Candidates for Secretary-Treasurer: David Fassler, M.D.

I am a child and adolescent psychiatrist practicing in Burlington, Vt. I am also a clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of Vermont College of Medicine. On a local level, I serve as the treasurer of the Vermont Psychiatric Association and as president of the Vermont Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

It has been an honor to serve as trustee-at-large for the past six years. In this capacity, Ive tried to focus on advocating for our members and our patients. I have served as a spokesperson for APA on a wide variety of clinical and research issues, including children and medication, emotional reactions to war and terrorism, the juvenile death penalty, and enhancing access to data from clinical trials. I have also testified on our behalf before the FDA and several congressional committees. As vice chair of our delegation to the AMA House of Delegates, I've helped secure support for our positions on parity, SCHIP, and psychologist prescribing. I also offered a resolution on the accuracy, validity, and reliability of scientific research. This resolution led the AMA to call for the development of a national registry of clinical trials, an initiative which quickly gained widespread support.

As a member of the APA Board, I chaired our Task Force on Parity, which was actively involved in supporting our advocacy efforts at both the state and federal levels. I also co-chaired a presidential initiative which helped focus attention on the incidence of psychiatric disorders on college campuses and the challenges associated with providing appropriate consultation and treatment services in such settings. As a trustee-at-large, I've also tried to enhance the collaboration and coordination between APA and other allied and advocacy organizations. In particular, I have worked with APA to develop joint testimony, amicus briefs, and position statements with the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, the American Medical Association, the American Society for Adolescent Psychiatry, Mental Health America, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness. I believe that such partnerships and joint efforts enhance our ability to achieve our larger goals and objectives.

My current priorities for APA are as follows:

I also believe it's entirely appropriate for APA to become involved with the larger social and political issues which face our society. I was particularly proud to watch and participate in the thoughtful dialogue and decision making process in both the Assembly and at the Board on the issue of physician involvement with interrogations. And I was pleased that our action formed the basis of the position subsequently adopted by the AMA.

I have very much enjoyed serving on the Board of APA. I believe I've been a consistent and effective spokesperson and advocate for the organization. I am honored to be running for the position of secretary/treasurer, and I'd welcome the opportunity to continue my efforts on behalf of our members, our patients, and our profession.