Vermont Makes Bold Fiscal Move

In a field where most professional membership dues are increasing or at least holding steady, the Vermont Psychiatric Association (VPA) stands alone. With the dawning of the new year, members of this district branch are paying $50 less for membership than last year. Effective January 1, membership dues dropped from $250 to $200.

“The district branch does not need more money in its budget at the moment—and the VPA does not want members to struggle to pay their dues,” said VPA President Gail Barton, M.D. Additionally, in efforts to retain a greater number of senior members, the VPA decided to exempt all life members from district branch dues.

Barton believes that for the many Vermont psychiatrists who work in the public sector, VPA membership will be more feasible.

VPA Treasurer David Fassler, M.D., strongly supports the move. “It’s important for us to do everything we can to reach out to colleagues working in all settings, including academics, community mental health, private practice, and administration. In part, this means operating as efficiently and effectively as we can, and keeping the dues as low as possible.”

The VPA has also renewed its administrative affiliation with the Vermont State Medical Society, which provides access to meeting space, administrative support, and assistance with advocacy and legislative initiatives.

Fassler, who backs the liaison, commented, “I think it would be very difficult for us to do as much as we do without the infrastructure and resources of the medical society.”

He added that the affiliation is especially helpful in the legislative arena. “We received significant support and assistance [from the Medical Society] in the successful battle for comprehensive parity legislation.” The law went into effect in 1998, making Vermont the 13th state at the time to mandate parity for its citizens.