The resignation of Daniel Leach, lobbyist for The American, took the Council by surprise at its May 13 meeting in Chicago. Secretary David Hurst, reading the minutes of the Executive Committee, reported that Leach had announced his departure only two days earlier. His reason for resigning was that it was too difficult to represent The American, given the dissension within the organization over the goals he should pursue. President Judith Schachter praised Leach's accomplishments in representing The American during the past year and a half. But she added that the membership is split in regard to what it wants and that the Executive Committee itself has differing views on lobbying efforts. Its recommendation, she said, was to have no lobbyist at present, a position taken for two reasons. Lobbying policies have divided the organization, and dealing with internal tensions has consumed the time and energy of the Executive Committee. In addition, the organization faces fiscal problems; although Leach had been working on a retainer since January, his services have been a significant expense. Members wishing to support lobbying efforts, Schachter said, could contribute to the American Association of Private Practice Psychiatrists, an organization Leach continues to represent, or the Coalition for Patients' Rights (CPR), whose lobbyist is James Pyles.
Arthur Farley, chair of the Committee on Government Relations and Insurance (CGRI), strongly advised retaining a lobbyist. In his opinion, most of the membership was satisfied with the work of Leach. He praised Leach and argued that the efforts of CGRI would be futile without the assistance of a lobbyist. Individual work by members, he said, is wasted without the direction and coordination of a Washington lobbyist. A particularly divisive issue he identified is whether to work for “pure psychoanalysis” or for broader issues. In his opinion, The American should lobby not only for psychoanalytic coverage but also for benefits for individual therapy and child therapy. He warned that “egregious managed care” could eliminate long-term psychotherapy and that working without a lobbyist would be turning the organization's back on the public. Farley added that through Leach's efforts CHAMPUS had agreed to pay analysts between $225,000 and $325,000 in previously denied claims. Susan Lazar of CGRI agreed that a lobbying presence in Washington is the only effective way for The American to proceed.
Members of the Executive Committee spoke about their recommendation, explaining that coming to a decision had been extremely difficult and that a more solid consensus within The American was necessary. All except Stephen Firestein recommended that a lobbyist not be hired at the present time. Marvin Margolis added that the Executive Committee wanted to try again to find consensus by getting CPR and CGRI to work together.
The Council was further distressed to learn that the Vermont legislature had passed a bill establishing state certification procedures for psychoanalysts. Qualifications are minimal, and applicants need neither reside nor practice in the state. Apparently, seventy-five people have already applied. The American is investigating this, and Schachter mentioned that Leach's office had been helpful in obtaining information.
Henry Kaminer, the first councilor to speak, expressed his shock at learning that Leach had resigned. Kaminer was distressed that divisiveness in the Executive Committee had contributed to Leach's decision; he felt that the lobbying effort had been successful. To expect members of The American to lobby “in the ten minutes between patients,” he said, was unreasonable. Many councilors applauded his comments. Elise Snyder compared the situation of the Executive Council to that of children whose nanny has quit because the parents were fighting and the parents saying they were not. Reaction on the council was strong, and several other councilors found fault with the recommendation to put off hiring a new lobbyist.
Discussion then moved to the possibility of bringing CPR and CGRI closer together. Several members of Council belong to CPR, and in the ensuing comments less divergence was evident than a year ago, when the current lobbying goals were approved by Council only after intense debate. Kaminer moved to pursue those goals with a Washington lobbyist. Robert Pyles, president of CPR, though not authorized to speak for the group, said he believed CPR was comfortable with the decision reached by the Council the preceding year; personally, he had “had no problems with the goals.” A reaffirmation of the goals then passed by a significant majority. Kaminer then moved to hire a lobbyist in Washington, and this too passed by a majority, but with some abstentions.
Schachter mentioned that a complaint against Leach had been made by a member of CGRI to the Executive Committee. On advice of The American's attorney, the complaint was not publicly distributed to the Executive Council because of concerns that to do so would put The American at risk. The Executive Committee had examined the complaint, referred it back to CGRI for investigation, and concluded that it could not be substantiated. Schachter added that the Council, as The American's board of directors, could appoint an investigative committee to examine the work of the Executive Committee and its relationship with CGRI. Jon Meyer moved to form such a committee, and the motion passed. Selected to the committee were Meyer, Kaminer, Snyder, and Diane Martinez.
