Top Executives Share Message of Unification and Urgency With Psych Congress Attendees

Members of the CEO Alliance for Mental Health presented a message of unification, urgency, and equity to attendees of the 35th annual Psych Congress in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Sunday evening.

The panel explored their 7 Pillars, created to drive success to their mission of a transformed system of mental health and substance use care: (1) early identification, (2) emergency and crisis response, (3) equity, (4) parity, (5) integration, (6) standards, and (7) workforce.

“In a country that clearly sees mental illness as the ‘youngest kid in the family’ and [a topic] that no one has to pay attention to, how do we all come together?” Saul Levin, MD, CEO and medical director of the American Psychiatric Association, asked the audience.

Lisa Daily, executive director of the Treatment Advocacy Center, referred to the current state of mental health care as a “broken system that doesn’t work and serves absolutely no one well.” She shared how the new 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, while still in its infancy is a pillar of hope for the future of integrated systems of care in which all who need help receive it.

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Adhering to current standards and trends in mental health care, screening for early identification of disorders, advocating for patients to lawmakers, educating the community about resources such as 988, and assuring equity and parity takes a full and robust workforce of clinicians, panelists emphasized. Addressing burnout and staffing issues is a vital piece of the puzzle in ensuring the 7 pillars operate effectively in creating change.

“Burnout is a huge issue amongst practitioners…particularly among young practitioners who feel more compassion fatigue,” said Brandon Staglin, president of OneMind.

“We can effect change when we work together, and it is exciting to see 6 of the nation’s leading organizations in mental health care coming together to build and implement a shared vision,” said session moderator and Psych Congress Steering Committee member Saundra Jain, MA, PsyD, LPC. “We are all working to improve patient outcomes. This is a powerful moment and an opportunity to transform our strategies for patient care.”

Dr Jain commended attendees for continuing their education and staying up to date with current standards in mental health, one of the 7 pillars, to better treat their patients through attending conferences such as Psych Congress.