Pennsylvania Psychiatrists - February 2019

PENNSYLVANIA

FEBRUARY 2019

P S YC H I AT R I S T NEWSLETTER OF THE PENNSYLVANIA PSYCHIATRIC SOCIETY

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

by Ahmad Hameed, MD, DFAPA PaPS President

Dear Colleagues, I hope that you have had a blessed holiday season and that you and your families are doing well.

Irrespective of the fact whether we are in private practice or academic psychiatry, we are going through a phase where our services are needed by all and the resources provided to us are limited. We are trying to find a balance between the two, so that we can provide the best possible care to our patients. In addition, if we are affiliated with academic psychiatry, we are also trying to produce the future leaders in community and academic psychiatry. Your Society and its leadership continue to work to protect our present and future interests. We would request that all members try to participate in our Society’s activities regularly. We would also request you to encourage your friends and colleagues who are psychiatrists and are not members of the Society to join the Pennsylvania Psychiatric Society. We need to join hands and unite to ensure that we provide the best possible care to our patients and to protect our interests.

During the last few months your Executive Committee has worked very hard to present a budget which was fair to all. During this process we focused on finding a balance between our future plans and our financial responsibilities. I am glad to say that the Council agreed to a budget which fulfilled our mission. We also developed the budgetary process so that all members of the Executive Committee are directly involved in all aspects of budgetary planning. We hope that the processes we have established will be beneficial for the future leadership of our Society.

In addition, I would like to share with you an important development that occurred a few weeks ago. The PA Civil Procedural Rules Committee (Committee) proposed changes to the rules governing appropriate venue in medical professional liability actions, which would expand the possible venues where a medical liability action can be initiated. The Committee published their proposal in Pennsylvania Bulletin during the holiday break. The Pennsylvania Psychiatric Society, with the Pennsylvania Medical Society, our medical specialty colleagues, and the Hospital and Health System Association of Pennsylvania, oppose these changes. We encourage all members to contact their legislators and express their opposition to this change. In addition, the Civil Procedural Rules Committee must receive comments from all stakeholders by February 22nd in order to be officially on the record. To send your comments to the Committee, you can go to the PAMED website and express your opinion on these suggested rule changes. The address to the website is www.pamedsoc. org/VenueRule.

As always, with your support and guidance we will continue to work to improve psychiatric and mental health services in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Warmest Regards, Ahmad Hameed, MD, DFAPA

Ahmad

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EDITOR’S COLUMN

2 | A DNA-Cousin’s Book 3 | Activity Update 4 | STATEMENT: Ruling on PA’s Attempt to Take $200 Million From Medical Liability Organization 5 | Update on Extreme Risk Protection Order Activity 6 | Act Now to Protect the Practice of Medicine from Proposed Medical Liability Change of Venue* Actions!

7 | Wellness Taskforce 8 | Chapter Highlights 10 | APA’s 2019 Federal Advocacy Conference

Don’t miss what PaPS is working on for you! Check out the Activity Update.

Stay connected with PaPS and follow us

@PA_PsychSociety on TWITTER!

A DNACousin’s Book

by Edward C. Leonard, Jr., MD, DLFAPA I learned of Humanology: A Scientist’s Guide to Our Amazing Existence because of my interest in its author, Luke O’Neill, PhD. My DNA test by 23andMe showed him to share small segments of two chromosomes with me. We probably have a common ancestor about five generations back. Does commenting on a book by a possible fourth cousin require a conflict declaration? Not that I might like him too much, but I am disappointed that he hasn’t responded to my requests for data about his ancestors.

This book explores twenty intriguing issues, and O’Neill tries to describe the science behind each one. This comes naturally to a Professor of Biochemistry (Trinity College, Dublin) who scores in the top 1% of most-cited researchers in his field of immunology and who was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. His research team recently focused on itaconate, a byproduct of the Krebs Cycle that acts as an anti-inflammatory “off-switch” for macrophages, perhaps in several of my diseases. Maybe it’s better for my future health that he sticks to his day job and ignores genetic genealogy.

He has many interests. His book is an outgrowth of several years of weekly appearances on Pat Kenny’s Dublin radio talk show where he chats about almost anything scientific. Audio recordings can be found on the web, and listeners will find Luke O’Neill to be a fast-talking, self-assured Irishman who looks for humor or absurdity everywhere. His jokes can be outrageous, and he surely qualifies for a black belt in the martial art of snark.

