At national meetings, on the Openline and in other arenas for discussion, much of our attention gets distracted by internecine conflict, or the pressing big issue of the moment. Meanwhile, APsaA's 50 plus joint and Council committees and about 15 Board committees go about their business with dedication and often amazing results. We do not have enough space in TAP, as in our meetings, to give proper attention to all this effort on behalf of psychoanalysis, and pay tribute to those who do it. But here is a sampling of the accomplishments and aims of our committees reported in New York. In aggregate, our committees form an infrastructure for action unparalleled anywhere else in the world.
Coordinator Beth Seelig, due to be succeeded by Linda Mayes, noticed that most of the goals of the omnibus science initiative have been met. She also made a plea for attending to the needs of science and research as we pursue a reorganization process.
The third annual poster session was held in New York. One international submission was received, and more submissions came in than could be accepted. Poster sessions are very important both to young scientists and to the press. The first poster prize was awarded at the New York session.
Research and psychoanalytic science activities are purposely being bulked at the end of the week programs and over the weekend at the national meetings to make them accessible to academics' schedules.
The Subcommittee on Privacy and Ethical Issues in Psychoanalytic Research, chaired by Bob Galatzer-Levy, noted, “There is no agreed upon ethical standard for confidentiality and research in the psychoanalytic community.” Informed consent is also a muddled concept. Scientific input in our current ethical principles was unsatisfactory. Three documents will come out of this subcommittee's work: a set of recommendations involving informed consent for psychoanalytic research; a set of recommendations regarding confidentiality in psychoanalytical research and publication; and a document identifying science and research related issues in the current ethics code and recommending revisions where appropriate.
Lisa Mellman, retiring from the chairmanship of the Fellowship Committee, after four years of service.
The division's new Committee on Psychoanalysis and the Arts, chaired by Laurie Wilson, is getting organized and has many new enthusiastic members ready to promote its mission of outreach in interdisciplinary work with the arts and psychoanalysis. Music, visual art, drama, film, and literature will all be addressed by the committee.
A major project of the Psychoanalysis in the Community Committee, Stuart Twemlow, chair, has been working to establish community psychoanalysis as a valid part of psychoanalytic education. The committee hopes to survey members' efforts in community psychoanalysis.
The Committee on Gay and Lesbian Issues, Gary Grossman, chair, continues with many projects including hosting an annual paper prize, a reception for gays and lesbians at the national meetings, a discussion group, and a workshop on homosexuality in psychoanalytic education, which recently featured Sid Phillips' curriculum taught at the Western New England Institute.
A new Web Site Task Force, chaired by Kerry Sulkowicz, will work with Dean Stein and other staff members on the redesign of our organizational Web site.
Press placements from the Wall Street Journal to Real Simple magazine have come out of the work of the Public Information Committee and Public Affairs Director Dottie Jeffries. Our national meetings now feature a “Meet the Press” session and many sessions open to the media.
Sandy Walker edits Forward!, a quarterly “best practices” bulletin designed to share ideas for outreach and development among institutes and societies. Local groups can learn the details of what has worked elsewhere. Walker welcomes submissions and suggestions.
Projects of the Institute/Society Libraries Committee, include developing a set of talking points describing what a psychoanalytic library is and why we still need them, writing a booklet for new institutes on how they can get help setting up a library, and finding ways to honor the existing great psychoanalytic libraries in this country.
The very busy, new Committee on Child and Adolescent Psychoanalysis, Cal Narcisi, chair, is working jointly with BOPS' child analysis committee, COCAA, and has produced a well received brochure, an evolving research project on outcome, and an affiliates forum. Additionally, the committee awarded its first Children and Family Community Service Award to Ann Arbor, Michigan's, Allen Creek Preschool. The first dedicated child panel debuted in the January 2004 program.
The Joint Committee on Confidentiality, Howard Levine, chair, has advised BOPS on how to handle HIPAA regulations vis-a-vis site visits, certification, supervision, and other issues. The committee continues to work closely with the Committee on Government
Relations and lobbyist Jim Pyles to formulate and implement APsaA's policies to protect health care privacy via lobbying, public relations, and judicial intervention.
The Oxford case, the RICO class action suit against HMO's, and the HIPAA suit have occupied the energies of the Committee on Government Relations, Bob Pyles, chair. These far reaching legal efforts have given APsaA a presence and a level of clout vastly out of proportion to our size and funding.
Art Farley has assumed the chairmanship of the Exploratory Subcommittee of the Nominating Committee (for those in the dark, the “Nominating Committee” is the Executive Council, and the “Exploratory Subcommittee” is a group elected by Council to recommend nominees for office). The committee plans to focus on encouraging more members to run for office.
The Committee on Societies and Centers, chaired by Richard Lightbody, continues to investigate the possibility of providing voluntary consultative site visits to societies.
The Ad Hoc Committee on New Psychoanalytic Centers, Alan Sugarman and Richard Ruzumna, chairs, has established the program for Affiliated Study Groups in APsaA, in areas that lack APsaA study groups, societies, or institutes. These groups consist of at least one APsaA member analyst, and interested psychoanalytic psychotherapists. Many are expected to develop into regular study groups or societies. Birmingham, Missoula, and Memphis have all become affiliated study groups with the help of this committee, and possibilities are being considered in Oklahoma City, San Jose, Champaign/Urbana, Knoxville, and Columbus.
The Committee on Psychotherapy Associates, Jane Warren, chair, looks forward to working with Dick Fox on the new psychotherapy initiative. A new co-chair Mae Kastor, was appointed, with the mission of renewing the committee's efforts to help establish local APT groups.
Liaison To Schools Committee, Stephen Kerzner and Jonathan Cohen, co-chairs, sponsors a symposium for analysts and educators at each national meeting. It is building a cadre of educator associates, and coordinates projects for K-12 education.
The Student Associates Committee, chaired by David Steinman, with Brenda Bauer, co-chair, has established a very successful program with wide reaching implications to work with local institutes and societies to provide free registration for students at national meetings. The committee is continuing to develop the student associate membership category.
Finally, the Committee on Russian-American Educational Exchanges continues its extraordinary, self-funded efforts to bring psychoanalytic education to Russia and the Ukraine. The teachers, chair, Gary Goldsmith, and Fred Fisher and Richard Cornfield, pay their own way, and teach six days a week, six to seven hours a day. Five trips are tentatively planned for the first half of 2004. Additional teachers are needed. Anyone interested should contact Goldsmith.
We apologize to those whose work was not mentioned in this brief review, and hope to recognize your contributions in a future TAP.