Participation Policies

AACAP is committed to providing a safe, welcoming, and productive meeting environment that fosters open dialogue and the exchange of scientific ideas, promotes equal opportunities and treatment for all participants, and is free of harassment and discrimination. By registering for this AACAP meeting, participants acknowledge and agree to adhere to and abide by all AACAP policies stated below. Participants include attendees, presenters, exhibitors, sponsors, contractors, volunteers, and guests.

All AACAP policies are subject to change. Additional information or policy changes will be communicated to participants prior to the first day of the meeting. Non-adherence to these policies may result in immediate removal from the Annual Meeting and cancellation of registration, without refund, among other penalties outlined below.

Anti-Harassment and Discrimination Policy

AACAP promotes equal opportunities and treatment for all participants regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, language, religion, age, appearance, parental status, political affiliation, and any other personal characteristics protected under applicable human rights legislation. AACAP meetings are intended to provide a forum to connect, communicate, and collaborate with individuals with diverse backgrounds throughout the child and adolescent mental health field.

Expected Behavior

All participants will treat others with respect, valuing diverse viewpoints, ideas, and opinions, and maintaining professional and ethical conduct throughout the event. Participants will:

  • Be considerate, respectful, and collaborative.
  • Express differences in ideas and opinions in a productive manner, free of personal attacks.
  • Adhere to all venue and hotel rules and policies.
  • Be mindful of their surroundings and alert AACAP staff, leadership, and/or venue security of any dangerous situations or individuals in distress.

Unacceptable Behavior

Harassment, discrimination, or intimidation in any form will not be tolerated. These include but are not limited to:

  • All speech, gestures, or behaviors that are not welcome or are personally offensive, abusive, demeaning, or derogatory. For example:
    • Harmful or prejudicial verbal or written comments related to race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, language, religion, age, appearance, parental status, political affiliation, and any other personal characteristics protected under applicable human rights legislation.
    • Verbal or physical intimidation, threats, stalking, unwelcome attention, inappropriate/unnecessary physical contact.
    • Physical assault, including unwelcome touching or groping.
    • Real or implied threat of physical harm.
    • Offensive or unprofessional language or images in presentations or other public spaces.
    • Bullying/cyberbullying.
  • Use or possession of illegal drugs, misuse of prescription drugs, and/or severe intoxication.
  • Unwelcome photography or recording.
  • Disruption of presentations and other events in any way. • Engaging in any of the above behaviors on social media in relation to the meeting.
  • Retaliation against reporting of conduct concerns or assisting in conflict resolutions.
  • Other conduct that may jeopardize the success of the event, AACAP’s reputation, or the positive experience of any other event participant.

Behavior that is acceptable to one person may not be acceptable to another. Anyone requested to cease unacceptable behavior is expected to comply immediately.

Scientific Content Regulations

The integrity of the scientific content for AACAP’s meeting is a critical part of every participant’s involvement in the meeting. AACAP is in compliance with all guidelines from the Accreditation Council on Continuing Medical Education (ACCME). As such, all participants agree to follow these policies:

  • The use of audio, video, and other photographic recording equipment by attendees to capture scientific content is prohibited inside meeting rooms.
  • Registrants agree not to reproduce, distribute, summarize, adapt, publicly perform, or publicly display any presentation or accompanying materials, in whole or in part, for commercial purposes without prior written authorization from the copyright owner(s) and AACAP, nor will registrant use the AACAP name or logo in connection with any commercial use of such materials without written authorization from AACAP.
  • Presentations should not contain promotional materials, special offers, job offers, product announcements, or solicitation for services, as this violates ACCME guidelines.
  • Any direct selling of products/services offered by presenters in educational spaces (both in-person and virtual) is prohibited.
  • Participants should not publicly post or disclose any other participant’s personal information.
  • Unauthorized livestreaming sessions or events on any media platforms such as Zoom, Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube is prohibited.
  • Presenters and participants should disclose any financial relationships with ACCME-defined ineligible companies at the beginning of the presentation or comments. Ineligible companies are those whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.
  • By registering for this meeting, registrant grants AACAP and its sublicensee(s) the right to record his/her presentation, remarks, image, appearance, or other participation, and to reproduce and distribute such recording and/or materials by any means and for any purpose without payment to the registrant.
  • AACAP complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act §12112(a). If any participant requires accommodation, is in need of special assistance, and/or has any dietary restrictions, a written request should be submitted at least one month in advance to meetings@aacap.org or when you register. If accommodations are requested less than 30 days before the meeting, we will make reasonable efforts to accommodate you. For additional assistance with your request please call +1.202.966.7300, ext. 2006.
  • Abstracts and synopses of material presented at the meeting reflect the individual views of the author or presenter and not necessarily those of AACAP, its Council, Program Committee, officers, or the views of the institutions with which the authors are affiliated. Presentation of ideas, products, or publications at the meeting or the reporting of them in resulting news accounts does not constitute endorsement by AACAP.