Each chapter teaches something important about human development in memorable fashion. “Will We Become Extinct?” balances this guide to everyone’s life by discussing the frightening extinction events that humans survived or thrived on. “Will We Stop All Disease?” shows our progress in treating the 7,000 human diseases.

“I Want You, I Want You So Bad: The Science of Finding Love” presents samples of the relatively poor understanding of age-old techniques of mate selection. Another chapter, “Superhumans Real and Imagined,” discusses 23andMe’s patent for a “Family Traits Inheritance Calculator,” which could guide rational selection of a sperm or egg donor. The Calculator is not available yet, but O’Neill’s DNA showed a sensitivity to warfarin, a higher risk of blindness in old age and a distant relationship to Susan Sarandon.

Humanology is a fun book about a score of interesting subjects complemented by some seriously solid science. Give it a try.

2

P E N N S Y LV A N I A P S Y C H I AT R I S T | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

by Deborah Shoemaker, Executive Director and Lobbyist

ACTIVITY UPDATE

Making sure that 2019 is not the year of “almost” We live in a world of “almost”- almost famous, almost rich, almost pregnantyou name it. So far, this year has been the “almost” year for me. According to my kids, I am “almost” 50. I “almost” have a son ready for college. We “almost” or “just about” started a new two-year legislative session. The Eagles “almost” made it further in the playoffs. In an “almost” year so far, how can we become more definitive?

My father used to say that being close was only okay in horseshoes and hand grenades. But in politics, “almost” generally is not a good thing. Taking a stand against injustice is never an “almost” issue.

The APA has taken strong stances against the federal government shutdown, against Administration immigration policies and against court battles to overturn the Affordable Care Act. It is our time to actproactively- and not as an afterthought.

The 2019-2020 legislative session officially began on January 2nd.

The House has a new Majority Leader who is a friend to psychiatry: Representative Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster). Cutler, a former radiology technician and health care attorney by trade, often supports our battles against medical malpractice and healthcare disparities. When we fought against unfettered access by law enforcement to the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, Cutler worked with us until the end. I look forward to working with him as important issues arise of interest to your profession.

The commonwealth also has a new Lieutenant Governor: John Fetterman. Fetterman learned early in his life to give back to his fellow man. He joined AmeriCorps and applied those experiences in his role as Mayor of Braddock. Following in the governor’s footsteps on public service, he has decided to forgo living in the Lieutenant Governor’s Mansion at Fort Indiantown Gap. He is not an “almost” guy, jumping in with both feet. His appearance is not your traditional politician, which, in my opinion is a good thing. He towers over people at 6 foot, 8 inches tall. He does not wear suits, abhors them. His shaved head and tattoos make him look like more like a badass than a politician. He has two tattoos: one is the zip code for Braddock (15104), the other is a list of dates. Of importance is that those dates are not random: they are dates when citizens of Braddock died as a result of violence. This is a refreshing change to see, and most definitively not an “almost.” We are in for a wild ride.

Early this year, there are two issues presenting themselves that will make us move past “almost” affecting change: fighting against proposed changes to the rules governing appropriate venue in medical professional liability actions and the enactment of Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) legislation.

Protecting Your Medical Practice Against Change of Venue Action Over the past few weeks, we have been working closely with our friends at the PA Medical Society, our medical specialty colleagues, the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of PA, other healthcare

related organizations, public health advocates, and even civil reform advocates to fight a potentially huge medical liability injustice. Simply put, the Civil Procedural Rules Committee (Committee) has proposed changes to the rules governing appropriate venue in medical professional liability actions, which would expand the possible venues where a medical liability action can be initiated. The Committee published their proposal in the Pennsylvania Bulletin during the holiday season, when often stakeholders are not checking potential action. Collectively, this group has acted QUICKLY. A stakeholder call was held in early January to plot our grassroots strategy. An emergency Capitol rally was held on Wednesday, January 30th, to express opposition to the proposed initiative.

Most importantly, the Committee must receive stakeholder comments

by February 22nd, in order to be officially on the record. THIS IS NOT AN “ALMOST” ISSUE. PAMED has made it easy for our members to comment. Go to www.pamedsoc.org/VenueRule to learn more. You can download an executive summary, comprehensive overview, key talking points, as well as an online way to act. If you prefer to get PDFs of these versions, please let me know. Here is a link to the comment page: https://www.pamedsoc.org/venue-rule-change/comment.

