-prescribing bill. He and his colleagues are also involved in access-to-care issues and are looking at ways they can help shore up the state's deteriorating public mental health care system, “which has been hit very hard over the last 10 years,” he said. He too cited the value of a strong alliance between the district branch and the state medical society. ▪