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Mark Matta, DO, DFAPA
PaPS President
| | The landscape of medical practice is shifting rapidly under unprecedented legal and public scrutiny, specifically targeting the medical decisions made by psychiatrists. Recent news cycles highlight a troubling national trend where psychiatrists are being heavily questioned over their clinical reasoning, particularly regarding virtual assessments, the management of complex or rare psychiatric conditions, and the sufficiency of their documentation. For members of the Pennsylvania Psychiatric Society, these high-profile cases serve as a critical reminder to evaluate current clinical boundaries and fortify risk mitigation strategies within our medical practices. | | Hope Selarnick, MD, DLFAPA | | Editor's Note
PaPS President Dr. Matta writes about the standard of care in a virtual world. Our own society promotes a high standard of care through education and advocacy. We continue to celebrate the rich history of our society- this edition features a lovely piece about the Committee on Women, and a look at our historic Philadelphia Chapter. More to come throughout this year! | | |
Mark Matta, DO, DFAPA
President
Indranil Chakrabarti, MD, DFAPA
President Elect
Aileen Oandasan, MD, FAPA
Vice President
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Christine Marchionni, MD, DFAPA
Treasurer
Howard Levin, MD, DFAPA
Secretary
Kavita Fischer, MD, DFAPA
Immediate Past President
| | 2026-2027 District Executive Council members with their abbreviated bios are listed here. | | Kenneth Certa, MD, DLFAPA | | Government Affairs Update | |
The legislature is not in session, and most legislators are working on getting re-elected. As all know, this is a challenging year politically, so few controversial items are likely to be moved forward.
Our committee has been working on a select items of interest, many of which I have mentioned before.
| | September 2, 2026 - PaPS Monthly Webinar
Medication Management & Associated Regulations in Long-Term Care Facilities
Speaker: Amita Patel, MD, CMD, MHA, CPE (Premier Health - Dayton Psychiatric Associates) | | | |
Mark Your Calendars and Join Your Colleagues at PaPS’ Statewide Conference
October 9-11, 2026 at Kalahari Resort & Conference Center.
Bring the Family and Enjoy All Kalahari has to offer. Overnight accommodations include resort fees, and 4 passes to Kalahari’s Waterpark (a $200 value).
| | Email completed application to papsych@papsych.org by September 4, 2026. | | |
November 10, 2026
Resident Research and Awards Night
Sheraton Pittsburgh Hotel at Station Square
Call for Pittsburgh Resident Posters underway
Awardees for lifetime, mid-career and ECP will be honored
| | Save the Date!
Registration Coming Soon | | | | |
What's in a Word?
The astute psychiatrist attends not only to the manifest content of therapy, but also to its latent meanings. Curiosity about what underlies the words a patient chooses is fundamental to our work. Indeed, Freud devoted a substantial portion of his Introductory Lectures to language, and the psychoanalytic exploration of language as a means of understanding both society and ourselves has a rich and enduring history.
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Men’s Mental Health in Pennsylvania: Why Seeking Help Matters
Dr. Luke Piper, Immediate Past President of the PaPS Central Chapter discusses the importance of men’s mental health with Asia Tabb on WIFT The Spark. Listen to the conversation here.
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Arundhati Nittur Receives a 2026-2027 Helping Hands Grants Program Award from the American Psychiatric Association Foundation
Join us in congratulating Aru Nittur’s success in receiving a 2026-2027 Helping Hands Grants Program award of $1,000 from the American Psychiatric Association Foundation (APAF).
| | Mary Anne Albaugh, MD, DLFAPA | | |
Assembly Update
Summer greetings to PaPS members and soon to be members!
Let me introduce you to your current PaPS Assembly Representatives to Area 3 Council and the APA Assembly. Adam Tripp MD, Dhana Ramasamy MD, Hope Selarnick MD and Kavita Fischer MD. Area 3 Council’s Representative is Constance Dunlap MD (Washington Psychiatric Society) and I serve as the Deputy Representative (Pennsylvania Psychiatric Society).
