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In this edition of the Pennsylvania Psychiatrist you will find:
- Message from the PaPS President, Dr. Fischer
- Executive Committee and PaPS Council
- Upcoming PaPS Events
- Update: Government Relations
- Why I Got Involved In The APA
- Committee Spotlight
- Members Corner
- Private Practice Corner
- Chapter Spotlight
- APA and Industry News
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Happy New Year - Welcome to 2026!!
Please join our PaPS Member Facebook Group and follow our updated LinkedIn page. In just seconds, you are connected with members across Pennsylvania!
This premier 2026 edition features a special message from our President. Also featured in this edition - a piece from our PaPS Ethics Committee Chair, a fascinating piece on woodworking, a new and exciting section devoted to private practice, and lots of great photos from members!
Our newsletter showcases the many talents and professional contributions of our members- please continue to send your seasonal photos/projects, op/eds, and other pieces for publication!
Warm regards,
Hope Selarnick, MD, DLFAPA
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Kavita Fischer, MD, DFAPA
PaPS President
A look back on 2025 and embracing change and growth in 2026!
“Growth is never by mere chance; it is the result of forces working together.” – James Cash Penney
As we step into a new year, I find myself reflecting on the first half of my presidential term as well as looking at an exciting new year ahead. Time has flown by, and together, we have accomplished so much in 2025:
- Launched a new and improved monthly newsletter on a modernized platform
- Strengthened the Chapter President Coalition, enabling direct collaboration among chapter presidents and the executive committee
- Hosted a leadership retreat that produced key action items, including:
- Establishing the first PaPS statewide conference – the Keystone Psychiatric Forum, scheduled for October 9–11, 2026 as well the hardworking and dedicated planning committee represented by all chapters
- Creating a Small Chapter Coalition, which will bring virtual events and increased collaboration throughout the state in 2026
- Streamlined statewide committees and introduced our new Membership Engagement Committee
- Developed objective criteria for the annual PaPS Presidential Award
- Delivered excellent chapter events and member recognition initiatives
- Represented our members through our hardworking and dedicated APA assembly representatives and committee leaders through their action papers and insightful input
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Achieved ongoing wins through our Government Relations committee, working closely with the Pennsylvania Medical Society and forming a strengthened collaborative relationship with the Pennsylvania Society of Addiction Medicine (PSAM) to increase our impact on key issues impacting our profession and patients
- Continued offering valuable monthly CME events and webinars, with growing participation
- Developed a strategic scope with our current management Next Wave Group (NWG) to proactively address universal budget and growth challenges, ensuring the long-term success of our society.
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Kavita Fischer, MD, DFAPA
President
Mark Matta, DO, DFAPA
President Elect
Indranil Chakrabarti, MD, FAPA
Vice President
Aileen Oandasan, MD, FAPA
Treasurer
Christine Marchionni, MD, DFAPA
Seccretary
Irakli Mania, MD, DFAPA
Immediate Past President
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2025-2026 District Executive Council members with their abbreviated bios are listed here.
Click here for the full PaPS Council member listing.
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Mark Your Calendars and Join Your Colleagues, Friends, & Peers 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).
Registration Opens June 2026
To Learn More About Kalahari, Scan the QR Code
| February 28 - 28th Annual Colloquium of Scholars - Save the Date! | | |
Government Relations Update
Kenneth Certa, MD, DLFAPA
The government relations committee has been working on several issues of interest to PaPS members; some familiar, some new. To see the text of a bill, you can go to https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills followed by the bill number (either hb or sb.)
Psychology prescribing (HB 1000) continues to be a major focus of our efforts. Thanks to the advocacy of PaPS members, it appears that the committee chair will not be moving the bill at this time; the votes aren’t there. We continue to work with the members of the House Professional Licensure committee to educate them about alternatives to increase access to care.
State senator Gene Yaw has been persuaded by some of his constituents to introduce a bill mirroring HB 1000 in the senate, though he has not yet done so (he has put out a co-sponsorship memo.) His district includes some of the most rural in PA (Bradford, Sullivan, Lycoming, Tioga and Union counties) and he chairs the Center for Rural Pennsylvania. The center held a public hearing in Harrisburg on April 8, 2025 entitled Advancing Rural Mental Health Access and Support. One of the speakers presented the case for psychologist prescribing; here’s the link. Note that the bulk of the testimony centers on lack of access to care, which of course includes psychological services without the expansion of scope being sought. It is a tricky blurring of message, and the statements about number of hours of supervised training seem impressive until one counts the number of hours in psychiatry residency training (more than 8 times as many hours.) We hope our members are in touch with their state senators registering their opposition to co-sponsorship.
