This section provides educational resources on the salient American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), American Medical Association (AMA) and American Psychiatric Association (APA) ethics documents.

AACAP expects practicing child and adolescent psychiatrists and its members to abide by the AACAP Code of Ethics as well as the ethics principles of the AMA and APA. AACAP does not monitor or review the ethical and professional behaviors of its members or practicing child and adolescent psychiatrists. All complainants are referred to the relevant state medical board and/or the APA.

The Ethics Committee co-chairs are Dr. Mary Lynn Dell, MD and Dr. Maria E. de Brito McGee, MD, MS, MPH. If you are an AACAP member and have an ethics related question, please ask the AACAP Ethics Committee members at the Ask Ethics page. 

1. Charge of the AACAP Ethics Committee

   This provides a description of AACAP Ethics Committee charge and mission.

2. AACAP Code of Ethics (2023)

   This provides the most recent revised AACAP Code of Ethics, which was approved by Council on 9/16/2014 and revised on 10/4/2023.

3. Ethics Requirement for AACAP Members

   The AACAP Ethics requirement is a marker/reminder of the importance of ethics and its intrinsic value to all areas of practice. One hour (60 minutes) of education in ethics every two years satisfies this requirement.

4. Conflict of Interest Guidelines for Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists

   The four A's of conflict of interests include: awareness, assessment, acknowledgement, and actions.

5. AMA Code of Medical Ethics (2016)

   The Code of Medical Ethics of the AMA consists of three components: 1. The Principles of Medical Ethics, 2. Ethical Opinions of the Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs, and 3. Reports of the Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs.

6. APA's Principles of Medical Ethics With Annotations Especially Applicable to Psychiatry (2013)

   The AMA Principles of Medical Ethics is printed separately along with annotations especially applicable to psychiatry.