With a few clicks, you can fill out an online form that will send your comments right to the Committee. Please personalize your comments as your personal stories will be the most impactful.

Opportunity to Positively Change the Firearm Discussion Proposed legislation to create Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs) to ensure that the rights of individuals with mental health needs are protected throughout the gun revocation/restorative process was “almost” considered by the full House last session. ERPOs are considered an alternative to the 302-commitment process. The proposed legislation was introduced late Spring of 2018, and with stakeholders such as the National Rifle Association (NRA) expressing concerns, the bill was not enacted prior to the end of the two-year session.

In preparation for another crack at getting this initiative across the finish line, we sprung to action. I highlighted many of our grassroots advocacy efforts in my last article. Representative Todd Stephens has been more proactive this time, enlisting the support of his friends to “get the word out” to potential stakeholders. Since the focus of this proposed legislation is public health/reduction of suicide, there will be a different strategy, different focus, different players. I have been getting the word out to as many of my colleagues as possible to support this effort. I have been working closely with the APA to get research and information from the states that enacted legislation.

Dr. Certa and Dr. Gutman have been superstars, reaching out to their colleagues at the APA, AMA, PAMED, other medical specialties, and within our own field to get the word out and to prepare for a smoother ride this time.

As of this writing, the co-sponsorship memo is “almost” out there. It is our understanding that the proposed legislation will be the amended version of former House Bill 2227. I will distribute the proposed legislation and other accompanying documents as they are available.

It is “almost’ time to act. Please stand ready to assist when the call to P E N N S Y LV A N I A P S Y C H I AT R I S T | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

3

action is made. Although enacting this legislation is a long shot via NRA opposition, rest assured we will work to get this across the finish line.

In other related news, Lieutenant Governor Fetterman has begun a listening tour on the merits of legalizing marijuana. He and the governor are committed to hearing all points of view before action is taken. Although the administration is leaning towards strong support of this initiative, they are watching closely what our bordering states will be doing this year. Unless I am totally off base, this is not an “almost” issue for us. We have at least one expert that represents us with the governor’s office with vigor and professionalism: Marina Goldman, MD. As this issue continues to evolve, be prepared to act.

The next couple of weeks will be lively, setting the stage for the rest of this year’s legislative efforts. Governor Wolf presented his first

budget address since taking his second oath on Tuesday, February 5th.

Comments on the change of venue are due on February 22nd. Budget hearings to scrutinize the governor’s proposals begin in mid-February to early March. When the state legislature comes back in late spring, the pace is fast and furious until June 30th (the constitutional deadline to pass the state budget). And that is just what is going on here around the commonwealth. The federal government shutdown is over… for now. So, buckle up, it will be a bumpy ride.

I encourage all of you to get involved in some level of grassroots involvement. At a minimum, comment on the change of venue.

Opportunities exist all over the place. If you need help finding those chances, contact me via email or via phone at 1-800-422-2900. No matter what you decide to do, please do not make 2019 an “almost” year.

STATEMENT: Ruling on PA’s Attempt to Take $200 Million From Medical Liability Organization HARRISBURG (12/19/18) – The following is a statement from Danae Powers, MD, president of the Pennsylvania Medical Society.

“The Pennsylvania Medical Society (PAMED) applauds the U.S. District court’s ruling this week that blocks the Commonwealth from taking more than $200 million from the Pennsylvania Professional Liability Joint Underwriting Association (JUA).

This landmark decision keeps alive a stabilizing force in Pennsylvania’s medical liability insurance market – protecting physicians in high-risk specialties and the patients they serve.

Between 2016-18, the state made three attempts to balance its budget by taking money from the JUA. Luckily, the transfer never took place.

The JUA and PAMED strongly advocated against this on behalf of Pennsylvania physicians.

In July 2018, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania issued an order granting the JUA’s request for a preliminary injunction. The JUA subsequently filed a motion for summary judgment seeking permanent injunctive relief.

PAMED filed an amicus brief in support of the JUA, arguing that the move was unconstitutional. In this week’s ruling, the court says Act 41 of 2018 violates the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

The JUA was created by state law. However, it receives no money from the Commonwealth and never has.