Weapons-Free Policy

Morbidity and mortality related to firearms and other dangerous weapons continues to be a significant public health concern. This AACAP meeting is a firearms-free venue with exceptions for uniformed officers. AACAP policy prohibits concealed firearms, open carry guns, and possession of weapons of any kind within the meeting venue.

Healthy Meetings Policy

AACAP recognizes that creating a culture of health and wellness in meetings and conferences is an important way to help people eat well and be physically active, foster healthier work environments, and cultivate social norms around healthier choices and behaviors. It is our goal to provide our attendees with healthy food choices, to offer a smoke-free meeting environment, to encourage physical activity, and to make our meeting more sustainable by reducing waste and promoting recycling whenever possible.

Personal Health Information Policy

Participants who are health care professionals certify that they are duly licensed to practice. They understand that all patient management and treatment decisions made are their sole responsibility and shall not be construed in any way as having been advised, recommended, or approved by AACAP, its officers, staff, or faculty of this meeting.

Participants acknowledge that they have a continuing legal and ethical duty to maintain the confidentiality of patient information consistent with all applicable state and federal laws, rules, and regulations. Participants will not discuss any patients or their conditions in a manner in which the identity of any patient is disclosed or can be reasonably inferred, nor otherwise disclose protected health information in an impermissible manner.

The purpose of the course is to provide general information concerning certain assessment and treatment methods. The information conveyed therein in no way constitutes clinical supervision or guidance with respect to any specific patients or treatment programs. The course and related materials may include the discussion of therapeutic products or methods that have not been approved by the US Food and Drug Association (FDA), including off-label uses of FDA approved products.

Participants agree to hold harmless or indemnify, if named, AACAP, its officers, staff, and faculty with respect to any claims or allegations arising directly or indirectly in connection with patient management or treatment of any patient, including any adverse effects or results suffered by any patient.

Privacy Policy

Registrant understands, authorizes, and agrees that AACAP may provide and receive personally identifiable information in order to help facilitate the registrant’s hotel reservation and stay during this meeting in accordance with the hotel’s privacy policy. For its part, AACAP will use reasonable means to protect and safeguard the confidentiality of such information.

Reporting, Investigation, Discipline

Reporting Procedure

Any individual who is the subject of harassment or other unacceptable behavior, or who is subject to other violations of other AACAP policy, or any individual who has witnessed such an incident, should immediately notify the AACAP President, AACAP Executive Director/CEO, AACAP Director of Meetings and CME, or AACAP Director of Human Resources. Notification may be done by contacting one of these individuals on site, or by emailing your concern to reportconduct@aacap.org.

If the behavior presents a serious, immediate threat to participants’ safety, participants are advised to contact the local authorities and/or 911 and locate a house phone and ask for security.

AACAP strictly prohibits any form of retaliation for reporting non-compliance with any participant policy, reporting any form of harassment, or for participating or cooperating in the investigation of a complaint.

Sanctions

Individuals engaging in unacceptable behavior prohibited by these policies may be subject to sanctions at the discretion of the investigating group, based on the severity and nature of the behavior. Such sanctions may include but are not limited to:

  • Verbal warning
  • Ejection from the meeting without refund
  • Removal of content posted on message boards
  • Prohibition from future attendance at AACAP events
  • Removal from AACAP leadership positions and/or committee membership, if applicable

AACAP reserves the right to pursue additional measures as it may determine is appropriate.

In the event that any individual is dissatisfied with the results of the investigation and resulting sanctions, he or she may appeal to the President of AACAP, or the AACAP President-Elect and/or AACAP Executive Director/CEO should the President or President-Elect be the subject of the complaint.

AS A PARTICIPANT IN THIS MEETING, I AGREE TO ADHERE TO AND ABIDE BY ALL AACAP POLICIES STATED ABOVE.