Congratulations to WPA Member, Steven Moffic, MD on receiving the Abraham Halpern Humanitarian Award from the American Association for Social Psychiatry, to be presented at the annual APA meeting next May in New York.  

The Abraham L. Halpern Humanitarian Award is bestowed by the American Association for Social Psychiatry for extraordinary achievement in advancing human rights. Recipients have championed causes of importance directly or even indirectly to the best practice of psychiatric medicine. Advances in ethics and professionalism, medical education, civic action, reform of legal jurisprudence, significant advances in medical practice and/or treatment, leadership taken at a political, societal or cultural level – anywhere that one person’s efforts have made all the difference in the world and thereby contributed to improved mental health care and psychological wellness.

Wisconsin Health News; June 13, 2023 Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., introduced legislation last week that would require federal surveys to collect information about sexual orientation and gender identity. Baldwin said the measure could prove critical in closing mental healthcare access gaps facing LGBTQ+ populations, who have disproportionate rates of self-harm and suicide.  “It’s hard to claim with great reliability how much greater risk gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender children and adults are at risk for suicide,” she said at Politico’s healthcare summit last week. “It is really important that we get that data because it helps us make our arguments for greater resources and greater services.” Baldwin touched on other healthcare topics at the summit too. While pleased the U.S. didn’t default thanks to a deal raising the debt-ceiling, she is concerned about its spending constraints. The new law provides “arguably level funding” for the next two years, and costs are set to rise, Baldwin noted.  “We are experiencing, as a nation, a mental health crisis,” she said. “Whether it's our ability to close healthcare disparities or fund basic research in cancer and Alzheimer's, I’m concerned about how we are going to rise to the challenges." She noted lawmakers are discussing supplemental funding. Baldwin also said filibuster reform is a “near-term goal,” saying legislation that would guarantee access to abortion would pass if it didn’t need to clear a 60-vote threshold.  “We have half the nation with fewer rights than their parents and grandparents had,” she said. “We have to have the goal of having sufficient votes in the United States Senate to reform the filibuster, followed on by passing this legislation.”

Wisconsin Psychiatric Association President Dr. Tony Thrasher discusses the state's growing rate of suicides and a bill to fund training for staff at gun shops and ranges to recognize risk signs.

Watch the full interview here!

WPA joins organizations representing mental health advocates, county human service agencies and providers across Wisconsin’s 72 counties in a sign on letter urging the Joint Finance Committee to fully fund the proposal in the 2023-25 budget bill.  WPA along with these organizations are committed to strengthening mental health and substance use services for children and adults throughout Wisconsin.

Read the full letter here. 

WPA and more than 400 other national, state, and local medical, public health, and research organizations sing on urging Congress to support funding for gun violence prevention research. The letter urges support providing $35 million for the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), $25 million for the National Institute of Health (NIH), and $1 million for the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) for firearm morbidity and mortality prevention research as part of FY 2024 appropriations. This research is critical for developing a comprehensive, evidence-based approach to reducing firearm-related violence, including suicides, violent crime, and accidental shootings.

Read the full letter here.

Congratulations to WPA's own Dr. Laurel Bessey! The highly competitive and prestigious Viste Award was established in 2006 in memory of Dr. Viste, a compassionate and passionate physician leader who exemplified commitment to patients, community and the profession of medicine. Nominations for this award must come from physician peers and the recipient must demonstrate activities and values that promote Dr. Viste’s exceptional legacy.

Dr. Bessey, a psychiatrist with UW Health Wisconsin Psychiatric Institute and Clinic and the Associate Program Director for Psychiatry Residency, received multiple nominations highlighting her advocacy and leadership at the local, state and national level. The Foundation Board felt strongly that she was an outstanding physician to carry on Dr. Viste’s legacy and join the other notable recipients of this award.

WPA, along with other organizations representing thousands of WI physicians urge legislators not to cosponsor LBR 0589 - APRN Legislation as drafted.

Read full memo here.

The WPA held the 2023 Annual Conference at the Edgewater Hotel, March 9-11. The conference theme "Bio-Psychosocial Formulations in a World Gone Wild: What Really is the “Social”. Topics included violence, advocacy, climate change, social determinates of health, burnout & wellbeing, health justice, ethics and more! The Annual Resident Vignette competition was held and residents from each Wisconsin residency program presented unique cases to take home the "Siggy" Award. Dr. Charlie Jaschek from University of Wisconsin took home the "Siggy" Award! The conference included a poster session featuring five posters. The Annual Membership Meeting celebrated WPA's accomplishments for the year, approved the slate of candidates for the 2023-2025 Executive Council and honored Dr. Angela Janis for her service as President of the WPA from 2021-2023. Thank you to all of our presenters, attendees and exhibitors who were able to join us!

Members of the WPA Legislative Committee and Executive Committee visited the Capitol to meet with their Legislators.  The goal of the meetings was to make introductions and lend WPA as a resource for future legislation regarding mental health and psychiatry.  Thank you to our lobbyist at Hubbard, Wilson & Zelenkova for organizing the day! 

Drs. Michael Peterson, Jackie Landess, Angela Janis, Erica Larson, Brian Berendes and Gabi Hangiandreou with Senator Jesse James

Dr. Gabi Hangiandreou, Dr. Erica Larson & Senator Brad Pfaff

 

Dr. Jackie Landess, Dr. Michael Peterson & Senator Dianne Hesselbein

Last week in his State of the State Address, Governor Tony Evers declared 2023 the Year of Mental Health. The Governor outlined numerous initiatives that the Wisconsin Psychiatric Association (WPA) deems critical to the well-being of residents across the state.

Highlights Include:

• Funding and initiatives related to crisis stabilization and urgent care, peer-run respite services, and suicide and crisis services - including expansion of the “988” Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
• An emphasis and recognition of youth mental health challenges and his proposals to improve their mental health and safety.
• $7 million to establish a new Medical College of Wisconsin Psychiatry Residency and $1.26 million for the Graduate Medical Education program to increase residency programs in rural Wisconsin hospitals.

It is well known that the lack of psychiatrists across the state, particularly in rural Wisconsin, is at a crisis level. Increased access to training and ultimately the retention of psychiatrists would be an enormous step in the right direction.

The WPA applauds Governor Evers’ proposals and looks forward to working with the Legislature and the Administration within the biennial budget and beyond for improved access to mental health care for all Wisconsinites.

• Read WPA' Full Statement
• Read Governor Evers Release on Mental Health
• Read Gov. Evers Release on Workforce