Monies paid to the JUA by physicians and other health care providers should be used for the intended purpose of insuring against medical professional liability claims. Any attempt to seize money from this private, non-profit organization would have been inappropriate and left Pennsylvania patients and physicians at a disadvantage when the fund was needed.”

4

P E N N S Y LV A N I A P S Y C H I AT R I S T | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

Update on Extreme Risk Protection Order Activity Alisa R. Gutman, MD, PhD We lose one Pennsylvanian every four hours to suicide. Due to the high lethality of firearms, half of all suicides in Pennsylvania and nationwide are by firearm. The firearm suicide rate in Pennsylvania has increased 30% over the past decade, tracking with national data from CDC that suicide rates overall have been increasing for the past 2 decades.

Unfortunately, many individuals at risk for suicide never make their way into our offices. Furthermore, even when we are concerned about a patient’s potential risk of self-harm, they may not meet criteria for involuntary hospitalization, and we are powerless to effectively intervene.

A growing number of states have enacted risk-based gun violence laws in an effort to reduce both firearm suicides and violence against others. Pennsylvania House Bill 2227 of the 2017 – 2018 session would have established Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs), which are a means of temporarily removing firearms from individuals demonstrating behavioral risk factors for harming themselves or

others. This extreme-risk legislation is one of many essential steps towards improving safety in the U.S., where rates of gun violence for both suicide and violent crimes far exceed international norms. A growing body of research supports the role of ERPOs in public safety.

Data from a similar risk-based, gun removal law in Connecticut shows that for every 10-20 risk-warrants issued, one suicide was prevented.

Extreme-risk laws have now been enacted in 13 states with an increase over the past year in the wake of several public mass shootings.

As psychiatrists in Pennsylvania, we have the opportunity to educate our own legislators about suicide risk and the potential impact of an ERPO law in our state. The Pennsylvania Psychiatric Society has submitted a letter to the House in support of House Bill 2227. I urge all Pennsylvania psychiatrists to consider writing to your Representatives in support of this important legislation. As the bill is reintroduced, Deb Shoemaker, our executive director, will provide details.

Welcome New Members We welcome the following new PaPS members and congratulate those Members-In-Training who have recently achieved General Member status (effective October 1, 2018 – December 31, 2018).

CENTRAL General Member Alison R. Swigart, MD Life Fellow Mohen Bohjwani, MD LEHIGH VALLEY Members in Training Milena Goldschmidt, MD General Members Maggie M. Driscoll, MD Distinguished Fellow Bonard Moise, MD

PITTSBURGH Members in Training Lauren E. Andrews, MD Katherine Fu, MD Monique E. Simpson, MD General Members Umesh R. Chakunta, MD Iuliana Predescu, MD Rebecca Roma, MD Daniel Todd, DO PHILADELPHIA Members in Training Reid T. Alley, MD

Azka Bilal, MD Catherine M. Boylan, MD Thomas R. Campi, MD Tyler J. Fleming, DO, MPH Clay R. Gueits, MD Michael W. Iovacchini, DO Shivani Devi Jain, MD Karina Martinez Juarez, MD Manisha Kamat, MD Shahnaz A. Kasmani, MD Aqsa M. Malik, MD Gideon L. Matzkin, MD Shuai Shao, MD Stephen Tyler Veterano, DO

Life Member Albert A. Kaplan, MD General Members Amy M. Bebawi, DO Aurelia N. Bizamcer, MD Julie L. Furst, MD Heather V. John, MD Daniel D. Kim, MD Kurt Miceli, MD Jennifer C. Ruane, MD Kathryn Zagrabbe, MD WESTERN General Member Willis Leavitt MD

P E N N S Y LV A N I A P S Y C H I AT R I S T | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

5

ACT NOW TO PROTECT THE PRACTICE OF MEDICINE FROM PROPOSED MEDICAL LIABILITY CHANGE OF VENUE* ACTIONS! *Please note venue refers to change in county where lawsuit can be filed.

The Civil Procedural Rules Committee (Committee) has proposed changes to the rules governing appropriate venue in medical professional liability actions, which would expand the possible venues where a medical liability action can be initiated.

The Pennsylvania Psychiatric Society (PaPS/Society) has joined a coalition led by the Pennsylvania Medical Society (PAMED) to oppose this rule change.

