CANDIDATE FOR AREA 7 TRUSTEE: Constance Powell, M.D.

I am a grassroots advocate. I believe APA must support our members at the grassroots level. A measure of success for APA is the value we provide the psychiatrist in his or her work with patients across a range of settings. I have been a psychiatrist in private practice in Portland, Ore., for 20 years and truly love to see patients, some of whom I have known since I started practice.

As the Area 7 representative, I have had the privilege of working with an outstanding group of district branch representatives on a DB Sustainability Project. Our Area DBs have unique challenges because of expansive geography and limited workforce. The Council has developed, with the help of APA staff, an Area 7 Resource Handbook that is updated to reflect requests of the DBs. We hold joint meetings with DB Executive Committees and provide programs they request, making APA resources available to them, as they need them. Our Area 7 Council is effective because of our ongoing efforts to communicate with our district branches.

I have been active in my district branch since residency. I served as first chair of the Member Assistance Committee, which developed and followed protocols for responding to members in difficulty. I subsequently served as first chair of the Private Practice Committee and served on the Legislative Committee. Advocating for parity with the state legislature has been a focus of my district branch work. For this work, I was recognized with the Oregon Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Services Award of Excellence and the NAMI Oregon Award for Partners in Leadership.

As chair of my State Medical Association Mental Heath Task Force, I conducted a survey of psychiatrists and primary care physicians, asking about the mental health needs of their patients. This work provided a platform for the unanimously supported House of Delegates resolution making mental health parity the first priority of the state association. We asked physicians what they needed to serve their patients, and tried to provide it. For this work, I was recognized with an Oregon Medical Association Presidential Citation for Mental Health Advocacy.

I was honored to be elected president of my state medical association, the second psychiatrist to serve in this position. As president, I recruited psychiatrists for committees and the governance structure. I held the first strategic planning effort in 35 years, beginning with the organizational priorities provided by the full House of Delegates. Implementation of this planning is ongoing and has given the broader membership greater voice. I believe we psychiatrists must actively advocate for all aspects of health for our patients. I have represented the medical association with legislative testimony on parity, tort reform, and scope of practice. I have just completed a second term on my county medical society board and continue to serve on my state medical society board. I am also an alternate delegate to the AMA Section Council on Psychiatry.

My work in the public sector has been volunteer. I chaired the Institutional Review Board of the Oregon State Mental Health Division for seven years. I have served as the physician representative on state and local task forces charged to recommend health system design: Governor's Safety Net Advisory Council, Governor's Mental Health Task Force, County Mental Health Task Force, County Mental Health Redesign Team.

APA represents diverse interests, each with a legitimate voice to be heard? and considered in determining policy and activities. I am confident I have the experience and skills needed to represent the unique position of Area 7 to our colleagues on the Board of Trustees. I would very much like the privilege of representing you. I ask for your vote.