An overview of the American Psychiatric Association's official position on six big mental health issues in the U.S.
A summary of the organization's statements released in July:
- The association does not back the use of psychedelics for mental health treatment. It supports further research and studies into their therapeutic use.
- It stresses the need for healthcare systems to expand and improve addiction treatment for minorities and calls for easier access to addiction treatment nationwide.
- It pushes for the fair treatment of immigrants and refugees throughout the migration process, including healthcare access. It opposes prolonged detention and the separation of individuals from family members.
- It plans to improve care for patients needing repeat, prolonged inpatient care, homeless individuals and those with other barriers to receiving adequate treatment for mental health issues.
- It aims to prioritize the mental and physical health of patients with HIV and AIDS.
- It supports the replacement of police with mental health providers to first responder teams responding to adolescent mental health emergencies.
All of the association's policies can be found here.