You MUST act now — EVERY physician, EVERY health care professional, EVERY patient! The only way to stop the rule change is to flood the Committee with personal comments by the February 22nd deadline. Help stop this threat before it becomes a crisis.

Why should I care?

Simply put: Your medical liability premiums could rise. Patient care will suffer.

All Pennsylvania physicians and patients would be affected by the consequences of this proposed rule if it is adopted.

You say all Pennsylvania physicians, but I don’t think this applies to me.

Think again!

• If you’re a young physician, you likely don’t remember the early 2000s when Pennsylvania was during a medical liability crisis – physicians were leaving the state in droves, leaving patients without their trusted physician, many of whom had long-standing relationships, and medical liability premiums were going up statewide. This proposed rule change would take us back to that time, and sometimes, as is the case here, the good old days weren’t so good.

• If you’re an employed physician, your hospital or health system likely pays your medical liability premiums. But this change would cause rates to increase, and that money must come from somewhere – your compensation, patient care innovations and other improvements, your employer only paying a percentage of your liability premiums and requiring you to pay the rest?

PAMED’s resources make it easy to share your comments with the Committee.

Go to www.pamedsoc.org/VenueRule to learn more. You can download an executive summary, comprehensive overview, key talking points, as well as an online way to act. If you prefer to get PDFs of these versions, please contact our Deborah Ann Shoemaker, our executive director at dshoemaker@pamedsoc.org.

Here is a link to the comment page: https://www.pamedsoc.org/venue-rule-change/comment. With a few clicks, you can fill out an online form that will send your comments right to the Committee. Please personalize your comments as your personal stories will be the most impactful.

NOTE: although we encourage membership in PAMED, you do not have to be a member to use these documents.

A coalition of numerous stakeholder groups (including AARP, medical specialty organizations, insurers, the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of PA [HAP] and numerous healthcare provider organizations) has been created to develop a comprehensive grassroots strategy to fight vs. this proposed rule change.

Rest assured, your Society is working diligently on this important issue. However, YOUR VOICE MUST BE HEARD as there is power in numbers. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you need any additional information or have any questions. This topic will be the primary focus of PAMED’s Specialty Leadership Cabinet on February 5th.

It is our pleasure to serve you within the leadership of PAMED. Let’s show that the house of medicine stands unified in fighting this injustice.

Michael Feinberg, MD, PhD, DLFAPA- Psychiatric Trustee to PAMED Board of Directors Kenneth M. Certa, MD, DFAPA- Psychiatric Representative to PAMED’s Specialty Leadership Cabinet

6

P E N N S Y LV A N I A P S Y C H I AT R I S T | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

By: Elizabeth Ramsey, DO Happy New Year! The Pennsylvania Psychiatric Society recently formed a Physician Wellness Taskforce to help our members optimize wellness and quality of life in order to thrive as physicians and psychiatrists.

This follows the American Psychiatric Association’s recent focus on psychiatrist well-being and burnout. To maintain that focus more locally, our taskforce resolved to start a newsletter column to provide wellness tips to members. Several key topics of particular interest to our members include physician wellness, physician burnout, physician suicide, time management, EHR management, and physicians going through a lawsuit. Be on the lookout for an informative column in each newsletter.

Six Tips on Emotional Wellness from an Early Career Psychiatrist 1. Take vacations/travel. Yes, you need more than one per year!

Increasing numbers of physicians are employed by organizations that offer paid vacation. If you have three weeks of paid vacation per year, use all three weeks! Plan trips in advance so you have something to look forward to.

2. Attend conferences. Conferences and CME events, such as the State Education Meeting and your chapter’s Dinner and a Movie, meet mandatory education requirements while allowing collegiality without the pressure of work. Put on your best networking shoes and enjoy the non-office time with your colleagues.

WELLNESS TASKFORCE 3. Engage in a hobby or meaningful activity. Pursue a passion outside of the office. This will improve your overall happiness and afford additional fulfillment. These activities also promote mindfulness which reduces stress.

4. Build supportive relationships. Family and friends are our backbones and their emotional support is invaluable. Relationships with mentors or supervisors may also help reduce stress by providing validation of clinical care and support for particularly difficult cases. Take time to nurture these relationships.

5. Implement a weekly personal day. We are plagued by constant connectivity to work via the internet. Create a clear boundary between work and home at least one day a week.

