I am a senior psychiatrist, distinguished fellow of APA, and a board member of the American Association of Community Psychiatrists, writing with regard to the importance of APA’s Institute on Psychiatric Services (IPS).

After nearly 35 years of attending both the IPS and APA’s annual meeting, it has become clear to me that the most functional and practical meeting offered by the organization is the IPS.

Those of us who are “hands-on” practitioners find the IPS’s timing practical (not interfering with graduations, Mother’s Day, and so on) and useful for obtaining excellent, up-to-date clinical and research information.

Also important, particularly due to the current economic, health care policy, and political environments, are the opportunities to learn about, discuss, and network with others regarding recent changes and issues in funding and policy reform, among others.

I am moving into retirement mode and will likely limit my attendance and participation in the organization to the IPS for the reasons mentioned above. I trust that many others share my opinions on this issue.

Should the IPS be diminished in any way, I fear there would be a significant, negative impact on APA.

MICHELLE O. CLARK, M.D.
Los Angeles, Calif.