xxAACP Newsletter, Volume 14, Number 4, Fall 2000
Progress in Virginia
Community and other public psychiatrists in Virginia are enjoying increased interest in the role of psychiatrists in public clinics. The Virginia Association of Community Services Boards (our CMHCs) has become an active legislative advocate for the care of patients in the public system, but their biannual meetings have never been inclusive of physicians. For the first time ever, the VACSB meeting this past October 4, 2000 included a Physicians Institute, formal educational activities designed for community psychiatrists. There was a luncheon for the clinic Executive Directors and Medical Directors and other psychiatrists employed in the CSBs. In the afternoon, we enjoyed a presentation on the design and characteristics of a successful program for the treatment of persons with Dual Diagnosis by AACP’s own Ken Minkoff. His characteristic enthusiasm was the perfect catalyst. The impetus for this historic occasion came from David Ziegler, the Executive Director of Northwestern Community Services (Winchester, VA) and Anita Everett, MD, the Inspector General for the Governor of Virginia, a self-described "community psychiatrist at heart". Everyone enjoyed the opportunity to network and share experiences in what has been a fragmented system.
In addition, there have been several regional meetings around the state of community docs to explore how we may more productively network and voice the concerns abut how our system and its resource issues affect the quality of care. The most recent was held in Charlottesville the Saturday following the Physicians Institute at VACSB. We welcomed physicians from as far away as Greensboro, NC! It is encouraging to see this growth of interest in developing a voice for physicians in a system that has disempowered physicians for so long.
We hope to keep you posted with positive developments.
David Moody, MD
Charlottesville, VA
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