Disconnect from the EHR and email and enjoy time with family, engaging in a hobby, or completing another meaningful activity.

6. Psychotherapy. Ever feel depressed, anxious, overwhelmed, or like you get in your own way? A good psychotherapist will assist you with identifying problematic thoughts or behaviors then help you change them. Managing stress and change requires introspection, practice, and persistence. Treatment works.

Do you have a particular passion for any of these topics or do you have another topic in mind? If so, please send us your comments.

Secretary Rachel Levine Receives the Jacob Javits Award for Public Service Pennsylvania Department of Health Secretary Rachel Levine, MD, was presented the American Psychiatric Association’s Jacob K. Javits Award for Public Service at our annual Patient Safety and Risk Management meeting this past November.

Named for former U.S. Senator Jacob Javits of New York, this award is given annually to lawmakers or other policymakers who have demonstrated distinguished leadership in supporting psychiatric medicine and mental health advocacy. Drs. Kenneth Certa and Ahmad Hameed, PaPS Government Relations Committee co-chairs, nominated Secretary Levine for this award.

The 2018 Javits Award recognizes Secretary Levine’s tireless dedication, commitment and achievements in protecting the rights of people with mental illness. As a practicing physician with a specialty in pediatrics and eating disorders for more than three decades, Levine understands firsthand the needs of the mental health community.

Dr. Anita Everett, former APA President, along with Deborah Ann Shoemaker, our executive director, and Dr. Rajnish Mago, PaPS Education Committee chair, presented the award to her during the meeting.

Pictured are (left to right): Rajnish Mago, MD, Anita Everett, MD, Rachel Levine, MD and Deborah Shoemaker

P E N N S Y LV A N I A P S Y C H I AT R I S T | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

7

CHAPTER HIGHLIGHTS

CENTRAL CHAPTER President Update | Kawish Garg, MD, FAPA 2018 was another successful year for the CPPS chapter. In April, PRMS gave a CME presentation titled “Psychopharmacology – Risk Management and Legal Implications of Prescribing.” Our annual Residents’ Night was held in August at the Colonial Golf & Tennis Club. A poster session was added this year, and we had four residents present seven posters. The posters were judged, and awards were presented to the top three posters presenters: 1st Place: Nazhut Hussain, MD | Penn State Hershey Medical Center 2nd Place: Nazhut Hussain, MD | Penn State Hershey Medical Center 3rd Place: Mohammed Basith, MD | Penn State Hershey Medical Center In October the chapter watched “United States of Leland” during our dinner and a movie CME event. In December the chapter held its Annual Holiday Social event. During the evening two awards were presented. The Presidential Award was presented to Dr. Kathleen Dougherty, and our service recognition award was presented to “We Matter Coalition.”

Following is more information on both of our 2018 awardees.

Pictured are (left to right): Kawish Garg, MD; Kathleen Dougherty, MD; Ahmad Hameed, MD Dr. Kathleen Dougherty moved to Hershey from Cleveland, Ohio, in 1990 to join the Hershey Medical Center and College of Medicine and began her involvement with the Central Pennsylvania Psychiatric Society at the first meeting after her arrival, bridging years of separation between the two institutions. She ultimately served as president of the chapter in 1997/98 and remains a Councilor and faithful attendee.

8

P E N N S Y LV A N I A P S Y C H I AT R I S T | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

She has always been an enthusiastic teacher of numerous psychiatryrelated topics, in a variety of venues and across many disciplines: to medical, nursing and physician assistant students of course (and she received the Deans Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2010) but also: • providing group therapy courses and Grand Rounds to employees in the State Hospital system; • participating in continuing education programs for psychiatrists, non-psychiatric physicians, nurses and social workers; • doing outreach programs for years throughout Central Pennsylvania for nursing home employees, teachers, and the general community; and • teaching Law and Psychiatry to law students at Dickinson.

Her primary teaching focus and love has always been the psychiatric residents at Hershey Medical Center; she received their teaching award this past June.

In her role as Chair of the Department of Psychiatry at Lancaster General Health she was instrumental in assessing the unmet behavioral health needs of her community and oversaw the creation of a new 126 bed freestanding psychiatric hospital which opened this year, more than tripling the previous bed availability, thereby providing opportunity for more people to remain near their community supports while receiving treatment.

