In This Issue:
President's Message – Stephen (Larry) Mecham, DO
From Executive Director Morgan DiBasilio
ICYMI: Advocacy News – Mental Health Parity Rules Approved; APS Lobbyist Report for 2022; APA Updates
APA Assembly – Report from New Orleans – APA Annual Meeting Assembly 2022
ARMA House of Delegates 2022 – Report from APS Delegates
Ad: American Professional Agency, Inc.
Celebrating Graduates and Advancement to Fellowships – UACOM Phoenix, UACOM Tucson, Creighton SOM Phoenix; APA Foundation Fellowship
Poster Session Videos Available – Poster Session Winners
Ad: Professional Risk Management Services (PRMS)
Celebrating Annual Meeting Award Recipients: Drs. Beth Darling, James McLoone, Nathan Jones, Brant Thayer, Marisa Fernandez, Gretchen Alexander, Jasleen Chhatwal, and Rep. Amish Shah, MD
Ad: Janssen Neuroscience
About 2022 Mental Health Public Service Award Recipient – Deborah Geesling, P82 Project Restoration (P82 Homes)
Arizona Update on 9-8-8
Events and Education: APA Course of the Month; ArMA Summer Leadership Webinar Series; Discount Available on ArMA’s Physician Leadership Course; 8-4 Addiction Psychiatry Grand Rounds; UACOM Phoenix Grand Rounds Resumes 9-9; 2022 APA Mental Health Services Conference; AzAFSP Fall Walks; IMHR Sleepless in Nogales
Ad: Redemption Psychiatry
Ad: Practice Opportunities - Private Practice Office Space Available East Tucson; Private Practice Office Space with Opportunity for Part-Time Referrals/Clinical Trials Work Phoenix Area
Members Published:
Az Psych Society Moore Mental Health Equity 5K Team and Teri Retirement Thank You
Reminder: Have Your Renewed? Your Membership Matters...Thank You!
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Stephen (Larry) Mecham, DO
President
Arizona Psychiatric Society
In every graduation season and leadership transition, there is opportunity for growth, assessment, and recommitment to our mission and vision for the future.
This Newsletter informs our membership around the contributions of many to promote our goal of excellence in psychiatry, from the reshared advocacy update on physician wellness, GME funding, mental health parity, and scope of practice, to the Society representation and engagement at the APA Annual Meeting Assembly and ArMA House of Delegates and reports from the same, and a timely community update on 9-8-8 roll-out in Arizona.
We proudly celebrate our engaged resident-fellow members with congratulations to the graduating residents and those advancing to fellowship from each of our three Arizona residency programs, all engaged at the 100% Club level in 2022. The Society also congratulates the annual Resident Recognition Award recipients, APA Foundation fellowship recipient for 2022-2023, and the RFM poster presentation winners from the 2022 Annual Meeting Poster Session.
From the 2022 Annual Meeting, celebrating our members and fellow mental health stakeholders, we share the recipients of the Society's awards for excellence in education, career achievement, leadership, and mental health public service.
It was my personal honor to recognize Dr. Jasleen Chhatwal for her distinguished leadership as President of the Society, as supported by fellow executive officers, and the commitment by our retiring Executive Director and the supporting executive leadership to a strong transition in our incoming executive leadership and new Executive Director Morgan DiBasilio.
As we celebrate in this Newsletter, the work of the Society is accomplished through your membership and support and the dedication and hard work of many. With thanks to all who have made a commitment to continuing the work to promote the highest principles of psychiatric practice, I invite you to become involved further by joining a Committee, serving in leadership, and/or participating in advocacy at the state and national level. With your continued membership and support, the Society is able to advance its mission to promote the highest quality of mental health care through education, advocacy, and the fostering of principles of psychiatric practice. The year ahead will include many opportunities for psychiatry to be part of driving change and shaping policy, let's be ready.
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Greetings from Executive Director Morgan DiBasilio |
Hi all! I have had the pleasure of working for the APS for the past month. I have already met so many wonderful members and I can't wait to meet more of you. I am excited to continue to learn and grow within this role! Please feel free to reach out at any time, as I am always here to help! My email is mdibasilio@azmed.org and my phone number is 602-347-6903.
