Dr. Vinson elected to The American College of Psychiatrists

Dr. Sarah Y. Vinson was recently elected to The American College of Psychiatrists. Membership to this esteemed organization is limited to approximately 750 psychiatrists who have demonstrated outstanding competence in the field and achieved national recognition in clinical practice, research, academic leadership, or teaching.

Congratulations, Dr. Vinson!

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About the American College of Psychiatrists

Founded on May 8, 1963, in St. Louis, Mo., The American College of Psychiatrists (The College) is a not-for-profit honorary association dedicated to providing continuing education to its Members, promoting the latest advances in the specialty, and supporting the highest standards in psychiatry.

The Board of Regents, which is made up of six officers and nine other Board Members, is the executive council of The College. The Board administers all professional and business affairs of the association, and oversees The College's Member-driven committees.

Membership in The College is limited to psychiatrists who have demonstrated outstanding competence in the field of psychiatry, and who have achieved national recognition in one of the following fields: clinical practice, research, academic leadership, and teaching. New Members must be sponsored by Fellows or Members of The College who are personally familiar with their work and career.

To encourage involvement in The College, active Members are expected to attend at least one out of every three Annual Meetings. At age 70, Members may assume Emeritus status, at which point they are no longer required to attend meetings or pay dues.

Learn more at https://www.acpsych.org/home.

Two Systems, One Population: Achieving Equity in Mental Healthcare for Criminal Justice and Marginalized Populations

Historically, the mental health system has never been readily accessible, culturally responsive, or a reliable source of effective interventions for vulnerable, at-risk populations. While marginalized groups plagued by failing systems (housing, education, etc.) face greater risks of developing mental illnesses, the individuals within these populations are cycled through the criminal justice system at alarming rates. 

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The United States criminal justice system, whose incarceration rates have increased by more than 500% in the last 40 years, has a lackluster approach to addressing issues of mental illness. This, in turn, warrants serious consequences that result in the mass incarceration and criminalization of a declassed group.

In an article published in Psychiatric Clinic: Achieving Mental Health Equity, Two Systems, One Population: Achieving Equity in Mental Healthcare for Criminal Justice and Marginalized Populations, five subject matter experts, including Lorio Forensics consultants, Dr. Sarah Vinson, Dr. Courtney McMickens, and Dr. Nicole Jackson, breakdown the following:  

  • The interplay of mental health and criminal justice inequities; 

  • The historical context for the prevailing extant approaches to correctional mental health treatment; 

  • And programmatic approaches to addressing these inequities.

Overall, mental illness affects society’s most vulnerable, “including but not limited to, people of color, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ+) populations, and the poor,” in a unique way. Although these groups are impacted by deeply-rooted systemic issues, making them more susceptible to traumatic exposures, they lack the ability to gain access to proper health care. Because of this, the authors of Two Systems, One Population argue that these disadvantaged peoples are likely to be placed in the criminal justice system because they are: 

  • Highly visible to law enforcement because they are overrepresented among homeless populations;

  • More likely to be arrested for the same behavior and tend to stay in jail and prison longer and less likely to be approved for parole or probation;

  • And more likely to be re-arrested, particularly those with co-occurring illnesses.

Rectifying a multilayered issue of this enormity requires a response that begins a fundamental understanding of mass incarceration’s impact on mental health. This basic knowledge should foundational for all public sector mental health professionals.  Outside of clinical settings, advocacy efforts and intersystem collaboration are imperative. 

According to the authors of the article in question, patient-centered care and the medical ethics principle of justice insist mental health providers are “aware of criminal justice system inequities but are also actively working within and across systems to eliminate them.”

Click here to purchase and view this full article.


CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS

Sarah Y. Vinson, MD, corresponding author

Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Morehouse School of Medicine

Principal Consultant, Lorio Forensics

Timothy T. Coffey, MS

Project Coordinator, Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida, Criminal Mental Health Project

Nicole Jackson, DSW

Forensic Mental Health Consultant, Lorio Forensics

Courtney L. McMickens, MD, MPH, MHS

Forensic Mental Health Consultant, Lorio Forensics

Brian McGregor, PhD

Associate Dir. of Research, Kennedy Satcher Center for Mental Health Equity, Satcher Health Leadership Institute

Assistant Professor of Psychiatry

Morehouse School of Medicine

Steven Leifman, JD

Associative Administrative Judge, Miami-Dade County Court Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida

Dr. Vinson Presents Webinar for ADDitude Magazine | Cultural Considerations When Diagnosing and Treating ADHD in African-American Children

African-Americans are not a monolithic group. Like most racial groups in a given society, there are several factors that lead to an array of cultural differences, such as socioeconomic status, location, and gender. Therefore, it is imperative that specialists do more than follow conventional methods and practice real cultural humility when assessing, diagnosing, and treating for Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in African American children. 