The WE MATTER Coalition (Coalition) was founded in 2017 to organize suicide prevention efforts, provide awareness and reduce the stigma of mental-health illness.

The Coalition is comprised of community volunteers, school administrators, mental health professionals, behavioral health managed care representatives, and law enforcement officials.

WE MATTER initiatives are organized and carried out by various subcommittees overseen by an executive board. WE MATTER initiatives include providing training to community members and stakeholders in recognizing and responding to those in a mental-health/suicide crisis with an evidence-based and nationally recognized model; sponsoring speakers and educational opportunities in response to community needs on topics relating to mental health, suicide prevention, and awareness, and promoting suicide prevention efforts.

The Coalition also works to support local students in developing clubs or initiatives to promote mental health awareness, prevent suicide, reduce bullying and social isolation, promote a socially healthy school climate, and overall reduce the stigma associated with mental illness in the schools.

One of the first WE MATTER initiatives revolved around spreading the simple and heartfelt message, “Be Kind.” The slogan appeared on bright purple T-shirts, yard signs, and “Time to Be Kind” decals, and still remains its primary message.

PITTSBURGH CHAPTER Pittsburgh News & Notes Greetings to the Members of Pittsburgh Psychiatric Society!

Amit Chopra, MD, FAPA, President, Pittsburgh Psychiatric Society The Pittsburgh chapter’s September 2018 Residents’ Research and Awards Night was attended by 77 attendees and 15 exhibiting companies. The residents and medical students participated enthusiastically such that 18 excellent scientific posters were presented during this event. I am pleased to announce the winners of the poster competition: 1st Place: Gil Hoftman, MD, PhD – UPMC, WPIC 2nd Place: Elizabeth Kistler, MD – UPMC, WPIC 3rd Place: Elyse Steiner, DO – Allegheny Health Network Honorable Mention: Elizabeth Hale, MD – UPMC, WPIC Honorable Mention: Benjamen Gangewere, DO, Allegheny Health Network During the evening, our chapter presented Lifetime Achievement Awards to two of our outstanding members. Dr. Swami Nathan in the field of academic psychiatry and Dr. Sabato Anthony Stile in the field of community psychiatry. Dr. Gina Goszinski received the PRMS Resident Award for her outstanding clinical accomplishments during residency training during this meeting. Additionally, Dr. Roger Haskett was felicitated with the Lifetime Achievement Award in the field of Academic Psychiatry at our August 2018 CME event.

In October, the city of Pittsburgh was struck by a heartbreaking tragedy where 11 people were killed, and several others were wounded at the Tree of Life Synagogue by a senseless act against humanity. We reached out to our chapter members immediately to provide them with support and resources to help people afflicted by this tragedy. Over 30 psychiatric providers, including psychiatrists,

WESTERN CHAPTER President Update

By Elizabeth Ramsey, DO, President Happy New Year! Our chapter is enjoying a mild winter with below average snowfall. In November I traveled to Philadelphia for the state

psychologists and social workers from Allegheny Health Network, volunteered to see patients affected by this tragedy to meet the increasing demand that led Dr. Rozel, Medical Director of Resolve Crisis Center, to alert our chapter to organize more resources for our community in need. It is really impressive to see our chapter members and local psychiatric providers stand united by those afflicted by this tragedy and commit to provide care to the trauma victims on an ongoing basis. We also joined the state Society in drafting a press release and worked with providing information to the governor’s office related to resources.

We look forward to the year 2019 with new events to engage our members in fun and educational activities on a year-round basis. In the first quarter, we have planned two events including a Dinner and a Movie “Hungry Hearts” on February 25th, and the PPS Symposium Update on Psychiatry 2019 on March 23rd. Topics include substance use disorders, sleep disorders, geriatric psychiatry and adult psychiatry, which will be presented by exceptional speakers from the Pittsburgh chapter. We look forward to seeing you in attendance during these upcoming CME events. Till then, please stay tuned and I wish you all a very happy and a prosperous 2019!

UPCOMING MEETINGS Monday, February 25, 2019 – Dinner and A Movie CME event Join us February 25, 2019, at the Allegheny County Medical Society for Addressing Family Dynamics & Women’s and Perinatal Health: Hungry Hearts Dinner and A Movie. Registration and light meal will be from 5:45 – 6:00 pm, and the educational program will begin at 6:00 pm. To register, click here.