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ICYMI: Advocacy News – Mental Health Parity Rules Approved; APS Lobbyist Report for 2022; APA Updates
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In case you missed the recent Advocacy News alert, CLICK HERE to view the entire message, including announcement from Government Affairs Chair, Dr. Don Fowls, around the successful advocacy of the Society and its coalition partners to promote the final approval of the Arizona regulations for mental health parity pursuant to Jake’s Law. The rules were adopted by the Governor’s Rules and Regulatory Council on July 6, 2022, and have a projected effective date, following publication, of September 4, 2022. This update also includes the 2022 Legislative Report from APS Lobbyist Alexis Glascock, Esq. around the significant efforts of the Society in the past year, including those promoting physician wellness, through supporting Representative Shah and ArMA signature legislation around protecting the confidentiality around participation in wellness programs, and the change to the confidential licensure questions destigmatizing mental health care, which changes both work to promote physicians seeking early and timely care, and work to promote patient safety concerns around the Sunrise Application of the Arizona Psychological Association seeking prescribing privileges.
If you would like to contribute to the work of the Government Affairs Committee on this and other important issues impacting psychiatry and your patients, please contact Morgan.
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APA Assembly – Report from New Orleans – APA Annual Meeting Assembly 2022
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Gretchen B. Alexander, MD, FAPA
Arizona Assembly Representative
The APA Assembly met May 20-21st in New Orleans, the first in-person meeting in two years. Arizona Representatives to the Assembly Jason Curry and Gretchen Alexander were joined by BOT ECP representative Jasleen Chhatwal and Area 7 RFM Rep Magnolia Swanson for a meeting that combined delight in reuniting with esteemed colleagues, with somber memorials to Assembly leaders lost in the last two years. Dr. Chhatwal was recognized by Area 7 with an RFM Mentor award. (See photo collage above.) The Assembly Notes shared here will provide insight into the state of the APA, the accomplishments of the last year, and the goals of incoming leadership.
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ARMA House of Delegates 2022 – Report from APS Delegates
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Report from the ArMA House of Delegates Annual Meeting
Allan Anderson, MD
Arizona Psychiatric Society – ArMA HOD Delegate
The meeting was held virtually on April 23, 2022.
Psychiatric physicians in attendance included Drs. Allan Anderson and Jasleen Chhatwal, serving as delegates for the Arizona Psychiatric Society, together with Drs. Gretchen Alexander, Lee Ann Kelley, and John Prater.
There were 52 delegates in all present at the meeting, including 4 Past Presidents, 30 Board Members, 5 At-Large Delegates, 2 Maricopa Delegates, 1 Pima County Delegate, 1 rural County Delegate, 1 Resident Physician, 1 Medical Student, and 7 Specialty Society Delegates.
What follows are brief descriptions of a fraction of the actions of the HOD during this meeting, including any that are germane to the practice of psychiatry as well as any that are important general issues that may likely be of interest to APS members.
A resolution changed the “Fifty-Year Club” to a “Forty-Year Club. Members who have practiced medicine for forty (40) years or longer, at least half of that time in Arizona, and are age 70 or older, may be honored by elevation to the Forty-Year Club at the discretion of the Board. Forty-Year Club membership, once granted, shall be deemed a lifetime privilege, regardless of continuation of licensure or status of practice, unless revoked by action of the Board of Directors. This change will increase diversity and be inclusive of physicians who may take time off from medicine and those entering medical school at a later age. Forty-Year Club members shall enjoy all the privileges of active members but shall not be required to pay Association dues and shall be exempted from assessments.
There was significant discussion over a resolution that ArMA relinquish their “neutral” position and take a more positive position in support of Medical Aid in Dying, indicating it is a compassionate end-of-life care option for mentally capable, terminally ill adults and that it should be legally authorized as one of the end-of-life care options available for Arizonans, and that physicians who participate in the practice of Medical Aid in Dying are adhering to their professional, ethical obligations as are physicians who decline to participate. This position would allow for, respect, and support the diverse views of the ArMA membership, and it will improve the end-of-life care for people with advancing life-limiting illnesses in Arizona. There was considerable pro and con debate on this issue. Several psychiatrists present testified that we should adopt this now. This resolution was not adopted and is being referred to a task force to be created by the ArMA President with a report to the ArMA BOD every six months.
Several resolutions addressed the health care needs of the LGBTQ+ population. An adopted resolution centered on preventing discrimination and reducing risk of suicide in the transgender population. Another resolution opposes pay gaps in medicine that exist based on identities, including but not limited to race, gender, or ethnicity.
A resolution on reproductive health that was adopted provides affirmation that reproductive health care is essential to people’s overall health. Pregnancy termination is an essential component of reproductive health care, especially in cases of rape, incest, or danger to the life of the mother, and should not be criminalized.
A resolution on global warming acknowledges the data-driven scientific consensus that the adverse effects of global climate change negatively impact public health, with disproportionate impacts on vulnerable populations, including children, the elderly, people experiencing poverty and homelessness, etc, and for ArMA to support efforts to mitigate the negative effects of climate change on patient health.
