Candidates for Area 1 Trustee: Patricia R. Recupero J.D., M.D.

Advocacy for Mental Health in the Community The past five years have shown us how in moments thousands of lives can be changed by a terrorist attack, a tsunami, a hurricane, or an earthquake. These are difficult times, and psychiatrists must remain at the forefront of rebuilding efforts, helping to fight misconceptions and stigma so that victims may get help for wounds that bandages alone cannot heal. From Americans with family members serving overseas to Canadians concerned about the growing private medicine debate, families in our region need the support of the psychiatric community. As psychiatrists, we have an important role to play in helping others through these difficult times. As Area 1 trustee, it would be my privilege to serve this vibrant community and help APA to fight stigma while increasing visibility and respect for our profession.

Together, we can overcome the threats our profession faces. As your representative to APA, I will foster a relationship of openness and cooperation, working on consensus building to help bring about the changes so sorely needed in psychiatry. I will work to make APA's governance more transparent and more collaborative. I have a proven record for working with teams to effect important changes. In the '90s, I drafted a comprehensive utilization review statute with external review of managed care companies and worked aggressively to get the legislation passed. Combined with the Health Plan Regulation Act, which I also worked on, managed care in Rhode Island is now almost as regulated as health care. I used these laws as the prototype when I drafted APA's model legislation for the Council on Psychiatry and Law. Managed formularies currently pose a growing threat to our patients. APA should lead the way in finding solutions to problems such as managed formularies. We must also be prepared to respond instantly and effectively when scope-of-practice issues arise.

As psychiatrists, we must reclaim the respect our profession deserves. My service on the Financial Oversight Committee has given me new perspective on the tightrope we walk with our financial reliance on pharmaceutical company payments. We must work together to find a way to decrease our involvement with the drug industry to maintain our integrity. In my district branch, I, along with a coalition of community leaders, worked to pass two parity bills—the latest providing coverage for all disorders in the DSM. Together, we will fight discriminatory reimbursement for our work through legislative advocacy and by sending a strong message to combat stigma. We need strong leadership to counter public criticism of our profession by misinformed celebrities. I would be grateful for the opportunity to bring my experience and my legal training to the Board to help APA to work with legislators to enact similar legislation to advance our profession and secure the best interests of our patients. I will be a voice for consistent strong advocacy against stigma and for parity and reimbursement fairness.