Congressional Mental Health Caucus Launch

Along with other mental health advocacy organization leaders, joined U.S. Reps. Andrea Salinas (D-Ore.), Don Bacon (R-Neb.), and Donald Beyer (D-Va.) to officially launch the bipartisan Mental Health Caucus for the 119th Congress.

Spoke about the urgent need for solutions to the country’s opioid epidemic and other mental health crises: “It’s often said that mental health is a bipartisan issue, and this Caucus is a terrific example of that cooperation.”

 

The Prague Agreement

At the 25th World Psychiatric Congress, during the signature of the ‘The Prague Agreement’ - a coalition of National Psychiatric Associations and Mental Health Charities calling on world financiers – including the World and Regional Banks, the Capital Markets and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), to incentivise and expect national investment in mental health care.

October 2025, Prague, Czech Republic

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At the US Senate

As Speaker of the APA Assembly I met with U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Jerry Moran (R-Kansas) urging them to strive for bipartisan solutions to improve access to treatment for mental health and substance use disorder services as essential health benefits, and strengthen the health insurance market.

This was a joint effort along with physician leaders from frontline medical groups

  • the American Psychiatric Association

  • the American Academy of Family Physicians

  • the American Academy of Pediatrics

  • the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists

  • the American College of Physicians, and

  • the American Osteopathic Association

 

Addressing the aftermath of Hurricane Maria

I presented the American Psychiatric Excellence (APEX) Award to the then Puerto Rico’s Resident Commissioner Jenniffer Gonzalez in recognition for her efforts to help secure disaster aid for Puerto Rico and several states affected by Hurricane Maria. Natural disasters such as this one have tremendous psychological impacts on the community, both immediately and for years to come.

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Advocating for mental health at the American Medical Association Interim Meeting of the House of Delegates with APA colleagues.

Moving forward with the APA

I was honored to participate, along with Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser, APA CEO Saul Levin, and Past President Anita Everett at the ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the opening of our new APA Headquarters.

This marked APA’s return to Washington DC, with renewed energy to pursue our patient advocacy and public policy mission. I encourage everyone to visit our beautiful building and enjoy the vast resources available to all members.

 

American Medical Association

Advocating for mental health at the American Medical Association 2023 Interim Meeting of the House of Delegates with APA colleagues.