Another adopted resolution calls for ArMA to create a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, to promote a culture of inclusion and an appreciation for diversity within ArMA. A resolution was passed regarding the prohibition on the herbal supplement Kratom. Another adopted resolution supports increased GME funding in Arizona and opposes any funding cuts. A resolution focused on peer review practices and ArMA will work to ensure that hospital peer review be unbiased so that it shall only be used to make valid clinical decisions that improve patient care.
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A resolution strongly endorses the position that no transfer from an acute care institution to a non-acute care facility be considered appropriate or allowed without a legible discharge summary and proof of acceptance from the receiving attending physician. I believe we have all seen transition of care problems when DC summaries are not timely available.
A resolution on issues related to the physician/patient relationship supports the sanctity of the doctor/patient relationship; believes no physician should ever be compelled to betray the private trust inherent in this relationship; believes medical records should remain private and inviolate; believes medical information should never be shared outside of the physicians engaged in direct patient care without the written consent of the patient.
Resolution son prior authorization were adopted stating that ArMA ensure that the prior authorization process does not hinder patient care, the practice of medicine, or the doctor/patient relationship, and that ArMA works to ensure that the prior authorization process is transparent, efficient, fair, and enforceable.
Regarding physician well-being ArMA resolutions pledged for a continuing commitment to physician and physician trainee wellbeing to ensure the best possible patient care and medical education environments and, supports education about and the promotion of research into improving physician and physician trainee wellness, and specifically the mental health of physician and physician trainees.
A gun violence resolution was adopted that ArMA support evidence-based interventions to reduce gun violence; and support full background checks for all firearm purchases.
An adopted resolution calls for elimination of pre-existing condition exclusions, advocates for other options to help low-income families purchase medical insurance, promote freedom of choice, and guarantee rights of physicians to contract privately. Another insurance related resolution adopted supports legislation prohibiting changes in a medication regimen due to change in the patient’s health insurance company or pharmacy benefit manager or formulary change without written notification to both the patient and prescribing physician.
As a result of adopting the resolution on Reproductive Health, it was moved that ArMA engage the AMA and ACOG (American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology) in helping to craft messaging in response to questions that will arise from the public and media, due to our change of policy regarding pregnancy termination and that this issue be referred to the Executive Committee. The motion was unanimously approved.
I have enjoyed this new role of representing APS at the ArMA HOD and look forward to future meetings. I also serve as the Delegate from the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry to the AMA House of Delegates. In a future newsletter article, I will provide a summary of some of the actions from the “House of Medicine.”
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2022-2023 Corporate Sponsor |
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Congratulations Graduates and Fellows |
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The Arizona Psychiatric Society shares its congratulations to the residents graduating to psychiatric practice and those residents advancing to fellowship from each of our Arizona residency programs. Congratulations to these members, with thanks for their important contributions to care and commitment to psychiatric excellence, and to the residency programs and faculty that provided guidance and mentorship and support of being 100% Club programs throughout Arizona. |
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University of Arizona College of Medicine - Tucson |
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Graduates: Drs. Jennifer Bao, Marisa Raquel Fernandez, Ross Hutchison Fernandez, Ramsha Rao, Tyler Shiflett, Rose Howell Sivilli, Andy Trang, and John White
Advancing Fellowships: Drs. Adiel Carlo and Michael Duerden, Geriatric Psychiatry, UACOM Tucson
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University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix |
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Graduates: Drs. Nathan Jones, Gurmehr Kaur, David Koven, and Neet Shah
Advancing to Fellowship: Dr. Nisha Patel, Geriatric Psychiatry, UACOM Phoenix
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Creighton University School of Medicine - Phoenix |
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Graduates: Drs. Alexandira Erickson, Joseph Kurtz, Michael Sheedy, and
Brant Thayer
Advancing to Fellowships: Drs. Ryan Mahelona, Integrative Psychiatry, and Drs. Chante Mahone, Cory Nielsen, Asmit Sanghera, and Samuel Timm, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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APAF Public Psychiatry Fellowship (UACOM Phoenix) |
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We congratulate Andrew Alix, MD from the University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix for being chosen for an American Psychiatric Association Foundation Public Psychiatry Fellowship.
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Poster Session Videos Available – Poster Session Winners |
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FIRST PLACE RFM
Amira Perviz, DO
Creighton SOM Phoenix
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SECOND PLACE RFM
Brianna Williamson, MD
UACOM Tucson
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THIRD PLACE RFM
Zachary Masuda, MD
Creighton SOM PHOENIX
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We thank the poster authors that participated in the 2022 Yukari Kawamoto, MD Memorial Poster Session and welcome you to view their poster presentation videos available through the linked poster titles below. Congratulations to the juried winners of the Resident Poster submissions, and thanks to our panel of judges, Drs. Stephen (Larry) Mecham, Richard Lane, and Srinivas Dannaram.