Saturday, March 23, 2019 – PPS Symposium Update on Psychiatry 2019 The PPS Symposium Update on Psychiatry 2019 will be held on Saturday, March 23, 2019, at the Pittsburgh Marriott North. Join us to hear lectures on substance use disorders, sleep disorders, geriatric psychiatry and adult psychiatry. Registration, continental breakfast and meeting with the exhibitors begin at 8:00 am. The education program begins at 9:00 am with Antoine Douaihy, MD speaking on Substance Use Disorders: Translating Science into Practice. Register to attend today.

education conference which never fails to disappoint! The speakers are superb, and their subject matter always seems to incite charged responses from the audience, particularly during the question and answer portion of the presentations. Inevitably, I find myself changing my clinical practice after this event. I encourage all members to plan to attend this meeting.

The Western chapter looks forward to a variety of events for our members this year. Our first event will be our CME Dinner and a Movie on March 27, 2019. Please check the website and your emails for more information about this event in the coming weeks. If you have any ideas about chapter events or wish to become more involved, please contact me as soon as possible.

P E N N S Y LV A N I A P S Y C H I AT R I S T | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

9

PaPS Call for 2019 Presidential Award Nominations Established in 1999 to honor a PaPS member for outstanding contributions to the profession of psychiatry, the Presidential Award is open to all Society members. Nominees need not be members of the chapter submitting the nomination but must be members of PaPS. The following are additional criteria for nomination: • Letter of nomination and CV of nominee by March 1, 2019 • Award is meant to reach out to all members, not just those who are active in the Society’s state or chapter functions • Nominees may come from any geographic area of the state and their contributions need not necessarily be related to organized psychiatry Prior award recipients include Joseph Adlestein, MD; Abram Hostetter, MD; Larry Rotenberg, MD; David Servan-Schreiber, MD, PhD; Barbara Schindler, MD; Henri Parens, MD; Mervin Stewart, MD; Kenneth Certa, MD; William Dubin, MD; Roger Haskett, MD; Michael Vergare, MD;

SAVE THE DATE – APA’s 2019 Federal Advocacy Conference The APA would like to invite you to attend their 2019 Federal Advocacy Conference in Washington, DC! This unique opportunity to lobby members of Congress on issues that affect psychiatry and our patients will take place March 11th through the 12th at the Washington Marriott Georgetown.

All APA members are invited to join the APA for the Federal Advocacy Conference and take part in psychiatry playing a critical role in shaping health care policy during the 116th Congress. Before holding face-to-face meetings with their federal legislators and staff, attendees will learn first-hand APA’s federal legislative agenda for 2019. The experience will include insights from APA’s leadership and staff on the inner workings of Congress and the legislative process as well as hands-on advocacy training so that attendees are prepared to go on the Hill and lobby for our profession. Attendees are also asked to bring their white coat or borrow one from a colleague, so we can remind Capitol Hill of psychiatry’s place in the House of Medicine.

NOTE: a limited number of scholarships are available from the APA to members who are actively engaged in advocacy and are willing to continue their efforts during 2019. Awardees of these scholarships will have their hotel and travel expenses covered by APA, but they will be responsible for the $250 registration fee. Although the deadline for scholarships has passed, please let your executive director know as soon as possible if you are interested in the scholarship or to get eligibility criteria.

There is a $250 registration fee and attendees will be responsible for their travel and hotel expenses. Space is limited so we encourage you to register before you miss out!

10

P E N N S Y LV A N I A P S Y C H I AT R I S T | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

Robert Sadoff, MD; Jyoti R. Shah, MD; Edward C. Leonard, Jr., MD; Melvin P. Melnick, MD; Charles V. Giannasio, MD; Denis J. Milke, MD; Salman Akhtar, MD; Ira Brenner, MD; and Kenneth J. Weiss, MD. How to Submit Nominations To nominate a colleague to be considered for the PaPS Presidential Award the following documentation is required: 1. A letter of recommendation outlining the individual’s qualifications for the award 2. A copy of the nominee’s curriculum vitae, and any additional supporting documentation to be considered by the Awards/ Nominating Committee Suggestions can be made March 1, 2019, to the committee by providing all necessary documentation to the PaPS Administrative Office at papsych@papsych.org.