GOALS/1-3 YEAR OBJECTIVES

1. Timely access to inpatient and outpatient psychiatric care and services for all residents of Utah will be significantly improved through UPA’s advocacy for:

• Adequate care for the unfunded and/or underinsured

• Federal nondiscriminatory legislation

• Federal Medicare nondiscriminatory legislation

• Medicare reform

• Increase federal, state and local funding for Medicaid programs

• Continuity of access of care for patients with their Psychiatric physicians

• Educate and promote equity of insurance coverage for mental health and medical care in Utah

• Promotion of physician prescriptive authority and benefits of boundaries in scope of practice

2. UPA leaders will meet regularly with elected state and federal lawmakers and policymakers to promote a quality mental health system for the patients and families we serve as physician psychiatrists.

3. Scientifically sound and evidence based best practices will be promoted and communicated to members, health plans, policymakers and the community through continuing medical education, seminars, newsletters, meetings and public venues, including newspapers, radio and television.

4. The health care (especially primary care) and mental health care systems will demonstrate integration and collaboration of care through the promotion of integrated care treatment models, reimbursement for psychiatric consultation to primary carephysicians, improved education and mental health training for primary care physicians.

5. UPA will promote the nimbleness of our communication internally within UPA and externally outside our organization.

6. UPA will improve its ability to respond quickly to public policy issues as they rapidly evolve, in a time sensitive manner.

WISH LIST

1. UPA will have a written, well-articulated and focused legislative agenda, available to UPA members as well as to legislators, advocates, the press and the public which will reflect both our clinical expertise in the real needs of our patients and community, and collaboration with a professional lobbyist supplied by the APA so that our ideas will be heard and considered seriously.

2. Support mechanisms for UPA members will be developed that address the needs and concerns of the UPA membership:

• contract negotiation

• quality of workplace environment

• continuing education

• social and professional networking

• personal needs (e.g., support for Psychiatrists involved in litigation, licensure and privilege actions, other personal crises.)

3. UPA will develop protocols for coordination of taskforces and committees, communication among members and leadership, sharpened utilization of our lobbying potential, and streamlined and time sensitive methods of decisionmaking by UPA leadership

4. UPA will promote growth in the numbers of Psychiatrists in Utah through training and recruitment. This will include advocacy for increased funding for training, as well as educating medical students and residents in other specialties to the value of Psychiatric training.

5. Mentorship program - The purpose of the Utah Psychiatric Association mentorship program is to connect residents with practicing psychiatrists across the state who share similar interests. Mentors can provide advice regarding different types of psychiatric practices, discuss practice opportunities in various parts of the state, and share their own experiences navigating the field of psychiatry outside of residency. Residents will be paired based on their preference for type of practice, location in Utah, and specific interests. Finding someone who has chosen a similar path of interest can be challenging, and this mentorship program is meant to help residents pursue their passion with the guidance of an experienced mentor.