First Author: Alexander Lang, M.D.
Resident or Medical Student and Affiliation: PGY-3, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson
Secondary Authors: Cassandra Roose, B.S., Derek Paul, M.D.
First Author: Zachary Masuda, MD
Resident or Medical Student and Affiliation: PGY-2, Creighton University Arizona Health Education Alliance, Valleywise Health Center (Phoenix)
Secondary Authors: Amit Pradhan, MD; Gretchen Alexander, MD
First Author: Amira Perviz, DO
Resident or Medical Student and Affiliation: PGY-2, Creighton University Arizona Health Education Alliance, Valleywise Health Center (Phoenix)
Secondary Authors: Shabnam Sood, MD
First Author: Brant R. Thayer, MD
Resident or Medical Student and Affiliation: PGY-4, Creighton University Arizona Health Education Alliance, Valleywise Health Center (Phoenix)
Secondary Authors: Ross J. Johnson, MS-III, Sara E. Ashurst, MD
First Author: Brianna Williamson, MD
Resident or Medical Student and Affiliation: PGY-3, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson
Secondary Authors: None
First Author: Naim Duran, MS-III
Resident or Medical Student and Affiliation: MS-III, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix
Secondary Authors: Gwen Levitt, DO, DFAPA
First Author: Shabnam Sood, MD
Physician Affiliation: Valleywise Health Center
Secondary Authors: Beth Darling, DO; Dhruv Khosla; Gilbert Ramos, MA; Bikash Bhattarari, PhD
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2022-2023 Corporate Sponsor |
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Celebrating Annual Meeting Award Recipients |
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At the 2022 Annual Meeting, the Society celebrated excellence in leadership and psychiatry from our membership. Join us in congratulating these members for their contributions to excellence!
The Resident Recognition Award recognizes a Resident-Fellow member nominated by his or her psychiatric residency program for best exemplifying one or more of the APS values of providing compassionate patient care and support of peers, leadership, community service, advocacy, and clinical excellence. The following Resident-Fellow Members also shared a statement regarding what they value most about psychiatry and their membership in APS.
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Brant Thayer, MD, Creighton University Arizona Health Education Alliance, Valleywise Health Center (Phoenix)
As a member of the APA since medical school, and APS since starting residency, I am grateful for the opportunities that our professional organizations have provided me. Specifically, APS membership has afforded me the opportunity to establish mentors who have encouraged me to follow my passion around Women’s Reproductive Mental Health as well as therapy. Similarly, through the resident caucus of the APA, I learned of the Reproductive Psychiatry Interest Group and the American Academy of Psychodynamic Psychiatry and Psychoanalysis. APS membership helped me identify these opportunities that I anticipate leveraging as I embark on the next chapter of my career.
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Nathan Jones, MD, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix
The field of psychiatry drew my interest because of the close relationships it offers and because of the need for mental health treatment in my own community. Being a member of the Arizona Psychiatric Society has allowed me to better advocate for my patients, remain connected with my colleagues and stay up to date with and contribute to improvements in the field.
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Marisa Fernandez, MD, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson Campus
I am very grateful to receive the Resident Recognition Award for 2022. It is a huge honor considering the amazing cohort of residents I have worked with at my program. For the next part of my journey, I am thrilled to be joining the inpatient faculty at Banner University Medical Campus – South in the fall where I will find myself as a physician leader. To be a physician leader means staying accountable to my core values which include adaptability, remaining introspective, adhering to the highest ethical standards, and accepting ownership when failure may happen. To be a leader is also to empower those around me to be as successful as they can become, such as my patients, my colleagues, the residents and medical students I will have the privilege of working with, and everyone I encounter in the system that we are working in. It is an incredibly exciting time in psychiatry to find myself as a physician leader where novel treatment modalities are on the rise and advocacy for those in need are growing.
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Howard E. Wulsin Excellence in Teaching Award
Beth Darling, DO
Beth Darling, DO, is the 2022 recipient of the Howard E. Wulsin Excellence in Teaching Award for her outstanding contributions to psychiatric education.