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Mayank Gupta, MD, DFAPA, DFAACAP, CPE
Dr. Mayank Gupta is a Triple Board-Certified Psychiatrist and Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. He is a long-standing leader within organized psychiatry, President of the Pittsburgh Psychiatric Society, and is an active contributor to the APA Assembly, where he has advanced evidence-based policy and clinical advocacy.
Internationally trained and nationally recognized, Dr. Gupta completed psychiatric training in London at the Charing Cross Program before completing residency at New York Medical College and a Child and Adolescent Psychiatry fellowship at Rutgers University. He is also certified in Addiction Medicine and a Certified Physician Executive.
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The period following the pandemic has reshaped how we think about mental health and the forces that influence it. In recent years, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) has continued to reflect on its role, broaden its perspectives, and deepen its commitment to understanding the many social and structural factors that affect the well-being of the communities we serve. These developments have encouraged many members, including myself, to consider how we can contribute to the future of our field.
My decision to become more engaged grew from a combination of meaningful mentorship within the Pennsylvania Psychiatric Society and an increasing awareness of the challenges that lie ahead for psychiatry. It became clear that the progress we benefit from today is the result of sustained dedication by members over many years. Their efforts have included thoughtful participation in legislative conversations, attention to issues of education and training, and consistent advocacy for a strong professional voice.
Over the past decade, the APA has continued to support collaborative care while navigating complex questions related to training, practice, and the academic needs of its members. My experience in the APA Assembly offered a deeper understanding of the ongoing work that takes place behind the scenes. Engagement allowed me to appreciate the careful deliberation, collaboration, and steady commitment that help sustain our profession.
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PaPS Committee Highlight:
Ethics Committee
Kathleen C. Dougherty, MD, DLFAPA
Dr. Dougherty completed an accelerated program obtaining her BS through Penn State University and her MD through Jefferson Medical College. She went on to complete residency at Case Western Reserve University and stayed to complete a fellowship in forensic psychiatry.
Dr. Dougherty currently serves as Vice Chair for Clinical Services, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Health at Penn State Health. She holds a faculty position as Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Penn State University College of Medicine.
Dr. Dougherty currently serves as Chair of PaPS Ethics Committee and Co-chair of PaPS Government Relations Committee. She also serves as Councilor of the Central Chapter, PaPS and is a past president, PaPS.
Dr. Dougherty is a Distinguished Life Fellow, APA. She is a prior recipient of the Presidential Award of PaPS, and the Presidential Award of the Central Chapter, PaPS.
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I have been a member of the Ethics Committee since 2005 and the Chair since 2020, previously co-chairing for a number of years with Dr. Larry Altaker.
The Ethics Committee addresses any complaints filed concerning the behavior of a member of PaPS. There are guidelines regarding who can raise these concerns: they typically come from a patient but can be from a colleague or potentially even from a member of the public calling our attention to a publicized issue such as a Board of Medicine action in PA or another state.
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How I Avoid Burnout
Abigail Kay, MA, MD, DFAPA
Dr. Abigail Kay did her residency training in psychiatry at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, where she has been a faculty member and attending physician since 2005. In addition to being board certified by both the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and the American Board of Preventive Medicine (Addiction Medicine), she is also a psychoanalyst, having trained and graduated from the Psychoanalytic Center of Philadelphia. In her clinical role, Dr. Kay specializes in insight-oriented psychotherapy. From 2005 until 2015, she served as medical director of the Narcotic Addiction Rehabilitation Program.
Dr. Kay is an APA Distinguished Fellow (DFAPA). She is a prior recipient of the Outstanding Educator Award of the Philadelphia Chapter, Pennsylvania Psychiatric Society (PaPS). Dr. Kay has received other prestigious awards including the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Education, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, and the APA’s Nancy C. A. Roeske Certificate of Recognition for Excellence in Medical Student Education. Dr. Kay is widely known as a mentor to women seeking careers in the field of medicine.
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About ten years ago, with having a better work-life balance in mind, I decided that I wanted a new hobby and signed up for a 10-session introduction to pottery class. Each Sunday, Clay in hand, I went to the pottery studio. After a few sessions I was confidently centering my clay on the pottery wheel, creating a symmetrical mound and skillfully creating the beginnings of a bowl. Sadly, however, as my classmates began to make tall vases, I discovered that I couldn’t get my bowls past that initial, beginnings of a bowl stage and after those 10 weeks, decided to look for a different hobby.
