WASHINGTON, June 13, 2019 -- The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry applauds Patrice A. Harris, MD, MA, child and adolescent psychiatrist and AACAP member, as the 174th president of the American Medical Association (AMA). Dr. Harris was sworn in on June 11, 2019 at the AMA Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL. She is the first African-American woman to lead the AMA.

In her acceptance speech, Dr. Harris identified mental health parity, health equity, prior authorization reform, and ending the opioid epidemic as important priorities for her term as President of the AMA. We are in full support of these important initiatives.

We look forward to working with Dr. Harris in meeting the challenges before us with the same warm spirit which has marked relations between our two organizations.

We wish Dr. Harris much success and fulfillment as the President of the AMA.

Sincerely,


Karen Dineen Wagner, MD, PhD,
President, AACAP