Dr. Darling is the current Medical Director and Psychiatrist for the Valleywise Health Assertive Community Treatment program, having been in this role since her graduation from psychiatry residency in 2017. She is core faculty with the Creighton University Arizona Health Education Alliance Psychiatry Residency Program in addition to faculty with the Departments of Psychiatry at the University of Arizona College of Medicine Phoenix, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science Phoenix, and Creighton University College of Medicine. Dr. Darling completed her undergraduate education with a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Arizona State University in 2004. She then worked in case management for the outpatient SMI system in Maricopa County while preparing to attend medical school. She completed her medical education at Midwestern University Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2013, and then went on to complete her psychiatry residency training at Maricopa Integrated Health System (now Creighton Alliance) in 2017. During her residency, she served two years as the chief resident and was the APS resident of the year in 2017. She is board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology with her primary clinical practice focusing on treatment refractory serious mental illness.
In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Darling trains Creighton Alliance PGY-3 psychiatry residents, precepting them in the ACT clinic for 6 months at a time. She hosts Creighton Alliance family medicine residents during their PGY-3 elective psychiatry rotation, and 4th year medical students from various medical colleges for elective psychiatry rotations. In this last academic year, she has also provided supervision coverage to the Creighton Alliance PGY-3 residents in their outpatient resident clinic. Additionally, Dr. Darling teaches two didactic courses for the Creighton Alliance residents, including a community resources class for the PGY-1 residents and advanced psychopharmacology to PGY-3 and PGY-4 residents. Dr. Darling actively participates in a mentoring role for several of the current residents, and always welcomes the opportunity to meet with residents seeking supervision, or simply support.
Since beginning her work in the SMI community in 2004, Dr. Darling has been an advocate to progressing treatment for those with SMI both in her daily clinical work, teaching, and research endeavors. Over the course of the last six months, Dr. Darling has volunteered her time to participate in a project with the Maricopa County Mental Health Task force to map the court ordered evaluation and treatment process in Maricopa County with the goal of identifying areas of improvement and plans for change.
Throughout COVID-19, Dr. Darling has volunteered her time to work with Valleywise Health administration to develop and implement ideas for wellness and general support to nursing and ancillary staff. This included a number of wellness focused discussions over the last two years, providing community resources for mental health treatment for staff, as well as speaking at A Night of Healing candlelight vigil for those Valleywise Health staff who lost their lives to COVID. In addition to being a physician and teacher, Dr. Darling is a dedicated wife and mother of three young children.
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James B. McLoone, MD, DLFAPA
Career Achievement in Psychiatry Award
James B. McLoone, MD, DLFAPA, is the 2022 recipient of the Career Achievement in Psychiatry Award for his outstanding contributions to psychiatric education. (Presented by Dr. Jehangir (Jay) Bastani in photo at right).
Dr. McLoone is a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and two-time recipient of the Arizona Psychiatric Society Howard E. Wulsin Excellence in Education Award. He is a native Phoenician and third generation Arizona physician. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Arizona and received his Medical Degree from George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C. where he was selected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. He completed an internship in Internal Medicine before his Psychiatry Residency at the U.C.L.A. Neuropsychiatric Institute where he was also a Chief Resident. Dr. McLoone is a Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Geriatric Psychiatry.
Dr. McLoone returned to Phoenix in 1980 where he actively practiced adult Psychiatry his entire career. He was frequently named a “Top Doc” by his local peers. He also held several administrative and teaching positions including serving as the Psychiatry Residency Director at Banner-University Medical Center Phoenix (Good Samaritan) nearly 35 years and Chair of Psychiatry from 1992 until his retirement in 2021. He was Acting Chief Academic Officer for four years and Chair of the Graduate Medical Education Committee for 25 years at Banner-University Medical Center in Phoenix.
Dr. McLoone has been involved with the University of Arizona College of Medicine Phoenix Campus since its inception, including roles as Director of the statewide Psychiatry Clerkship from 1994 until 2021, Associate Chief of Psychiatry for Academic and Clinical Affairs, and Chair of Psychiatry from 2017 until last year. His current academic title is Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry in the Clinical Scholar Track. During his lengthy career at Banner and the U of A College of Medicine in Phoenix he was active as a lecturer, seminar leader, clinical supervisor and career advocate for medical students and residents. Dr. McLoone was a member of numerous curriculum planning and accreditation committees and the Banner-University of Arizona Academic Medicine Council’s Education Committee which oversees their shared mission of growth and excellence of medical student and graduate medical education throughout Arizona.
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President’s Leadership Award – Representative Amish Shah, MD and Gretchen B. Alexander, MD
Special Presidential Commendation Awards were presented by Dr. Chhatwal, on behalf of the Society, to:
Gretchen B. Alexander, MD, FAPA, Leadership Award, in recognition of outstanding leadership contributions in the practice of psychiatry through physician leadership, mentorship, and advocacy that best exemplify the Society’s mission of “promoting the welfare of those with mental illness and fostering principles of psychiatry.”