I thought about other crafts and decided to try woodwork. After my first weekend course, I knew that I had found my new hobby. Many small tables and cutting boards later, one can only comfortably fit so many tables into their home, I decided to try my hand at bowl turning. There was a small group of members who would go into the woodshop each day, make a beautiful bowl, and then head home. As I struggled to make a simple bowl, I admired another turner’s elegant bowl and he told me that if I made one bowl every week for a year, that I too could make a beautiful bowl. Each week I went in, made a small bowl, watched the experienced bowl turners make works of art and learned from their experience. One of the turners would watch YouTube videos and after learning how to make a new style of bowl, would teach me how to make it. When someone would ask me what kind of bowl I was making, I would joke that however it turned out was exactly what I was trying to make. As I became more skilled, I often added that what the expert creates on purpose, the novice creates by accident, and I was still the latter.
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Drs. Albaugh, Oandasan, Selarnick & Weiss share some snowy day holiday photos. | | |
“The Big Shoes”
January 2026
Mark Matta, DO, DFAPA
Presently, Dr. Mark Matta is the CEO and Medical Director of Psych Med Associates, P.C. in New Castle, PA. He is also the medical director of People in Need and Community Alternatives, two community mental health clinics in New Castle. Chatham University has awarded Dr. Matta as the Psychiatric Preceptor of the Year in 2012 and Clinical Preceptor of the Year in 2013. He has also been awarded Best of the Best Psychiatrist by the New Castle News from 2009-2017, 2019, 2022, 2023, and in 2025 was “Elected as Distinguished Fellow” with the American Psychiatric Association in 2020 in recognition of his significant contributions to the field of psychiatry.
He is the President-Elect of the Pennsylvania Psychiatric Society and previously served as the president of the Pittsburgh Psychiatric Society for the 2021-2022 year and presently sits on the Lawrence County Mental Health Advisory Board. Dr. Matta was also a previous recipient of the Pennsylvania Medical Society’s 40 under 40 award, recognizing physicians who have provided significant service to their field.
When I was asked to give a speech at my father’s retirement, I thought to myself, “I need to wear the biggest shoes I have.” In a small rust town 60 miles north of Pittsburgh, it was clear to everyone present that I was being entrusted with the private psychiatric practice he had established three decades prior. I had graduated from my residency just 11 months earlier, but due to medical reasons, his succession plan was accelerated.
In the beginning, I leaned heavily on my experienced staff. I was frightened by what I did not know about the business and system of medicine. Over the years, my confidence grew and I began to learn more about risk tolerant decisions, contract negotiations, managing personalities, and navigating the complexities of the healthcare world. The greatest lesson I learned overall is that the business of medicine is the worst thing that happened to medicine.
“Do no harm” is our core principle. I quickly learned where the realm of business and medicine collide, and it is on this playing field. It is a not black and white, all or none principle, but rather like many things in medicine, has found itself on a spectrum of analysis. Decisions that are made regarding patient care and/or the private practice may inevitably affect our patients. The question is how much? What is the balance between impacting the patient versus the overall well-being of the private practice which has implications for many patients and one's livelihood?
| | Lehigh Chapter Holiday Event
December 11, 2025 | | |
The Lehigh Chapter hosted a holiday dinner event co-sponsored by Bristol Myers Squibb on December 11th, 2025, at the Edge Restaurant in Bethlehem, PA. The event was an excellent opportunity for residents, fellows, and attendings across the Lehigh Valley to connect and celebrate the holidays with an elegant dinner. We had 20 attendees with 10 resident-fellow members and 10 attendings at the gathering. There was an informational presentation given by psychiatrist Dr. Vishesh Agarwal on the new antipsychotic medication Cobenfy used in the treatment of schizophrenia. There was also a raffle give-away for the Lehigh Valley Zoo activities and a restaurant gift certificate to Surv Restaurant in Easton, PA.
Have a happy holiday!
Howard Levin, MD
Vice Chair, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Health
Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist
Clinical Associate Professor, LKSOM, Dept of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
| | APA Webinar on January 6:
2026 Billing and Documentation Update for Psychiatrists | | |
Register Here for 2026 APA Billing and Documentation Update for Psychiatrists
Description: Join us on Tuesday, January 6th at 1:00 p.m. EST for a billing and coding webinar for psychiatrists. We will highlight new and revised billing codes for 2026, along with reviewing how to select the most appropriate code.