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⭐Philadelphia Chapter History⭐
In the spirit of our country’s 250th anniversary, and Philadelphia as its birthplace, how apropos to highlight our Philadelphia Chapter!!
The Philadelphia Psychiatric (PPS) Society dates to 1909; we celebrated the 100th anniversary at our Benjamin Rush Gala, Nov. 2009. PPS affiliated with PaPS in 1974; in 2003, we closed our local office, formally moving all operations under PaPS. The Society (now Chapter of PaPS) boasts a rich history which is documented in the linked articles (Dr. Edward Leonard’s article which appeared in the program booklet for the 100th anniversary gala, and the APA News article discussing the 100th anniversary).
We have also included a list of past presidents all who contributed their time/efforts to make unique pieces of our history!
A few notables from last 5 years:
Dr. Marina Goldman and Dr. Kenneth Weiss each served 2nd presidential terms!
Dr. Ellen Conroy resurrected our Awards Gala after a prolonged COVID pause.
Dr. Heather John oversaw an exciting Awards Gala in an historic venue replete with a presentation by local journalist Mr. Stephen Fried at the Kirkbride Center (the site of the former Institute of Pennsylvania Hospital).
We continue to draw RFMs from 6 residency programs and medical student interest from 5 medical schools!
As one of the larger Chapters, our membership stands strong!
The Women’s Interest Committee which will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2027 continues to turn out Chapter and State leaders!
Philly proud!!
| | Aileen Oandasan, MD, FAPA | | |
The Committee on Women
Dr. Aileen Oandasan highlights the significance of the original PaPS Committee on Women- how this group paved the way for future generations of women psychiatrists.
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APA Learning Center
Members Course of the Month
Each month, APA members have free access to an on-demand CME course on a popular topic.*
Pricing:
This course is free to members throughout August 2026. On September 1, 2026, the course will be available for purchase.
AUGUST COURSE OF THE MONTH
Navigating School Mental Health in the Age of Addiction
Youth mental health challenges and addictions continue to evolve, requiring clinicians to stay informed. This course explores current trends in youth substance use, vaping, internet gaming, and social media addiction, while highlighting practical strategies for early identification, intervention, and school-based collaboration.
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Psychopharmacology Unplugged:
Advanced Strategies for the Busy Psychiatrist
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A Live, 2.5 Day Virtual Conference
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Friday, October 2 to Sunday, October 4, 2026
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22 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
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$499 - Nonmember; $399 - Member; $249 - Resident/Fellow/Medical Student
For more details or to register click here.
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Hello,
Hoot, What, Where: PRMS’ Network Newsletter Q1 2026
From risk management and claims advice to risk alerts, PRMS news, and events, this quarterly newsletter delivers news, practical tips, and key updates in the field of psychiatry to help keep you, your patients, and you practice safe. The current issue of “Hoot, What, Where” from PRMS include articles on topics ranging from googling patients to nonadherent patients. Please feel free to read the newsletter here.
PRMS Resident Owlery Newsletter Q1 2026
“Resident Owlery” was developed by PRMS to provide psychiatry residents in training with ‘owl you need’ to help manage risks as you begin your psychiatric career. This quarterly newsletter features risk management resources, educational articles, and the latest announcements and events from PRMS. The current issue covers topics such as transferring care of hospitalized patients and prescription drug monitoring programs. We invite you to read the risk management resource here.
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Julia Bajereanu | Senior Client and Partner Relations Manager
Professional Risk Management Services (PRMS)
4300 Wilson Boulevard | Suite 700 | Arlington, VA 22203
Cell: (412) 660-2092
Toll Free: (800) 245-3333
PRMS.com
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Pennsylvania Psychiatric Society
574E Richie Highway, #271, Severna Park, MD 21146
Phone: 800-422-2900 | Fax: 410-544- 4640
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