Representative Amish Shah, MD, Leadership Award, in recognition of outstanding leadership contributions at the Arizona legislature - championing the Society’s mission by promoting the highest standards of health care, improving mental health access, and advocating for physician wellness.
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Presidential Service Award
Jasleen B. Chhatwal, MBBS, MD, FAPA
On behalf of the Arizona Psychiatric Society, incoming President Dr. Stephen (Larry) Mecham presented the Presidential Service Award to Dr. Jasleen Chhatwal for her valued service as President of the Arizona Psychiatric Society for the extended term of October 2020 to the conclusion of the 2022 Annual Meeting that supported a continuum of leadership and advocacy throughout the public health emergency.
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2022-2023 Corporate Sponsor |
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About 2022 Mental Health Public Service Award Recipient:
Deborah Geesling, P82 Project Restoration (P82 Homes)
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Clockwise from upper left: Deborah Geesling receives 2022 Mental Health Public Service Award (presented by Dr. Gretchen Alexander); Matthew and Deborah Geesling facilitating crisis care trainings as part of P82 Project Restoration (P82 Homes) outreach |
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Deborah Geesling (P82 Project Restoration (P82 Homes)) is the 2022 recipient of the Arizona Psychiatric Society Mental Health Public Service Award. The Mental Health Public Service Award was established in 2021 to recognize a member of the community that has:
• Made a significant contribution to the mental health community, such as ensuring access to quality services for individuals with mental illness in the State of Arizona.
• Contributed significantly to advocacy work on behalf of consumers, the field of mental health, and the medical profession in the State of Arizona.
• Played a material role in the delivery of programs or reforms promoting mental health in the State of Arizona.
• Made material impact to mental health through political action on behalf of psychiatric physicians, their patients, and the community in the State of Arizona.
About P82 Project Restoration
P82 Project Restoration was founded in 2015 by Matthew and Deborah Geesling to offer a helping hand to individuals and families living with mental illness. Born out of the difficulties in navigating a daunting mental health system on behalf of their son who battles a serious mental illness (SMI), P82 provides support, assistance, and hope to other families facing similar circumstances.
The Geeslings have met countless families over the years who have experienced the despair, confusion, and pain that come from parenting a child living with SMI while simultaneously navigating a mental health care system that often unintentionally separates children from their parents and supportive family structures. They believe strong partnerships between families, the mental health care system, and faith-based communities are essential ingredients for long term success to care for those recovering from SMI. Hope and healing have been the result from these connections time and time again, they’ve seen it.
“When our son began to struggle with serious mental illness, our church did not shy away from entering our messy situation. Our church walked with us – many churches run away,” Deborah said. “We’ve heard from many other families who experience alienation of or exclusion from their church when they need help the most. This broke our hearts.”
P82 Project Restoration began as a way to spread their positive experience with their local church to other churches in order to equip them to better serve families suffering from mental illness and recapture the heart of compassion for the broken, the outcasts, and the suffering. P82 exists to help churches serve vulnerable, marginalized people who have nowhere else to go. We desire to bridge the gap between local churches, families suffering from the effects of serious mental illness, and professional mental health services.
On the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month, the Geeslings host caregiver support meetings with people attending from 5 different states and Canada. Families find empathy and companionship as they are given space to share their struggles. With the consultation of P82’s spiritual advisor, who is also a certified counselor, a curriculum has been developed so attendees can safely discuss their questions about faith while the leader’s goal is to point to hope. Caregivers have remarked, “This support group is different” and “I always leave the meetings with hope.”
When a person is living with mental illness, the entire family is affected. Sometimes a situation can be so burdensome that the caregiver can feel as if they are drowning. The church can be that platform to help as they reach out to struggling family members and lift them up from their overwhelming troubles. Churches can be a refuge to families amid the difficulties of mental illness and the mental health system. P82 equips churches through crisis care training in how to move toward these families with confidence and compassion.
“In the early years, I was asked to participate as a member of former Gilbert Mayor John Lewis’s task force on reaching out to the faith community regarding mental health and substance use,” Deborah said. “Experts in the community put together a wonderful template for crisis care training and our organization has been privileged to continue refining and presenting this training to local places of worship.”
The Geeslings have a long-term goal of opening at least one home for people living with serious mental illness. The values of connection, family, inclusion, purpose, and life with dignity will be the foundation. Until that time, they will continue to bring those values into their support, advocacy and training so families who care for a loved one living with mental illness will no longer suffer alone, finding supportive relationships and practical resources to create a hopeful future for their family.
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If you or a loved one is experiencing a crisis, call your local crisis line (Phoenix 602-222-9444 / Tucson 520-622-6000 / Northern AZ 1-877-756-4090) for crisis counseling and connection to local resources like mobile crisis.