This webinar will also explore key documentation considerations to help participants craft notes that serve multiple purposes, such as effectively communicating critical information to third-party readers, enhancing patient care, and supporting billing requirements based on telehealth policies for 2026.
Learning Objectives: Learn how to choose the most appropriate billing code, Learn about the key documentation considerations relevant to psychiatric care, Learn about the updated payment policies including telehealth policies for 2026.
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The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is charged with helping people in the United States access treatment for substance use disorders (SUD) and mental health conditions. We know that, for many Americans, January can mark a time when they try to visualize a life without an SUD—and when they resolve to pursue treatment and recovery. SAMHSA wants to help them meet that moment informed and encouraged.
This January, SAMHSA will continue the annual, national observance of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Treatment Month. This observance offers you the chance to join SAMHSA, other federal partners, and people across the nation to increase awareness of, treatment for, and recovery from SUD. This year’s theme is: “Treatment Works! Find the Path that Works for You.”
With this week’s theme of starting fresh, SAMHSA’s Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) wants to help people understand what SUD is and to understand how some commonly used—and discussed—substances affect people.
Check out helpful information and resources:
By the end of January, SAMHSA hopes the resources shared during the month will help you or someone you know to seek help and find the resources they need. Everyone should have an opportunity to live to their fullest potential.
Read more about Treatment Month and how we can all work together to connect people contemplating or seeking help for their substance use to seek screenings, treatment, or recovery services in today’s new blog.
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New 988 Lifeline Fact Sheets & Social Media Resources
Dear 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Partners,
As we continue working together to expand awareness of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, we’re sharing updated resources to support your outreach. This month’s materials include a 988 Fact Sheet and information to help partners explain the distinctions between 988 and 911. We invite you to explore and share the resources below across your communities.
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988 Fact Sheet
The refreshed 988 Fact Sheet —one of our most downloaded resources—is now available in the 988 Partner Toolkit. This updated version offers an easy-to-share overview of what 988 is and what people can expect when contacting 988. It also features testimonials from people who have used 988, along with answers to frequently asked questions.
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988 & 911 Fact Sheet and Social Media
Many people have questions about the difference between 988 and 911. We now have dedicated resources to help address them. The new 988 & 911 Key Difference Fact Sheet provides a high-level overview to support clear communication about when each service is the right fit. Complementary social media assets are also available in the 988 Partner Toolkit, making it easy to share accurate information across your channels.
| | | Join the PaPS Member Facebook Group | | |
The PaPS Social Media and Communications Committee is reaching out to invite you to join our private Facebook group, Pennsylvania Psychiatric Society, a professional online community created exclusively for Pennsylvania psychiatrists. The group is designed to facilitate the exchange of clinical insights, discuss the latest developments in psychiatry, and support peer-to-peer collaboration in a respectful and enriching environment.
If you’re interested in connecting with fellow psychiatrists, sharing knowledge, and staying up to date on relevant discussions and resources, we would be delighted to have you join us.
To join the group:
Click the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/papsmembers or you can search for the Pennsylvania Psychiatric Society group in the Facebook search. You can also use the QR code below to be directed to the group.
Participation is entirely voluntary and the group is moderated to ensure it remains a constructive and professional space.
| Please feel free to reach out to Cathy Thompson at cthompson@nextwavegroup.net if you have any questions.
We look forward to welcoming you to the community. | | |
Updates & Resources from PRMS
On behalf of everyone at PRMS®, we extend our heartfelt thanks for making 2025 truly remarkable. We thank you for your partnership and for all you do to support mental healthcare and wish you a joyful holiday season and a new year filled with happiness, good health, and endless possibilities.
Attached please find the new installments of our newsletters, “Hoot, What, Where,” and “Resident Owlery,” covering closing a private practice and documentation, respectively. Please feel free to share the links to the risk management resources with your members or incorporate any articles of interest into your upcoming communications: Hoot, What, Where 2025 Q4 and Resident Owlery 2025 Q4.
As our tagline says, PRMS is "more than an insurance policy," and we take pride in our efforts to do more for both psychiatrists and the behavioral healthcare community. In recognition of the commitment and care you provide your members and to say "thank you" this season of giving, we are delighted to make donations to charities that focus on mental health and well-being. This year we are supporting Arlington Food Assistance Center, World Central Kitchen, and Trevor Project.
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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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