Winter 1995, Vol. 4, No. 2

1995 Conference Activities Update: AOOP members have been active in presenting to psychiatric audiences

At our spring 1995 meeting (coinciding with the 1995 APA meeting in Miami), Philip Margolis, M.D. spoke about disability and the development of work phobia among susceptible individuals. In addition, Leonard Moss, M.D. presented his paper on executive coaching.

At the APA meeting, Donald Williams, M.D. organized an issues workshop entitled "New Approaches to Diagnosis in Disabled Patients," which included Robert Haines, M.D.; Jeffrey Kahn, M.D.; and Brian Grant, M.D. Robert Larsen, M.D.; Len Sperry M.D., Ph.D.; and Bob Hayes, Ph.D. participated in a course offering on "An Introduction to Occupational Psychiatry." This course sold out at 50 participants, reflecting hunger on the part of psychiatrists at large to learn more about the field.

AOOP also collaborated in a conference during September (1995) in Washington, D.C. on "Work, Stress and Health, '95: Creating Healthier Workplaces," presented by the American Psychological Association, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

At this conference, Elmore Rigamer, M.D. Stephen Heidel, M.D. and Jeffrey Kahn presented a symposium entitled, "Organizational and Occupational Psychiatry: Clinical Perspectives on Workplace Stress." Donald Williams presented a course on "Evaluation and Treatment of Disability: Individual and Organizational Levels." Additional participants included Jeffrey Kahn, Brian Grant, and Len Sperry. Occupational issues, notably workers' compensation, were included in the October meeting of the American Academy of Psychiatry and Law (AAPL) in Seattle, WA. Two panels were presented on workers' compensation topics. Peter Ash, M.D., along with Philip Margolis, Julie Rand, M.D., and Brian Grant presented "Workers' Comp: Returning the Litigant to Work". Also, John Beahrs, M.D., Donald Williams, William Beaver and Brian Grant presented a panel entitled, "Diagnostic and Causal Challenges in Workers' Compensation."

A noteworthy publication by Jeffrey Kahn entitled "Psychiatry and the Corporation" is in the November 1995 issue of Psychiatric Times. Jeffrey's article discusses organizational and occupational psychiatry and the career opportunities it presents for interested clinicians. It's an excellent, brief overview of the field.

APA Committee on Occupational Psychiatry

AOOP member Marcia Scott, M.D. is the Chair of this committee. Other members include Stephen Heidel; Len Sperry; Robert Larsen; Esther Roberts, M.D.; Peter Boxer, M.D.; and Harold Visotsky, M.D. There was some consideration of moving the committee from the Council on Economic Affairs to the Council on Psychiatric Services. Since Occupational Psychiatry is not yet a fully developed service, the Council on Economic Affairs agreed to continue the committee under its mandate.

The committee will focus on developing the role of psychiatrists in the workplace and improving our understanding of work and the workplace in relationship to psychiatric illness. The committee has chosen post-traumatic stress disorder in relationship to work and the workplace as its agenda for the spring component meeting at the May 1996 APA meeting. The committee will continue its development of the work history and integrating the history into medical and psychiatric evaluations.

GAP Committee on Occupational Psychiatry

AOOP member David Robbins, M.D. chairs the GAP Committee on Occupational Psychiatry. David 's committee is drafting a monograph, "Inappropriate Aggression in the Workplace," to be published by the American Psychiatric Press, Inc. Other members include Peter Brill, M.D.; Duane Hagen, M.D.; Barrie Greiff, M.D.; Robert Larsen; Len Sperry; and David Morrison, M.D.

 
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