The new 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7 across the US via phone, text, and chat (988lifeline.org) and will connect you to a trained crisis counselor. However, you may not get a local 988 center that can connect to local resources like mobile crisis, especially if you’re calling from a cell phone with a non-Arizona area code. For now, we recommend calling your local crisis line directly if you need local resources.
If the situation is a life-threatening emergency, call 911 for police, fire, or ambulance response. Tell them you are experiencing a mental health crisis and ask for a CIT trained officer if police are necessary. (CIT = Crisis Intervention Training)
LOCAL CRISIS LINE DIRECT NUMBERS
Central Arizona Crisis Line (Maricopa County)
602-222-9444 or 1-800-631-1314 (toll-free)
Southern Arizona Crisis Line
520-622-6000 or 1-866-495-6735 (toll free)
Counties: Cochise, Graham, Greenlee, La Paz, Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz, Yuma
Northern Arizona Crisis Line
1-877-756-4090
Counties: Apache, Coconino, Gila, Mohave, Navajo and Yavapai
Tribal Communities Crisis Lines
Ak-Chin & Gila River: 1-800-259-3449
Salt River Pima Maricopa: 1-855-331-6432
San Carlos Apache: 1-866-495-6735
Tohono O’odham: 1-844-423-8759
Warm Lines: Non-Emergency Peer Support
Central AZ: 602-347-1100
Southern AZ: 520-770-9909
Teen-to-Teen: Call or text 602-248-TEEN (8336)
ADDITONAL CRISIS LINE RESOURCES:
Veterans:
988 will connect to the Veterans Criss Line
BeConnected for AZ vets & military families: 1-866-4AZ-VETS (429-8387)
Trevor Project for LGBTQ+ Youth:
Call 866-488-7386 or text START to 678-678
Domestic and Sexual Violence Hotlines:
National DV Hotline: 800-799-7233 or text START to 88788
Sojourner (Phoenix): 602-244-0089 or 888-886-8793
Chrysalis (Phoenix): 602-944-4999
Emerge (Tucson): 520-795-4266 or 888-428-0101
Community Resources and COVID counseling
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Events and Education: APA Course of the Month; ArMA Summer Leadership Webinar Series; Discount Available on ArMA’s Physician Leadership Course; 8-4 Addiction Medicine Grand Rounds; 2022 APA Mental Health Services Conference; AzAFSP Fall Walks; IMHR Sleepless in Nogales
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August Course of the Month
Free Member Benefit
Anxiety disorders in youth affect one in eight children or adolescents. This course will feature key issues faced by youth with anxiety disorders from underserved groups. The goal of this presentation is to enhance understanding of the experience of underserved and other youth dealing with anxiety disorders.
Available: 08/01/2022 - 08/31/2025
Credits: CME:1.25, Participation:1.25
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Addiction Medicine Grand Rounds: We the Physicians - A Preamble to a Healthier Medical Profession
Jasleen Chhatwal, MBBS,MD, FAPA
Chief Medical Officer, Sierra Tucson and Past President, Arizona Psychiatric Society
Thu, 08/04/2022 - 12:00pm to 1:00pm
Presentations qualify for CME credit, and the attendance code is shared during the presentation.
To obtain your CME credit, you will need to use the CAMS system. |
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ArMA Summer Leadership Webinar Series
To understand how transformative leadership varies in different environments, the Arizona Medical Association (ArMA) is hosting a webinar series titled “4 Physician Perspectives on Transformative Leadership.”
On Thursday, August 11, from 6 to 7PM, we'll be joined by Keith Frey, MD, for the third presentation of the webinar series, “Leadership: Influence and Awareness.”
Recently retired from his full-time career as a physician and executive, Keith Frey, MD, now invests his time as a leadership developer, healthcare consultant, and strategic thought leader. Dr. Frey has forty years of experience as a primary care physician, educator, mentor/coach, and executive. His career included major leadership roles at Duke University, Providence Health, Mayo Clinic, and Dignity Health. Dr. Frey has a passion for developing leaders — leaders who are influencers, avoid their personality derailers, and are emotionally healthy.
These webinars are available to anyone regardless of membership status; feel free to share with your non-member colleagues. There is no cost associated with this event, so register today using the link below!
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If you’re ready to make a concerted effort to amplify your leadership abilities, we encourage you to sign up for ArMA’s Physician Leadership Course.
- The course has been previously offered to physicians in other states, and participants RAVE about it.
- Course is hybrid in nature and covers the span of 11 weeks with most of it being self-paced. There is a virtual meeting component at the beginning and end of the course. 40 CME credit hours available for participating in the course.
- Goal is 20-30 total participants, and the group will interact with each other as a cohort throughout the course.
- Registration fee:
$2,250*
*With the use of the code below!
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The 2022 Mental Health Services Conference will bring psychiatrists and other mental health professionals together to collaborate on practical advice to influence systems-level change for their patients.
Join us in-person:
- Capital Hilton Hotel, Washington, D.C.
- Thursday, October 13 - Friday, October 14
- 8:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. ET
- Up to 18 CME/CE Credits
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Space is limited, so register today to reserve your spot at the conference!
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IMHR Sleepless in Nogales |
Having trouble sleeping? Insomnia is a serious issue that can dramatically affect mental and physical health. But what if the therapy that works best wasn’t designed for you? As scientists continue to investigate solutions, one Arizona researcher is uncovering the need for cultural competence in insomnia treatment, and the work is likely to inform a whole new generation of interventions across multiple communities and peoples.
Denise Rodriguez Esquivel, PhD, DBSM is a clinical psychologist specializing in the treatment of insomnia and circadian rhythm disorders. She is Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Arizona, and the primary investigator on current study: Frontera/Awake: Conversations About Sleep with Spanish-speaking Residents of Nogales, Arizona. She is a board-certified expert in Behavioral Sleep Medicine at Banner University Medical Center Tucson.
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The Out of the Darkness Community Walk is a journey of remembrance, hope, and support. It unites our communities and provides an opportunity to acknowledge the ways in which suicide and mental health conditions have affected our lives and the lives of those we love and care about.
Join Us:
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2022-2023 Corporate Sponsor |
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Member Ads: Practice Opportunities from Dr. Dennis Westin (Tucson); Dr. Lee Ann Kelley (Phoenix)
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PRIVATE PRACTICE OFFICE SPACE AVAILABLE IN EAST TUCSON NEAR TUCSON MEDICAL CENTER AND PALO VERDE PSYCHITRIC HOSPITAL
Share overhead with two psychiatrists and a Trauma therapist. Two offices available. There is the opportunity to take over care of some patients in a year; to do part-time practice in Pinetop, AZ, and to purchase the five-office suite in Tucson. Call Maria at 520-795-0309.
PHOENIX AREA: PRIVATE PRACTICE OFFICE SPACE AVAILABLE
Private office space available for a psychiatrist who needs space. Looking for independent MD/DO who is starting or building their own practice AND interested in getting involved in clinical trials, with negotiable option to use Neurostar TMS device for their patients. Opportunity for overflow of new patient referrals to help build their private practice, while gaining training and experience in clinical trials. Looking for assistance on clinical trials including back-up. Great opportunity for an early career psychiatrist. Rent and pay for clinical trials work is negotiable. Independent contractor status/not employee, with separate practice corporate status. Very nice space in midtown Phoenix between Camelback and Indian School, a few blocks off the 51. (The Atrium Building, 4602 N 16th Street, Phoenix 85016). Please forward your letter of interest and CV to Lee Ann Kelley, MD.
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Members Published: Drs. Katelyn Fellows, Aimee Kaempf, Noshene Ranjbar, and Amelia Villagomez
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It is an honor to share the publishings of our Arizona Psychiatric Society members. We invite members to share their recent publications. To submit, please contact Morgan.
Saira Kalia, MD, opinion piece – “Maternal Mental Health Needs to Count” – for the Psychiatric Times about the lack of data in the field of reproductive psychiatry and how that fact is a central issue impacting maternal mental health care.
Diniz BS, Mulsant BH, Reynolds CF, Karp JF, et al. Association of Molecular Senescence Markers in Late-Life Depression With Clinical Characteristics and Treatment Outcome. JAMA Network Open. 2022;5(6):e2219678. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.19678
Noshene Ranjbar, MD, chapter contribution to “Reducing Prediabetes and Diabetes” in the recently published Indigenous Public Health: Improvement through Community-Engaged Interventions by the University Press of Kentucky.
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Az Psych Society Moore Mental Health Equity 5K Team and Teri Retirement Thank You |
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Az Psych Society Moore Mental Health Equity 5K Team Thank You
Yeager was the Team MVP for the Arizona Psychiatric Society Moore Equity in Mental Health Fundraising Team on July 5th. The Team of Teri and Yeager escaped to the Mogollon Rim country to beat the heat, with Yeager contributing many of the steps in our 5K with his love of fetching.
Supported by very generous donations of Society members, the APS Team raised $1,250 and is in the top five District Branches in the APA for its fundraising for minority mental health equity.
Thank you for the honor of serving as the Executive Director of APS and for celebrating my retirement through your donations and the importance of addressing equity in health care through your actions.
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