The Council, as Nominating Committee, voted to approve a slate of officers provided by the Exploratory Subcommittee of the Nominating Committee. Richard P. Fox and Robert Pyles were nominated to run for president-elect, Allan Compton and Newell Fischer for treasurer. Selected to run for two positions of councilor-at-large were Betsy Comstock, Ralph Engle, Warren Procci, and Jorge Schneider. (See candidate statements on pages 8–12.) Fred Busch and Judith Davis were elected to the Exploratory Subcommittee to replace retiring members Sander Abend and Deanna Holtzman. Schachter complimented the subcommittee for setting a slate a full sixty days before the meeting, allowing for consideration and local discussion prior to the Council's nominations.
The second major issue that occupied the Council was the financial difficulties of The American. Now using computerized accounting methods, treasurer Stephen Firestein was able to circulate both a 1995 deficit budget and a balanced budget reached by cutting expenses. He cautioned that at the current rate of expenditures, the organization would run a deficit in 1995, as it had the previous year. Fortunately, The American has over the years accumulated a surplus of half a
million dollars, funds available for covering the deficit.
Firestein explained that with overall membership growth static and active members moving to life member status, fewer dues-paying members are left. The American, he said, will have to decide whether to raise dues (which may cause members to resign), spend the reserve funds, or find ways to decrease spending. Fuller discussion was postponed until the December Meeting of Council, when the 1996 budget will be submitted for approval. Information will be sent to societies, and members should consider the options. Ellen Fertig, incoming Administrative Director, and two councilors-at-large to be appointed will be added to the Budget and Finance Committees to determine the options.
Maimon Leavitt, chair of the Council Committee on Membership, moved that affiliate member dues be reduced to $85.00 a year for the first two years after matriculation or for one year for affiliates joining at a later time. It was felt that this would encourage early membership. The motion passed. David Orbison, president of the Affiliates Council, thanked the Council and said the affiliates plan to personally telephone candidates who are not now members of The American and to inform them of the advantages of joining.
Anton Kris asked the Council to discharge the Ad Hoc Committee on Bylaws Changes, which he chairs. The committee's work, he said, had been completed. In conjunction with the Task Force on Board/Council Structure and Function headed by Robert Pyles and Carl Davis, the committee developed a proposal to change the structure of The American. Although some societies and institutes have discussed the proposal, others need more time. The Council will consider the proposal further at its December meeting. The committee was discharged with a unanimous vote of appreciation. Limited discussion of the pros and cons of establishing a permanent bylaws committee occurred, but the Council voted down a motion to establish such a committee.
Schachter mentioned that The American would staff a booth at the meeting of the American Psychiatric Association. The brochure About Psychoanalysis, a pamphlet about members of The American who are participating at the APA meeting, free copies of TAP (with the offer of a free subscription to psychiatric residents), and brochures from all the institutes would be included in the materials available at the booth.
Schachter introduced Ellen Fertig, incoming Administrative Director, and announced that she would begin her duties in July; Carolyn Gatto, Acting Administrative Director, would become Assistant Administrative Director under Fertig. Also introduced were David Orbison and Glenn Good, president and president-elect of the Affiliates Council, who also attended meetings of the Steering Committee, the Coordinating Committee, BOPS, and COI. This was to familiarize them with The American and to facilitate the appointment of affiliate members to committees.
Secretary David Hurst announced that the bylaw amendment indemnifying officers and directors was passed by a majority of voting members larger than the two-thirds required. He also announced that the American Psychoanalytic Foundation would assist in reimbursing registration fees for psychiatric residents and graduate students attending the IPA Congress in San Francisco. If the local society agrees to pay half, the foundation will pay the other half.
The Council unanimously approved a position statement deploring violence at abortion clinics (see box). The statement was developed by the Committee on Social Issues, chaired by Raymond Raskin.
Paul Mosher, cochair of the Ad Hoc Committee on Communication and Information, has established an American Psychoanalytic Association presence on the Internet. The American's home page now contains a roster of members listed by city. There are plans for other informative items. Also, Central Office now has a fax-on-demand line (212–980–1831) through which information about The American can be obtained. Callers can select from a menu of documents, applications forms, Roster updates, and the like.
Chair Ralph Engle and the Ethics Committee are developing new ethics guidelines.
The Council passed a motion to establish the Committee on Foundations and the Committee on Institute and Society Libraries as standing committees of Council. The Executive Committee approved establishing two ad hoc committees: the Committee on Student Affiliation and the Committee on Racial and Ethnic Diversity. The Council passed a proposal that the secretary and two councilors-at-large assume responsibility for collecting items for the Council agenda and circulating them locally for consideration, through the Committee on Societies, before submitting the agenda to the president for approval.
Following the meeting, several councilors thanked Schachter for running a tense and difficult session with poise and fairness.