As an invited speaker for the ADDitude Magazine webinar, Dr. Sarah Y. Vinson walked attendees through a series of key points that detailed some structural and cultural considerations that may impact the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD in African-American children and families. 

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In this webinar, Dr. Vinson explores the following:

  • Potential causes for both over and under-diagnosis of ADHD in African-American children

  • Structural barriers to ADHD diagnosis and treatment that disproportionately impact African-American families

  • The importance of trauma’s consideration in diagnosis and treatment in this population

Click here to view the webinar and download the presentation slides.


About ADDitude

Delivering expert advice and support, ADDitude has been a prime resource for families and adults living with ADHD and other related conditions since 1998. Their mission is to be “a reliable advisor and ally” to their readers while providing relevant information from trusted medical and mental health professionals as well as caring voices from people living with ADHD.

AACP Social (In)justice and Mental Health Town Hall - 7/30 at 8 PM

Join speakers Dr. Sarah Vinson and Dr. Ruth Shim for this American Association of Community Psychiatrists (AACP) virtual town hall meeting on July 30, 2020 at 8 PM (EDT). The two will explore the parallels of social injustice and mental health as well as how such injustices perpetuate disparities in mental health.

To register for this free event please follow this link.

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Coronavirus Safety Precautions Notice

NOTICE ON HEALTH SAFETY PRECAUTIONS 

In the interest of health and safety, please wash your hands before your appointment. There are sinks and soap located in the bathrooms and kitchen of the T-level.  

Please be advised that our office is cleaned regularly.   There is also hand sanitizer available if you wish.  Please notify me if you have cold or flu symptoms prior to your appointment, and according to CDC guidelines, consider self-quarantine for 14 days at home if you do.  You may discuss virtual appointments in this case with me.  Please notify your clinician if you have had any travel outside of the United States or have come into contact with anyone who has visited China, Italy, Korea or Japan.

These instructions are recommended according to CDC guidelines to help us all work together to be mindful and minimize the risk of COV-19 infection. Additional information can be found here.

Thank you for your consideration and cooperation.

New Book! Pediatric Mental Health for Primary Care Providers

Lorio Psych Group members were instrumental in the creation of the ground-breaking new text Pediatric Mental Health for Primary Care Provider’s: A Clinician’s Guide, published by Springer, one of the world’s leading medical publishers. Congratulations to Co-Editors Ebony S. Vinson, PhD and Sarah Y. Vinson, MD and chapter author for the ADHD section, Hasani Baharanyi, MD.

Praise for the text:

“ More than ever before, pediatricians are being called upon to address a myriad of mental health disorders in children and adolescents. Dr. Sarah Vinson has given pediatricians much needed insight and guidance into this field for which most are ill-equipped to handle through her exemplary book, Pediatric Mental Health for Primary Care Providers. Dr. Vinson is an extraordinary psychiatrist who through her lectures, workshops, and consultations have increased the knowledge and skills of primary care physicians throughout the country on the assessment and treatment of mental health disorders in the pediatric population.”

  • Veda Johnson, M.D., FAAPM Marcus Professor in General Academics and Pediatrics, and Director of PARTNERS for Equity in Child and Adolescent Health (PARTNERS) for the Department of Pediatrics at Emory University

Dr. Vinson is a visionary leader who is deeply connected with the issues that plague underserved children and families. Her new book Pediatric Mental Health for Primary Care Providers fills a critical gap in knowledge and skills around addressing the shortage of pediatric behavioral health providers. This is a valuable resource for pediatricians, nurse practitioners, and other primary care providers who serve pediatric patients.  

  • Glenda Wrenn, MD, FAPA, Director of the Kennedy Center for Mental Health Policy and Research, Satcher Health Leadership Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine