- Mission Statement
- Code of Ethics
- Principles of Practice
- Bylaws
- Leadership Disclosures
- Committee Disclosure of Affiliations Form
- Guidelines on Conflict of Interest for Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists
- Guidelines on Conflict of Interest for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Researchers
- Operating Principles for Extramural Support of AACAP Meetings and Related Activities
- Treasurer's Reports
- Audit Reports
AACAP Continuing Medical Education
- Continuing Medical Education and Transparency
- Accreditation with Commendation
- Annual Meeting Policy on Full Disclosure
More AACAP
- Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
- Practice Parameters
- Facts for Families
- Bill of Rights for Children with Mental Health Disorders and Their Families
A Message on Transparency by AACAP President Robert Hendren, D.O.
Mission Statement
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Amended and approved by Council, June 27, 2010
Promote the healthy development of children, adolescents, and families through research, training, advocacy, prevention, comprehensive diagnosis and treatment, and to meet the professional needs of child and adolescent psychiatrists throughout their careers.
Code of Ethics 
Adopted by The Council January 30, 2009
The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry is among the first medical associations with a written Code of Ethics. The AACAP Code of Ethics was created in 1980 to ensure the highest level of services to children, adolescents, and their families. This set of principles guides child and adolescent psychiatrists in the changing landscape of the doctor-patient relationship in the modern practice of child and adolescent psychiatry.
All AACAP members must pledge to adhere to the AACAP Code of Ethics as a condition of membership. These excerpts from the Code of Ethics reference transparency:
Excerpts from AACAP's Code of Ethics on Transparency 
Principles of Practice
Adapted from CODE OF ETHICS, May 16, 1982
The Principles of Practice of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry was adapted from its Code of Ethics. The Principles of Practice state that child and adolescent psychiatrists must avoid all actions which may have a detrimental effect on the optimal development of a child or adolescent. Additionally, child and adolescent psychiatrists must maintain the integrity of professional judgment independent of influence. Child and adolescent psychiatrists agree to adhere to these principles as a condition of AACAP membership.
Bylaws
Revised 2012
The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry’s Bylaws, the regulations that govern the organization are available on the AACAP Web site. AACAP members must adhere to AACAP Bylaws as a condition of membership.
To best serve child and adolescent psychiatry, both the interests of practitioners and families, the AACAP requires its leadership, including its President, President-Elect, Program Committee Chairman, and Journal Editor to not participate in speaker bureaus associated with pharmaceutical companies.
The Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry’s Editor must remain free from any financial conflicts of interest during their tenure as Editor.
Committee Disclosure of Affiliations Form
Updated 2008
Before serving on committees or participating in committee meetings, AACAP members must disclose any potential conflict of interest by filling out this form. Disclosure is necessary when outside affiliations result in conflicts which may impact on an individual’s opinion. In the event of a conflict, committee leadership will decide if the issue merits the committee member’s removal from the discussion or committee. The AACAP has used these forms since 2000 to engender openness and transparency.
Guidelines on Conflict of Interest for Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists
Last Reviewed and Approved by Council on January 30, 2009
A physician’s first obligation is their patients. The AACAP wrote its Guidelines on Conflicts of Interest for Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists to support patients by helping child and adolescent psychiatrists assess conflicts of interest. The AACAP notes the 4 As of managing conflicts of interest: awareness, assessment, acknowledgment, and action.
Guidelines on Conflict of Interest for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Researchers
Approved by Council on January 30, 2009
Research is funded by a range of entities. The AACAP encourages the interaction of child and adolescent psychiatry investigators and sponsors, including government, private and commercial organizations that serve the best interests of children and adolescents while maintaining scientific integrity. Child and adolescent psychiatrists who engage in research disclose all relevant benefits, especially material financial interests.
Operating Principles for Extramural Support of AACAP Meetings and Related Activities
Adopted in 2003, updated annually
To facilitate transparency and disclosure, the AACAP has approved the Operating Principles for Extramural Support of American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) Meetings and Related Activities. These principles provide the framework through which members of the AACAP, AACAP meeting attendees, and AACAP meeting supporters can foster high quality scientific and educational programming in the context of full financial disclosure.
The Treasurer's Report of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
The AACAP takes its fiduciary responsibility seriously. The AACAP posts reports as they are available. The AACAP receives 9 to 11 % of its annual income from pharmaceutical companies. To view AACAP’s Treasurer's reports, please click on the following:
The Audit Reports of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
AACAP Continuing Medical Education
Continuing Medical Education and Transparency
The AACAP is committed to continuing education as a means of maintaining excellence in child and adolescent psychiatry. To that end, the AACAP offers excellent continuing medical education and enforces comprehensive and rigorous policies to manage potential conflicts of interest related to the AACAP continuing medical education. AACAP has developed a mechanism to resolve conflicts of interest pertaining to its continuing medical eduction.
Accreditation with Commendation
In 2006, the AACAP’s continuing medical education underwent a rigorous re-accreditation process with the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to continue AACAP’s ability to be a provider of continuing medical education.
AACAP has achieved an Accreditation with Commendation. Only 6 to 8 percent of CME providers attain this status. The AACAP was recognized as being in exemplary compliance in the areas of:
- Policies for Disclosure and Standards for Commercial Support
- Planning Process
- Needs Assessment
- Evaluation of Overall CME Program
- Business and Management Policies and Procedures of CME Program
Annual Meeting Policy on Full Disclosure
AACAP Annual Meetings provide extensive opportunities for learning, scientific exchange and collegial interaction. In particular, the AACAP Annual Meeting is a special event for professionals in child and adolescent psychiatry and allied disciplines to assemble from around the world to advance scientific understanding of children and adolescents’ mental illnesses. The AACAP has kept content and presentations independent from sources of funding or other support. In so doing, we have been able to maintain the integrity of the Annual Meetings. In evaluations, AACAP Annual Meeting attendees consistently give the highest rating for “presentation was free of commercial bias." (2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008.)
More AACAP:
Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
The monthly Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP) is the major journal focusing exclusively on today’s psychiatric research and treatment of children and adolescents. The Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry ranks as the number 1 journal in pediatrics, as reported in the SCI Journal Citation Reports for 2007.
The JAACAP’s work to address conflicts of interest has largely focused on transparency and disclosing conflicts of interest so that readers and editors can be aware of potential sources of bias in any results or recommendations. The JAACAP’s policy on conflict of interest maintains that the journal’s Editor must remain free from any financial conflicts of interest during their tenure. All members of the JAACAP Editorial Board must disclose any potential conflicts of interest, which are published annually in the December issue of the Journal.
All reviewers and authors, including commentators and editorialists, disclose any conflicts of interest and any relationships that may give the appearance of conflicts of interest.
Editorial by Andres Martin, M.D., M.P.H., JAACAP Editor on Conflict of Interest
February 2008
AACAP Practice Parameters assist physicians in the clinical decision-making related to the diagnosis and treatment of children and adolescents’ mental illnesses. Each practice parameter makes specific recommendations based on a rigorous and comprehensive evaluation of all available scientific data.
All authors of practice parameters’ disclosures are available on the AACAP Web site here.
Since 1982, the AACAP has offered the Facts for Families series to provide concise and up-to-date information on issues that affect children, teenagers, and their families. These fact sheets are written and updated by child and adolescent psychiatrists to inform families of what’s normal, what’s not, and when to seek help. The series is offered free of charge on this Web site, which educates more than 750,000 visitors each year.
Bill of Rights for Children with Mental Health Disorders and Their Families
(Adopted March 12, 2008)
The AACAP created the Bill of Rights for Children with Mental Health Disorders with a coalition of consumer organizations including the Autism Society of America, the Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation, Children and Adults With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Mental Health America, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, and the National Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health. The document serves as a standard of what families living with mental illnesses should expect from treatment and aims to address inconsistencies in accessible mental healthcare services throughout the country.
Click here to read the Bill of Rights for Children with Mental Health Disorders and their Families.
