Minutes of the HAPA Fourth Annual Meeting
May 20, 2003, San Francisco, California
These minutes were approved by the HAPA Executive committe.
Final ratification of minutes at the HAPA 2004 Meeting.
HAPA President, Dr. Lyketsos called the meeting to order at 7:15 PM.
Members Present Drs. Agallianos & Georgia Agallianos, Cassimates, Wang, Tsopelas, Petrides, Vidalis, Charalambous, McDevitt, Zaphiropoulos, Lyketsos
Spouses Present: McDevitt, Wang
(I) President’s Report:
Dr. Lyketsos noted that HAPA has been making significant connections with the Hellenic Psychiatric Association in Greece. He has made several scientific presentations and Dr. Lymberis, as the Founder of HAPA, presented at the 17th Panhellenic Psychiatric Congress in 2002. He noted that fear of SARS and the after effects of the Iraq War and 9/11 have resulted in fewer Greek psychiatrists traveling to the US for the APA meeting this year. He welcomed Dr. Vidalis who has been faithfully attending as a member at HAPA’s annual meetings for the last three years. (Dr. Vidalis made a presentation later on.)
Dr. Lyketsos gave special thanks to Dr. Cardasis, Chair of the Membership Committee and to Dr. Wang whose work as HAPA Treasurer has been essential to the vitality of HAPA. Dr. Lyketsos noted that Dr. Lymberis has continued to work for HAPA and is responsible for setting up and publicizing our annual meetings, preparing the minutes, working on our website and our Newsletter. In recognition of her vision in founding HAPA and her continued efforts on behalf of HAPA, Dr. Lyketsos moved that HAPA should ask HPA to honor Dr. Lymberis at the upcoming 18th Panhellenic Psychiatric Congress in Kos, May 14th through May 17, 2004. The motion was seconded.
MOTION: HAPA recommends that Dr. Lymberis’ contributions to HAPA as founder and past president be recognized with an award/commendation. Motion carried unanimously.
Dr. Lyketsos presented a proposal for establishing a HAPA Educational Fund to be used for postgraduate training by Greek psychiatrists in recognized US academic centers. He specifically proposed, as a pilot program, that he will personally be soliciting funds from private donors as well as pharmaceutical companies in order to fund a Greek psychiatrist for three months or six months (up to a year) to work under his mentorship at Johns Hopkins. If this proved successful, other HAPA members will be identified as mentors able to similarly sponsor a Greek psychiatrist at their academic institutions. He noted that he anticipates that the HAPA fund will cover $5,000 for three months with additional funding from Greek or other sources. The proposal was extensively discussed.
HAPA EDUCATIONAL FUND PROPOSAL
Support of Hellenic Scholars, (Post Psychiatric Residency Scholarship)
Aim
To provide financial support for a targeted, post-residency educational experience for Greek psychiatrists in academic institutions in the United States.
HAPA Mentors
HAPA will survey its members to create a database of academic mentors who are willing and able sponsor a Greek psychiatrist to spend 3-6 months in the USA undergoing post-residency education. The database will contain the name and institution of the sponsor and the areas in which education might be provided (e.g., one of the psychiatric subspecialties, psychiatric research, observation of special programs). This database will be updated annually through an email survey.
Fundraising
HAPA will raise funds in order to provide educational grants in support of the educational experience. These funds might be raised from foundations, private donations, the pharmaceutical industry, or from individual HAPA members. The funds will be maintained by HAPA in a separate account. Ten percent of funds raised will be retained by HAPA to offset administrative expenses involved in the program. As a first target the aim will be to make available one grant per year in the amount of $5,000 to a scholar selected using the process specified below. The scholar may use the funds to support travel and lodging, or other reasonable expenses associated with the educational experience. An additional $1,000 will be provided to the sponsoring mentor and Institution in the United States. The grant from HAPA is not intended to cover the full expenses of the educational experience, but rather to help defray some of the costs associated with it. HAPA scholars will supplement this grant with funds from other sources, either institutional or personal.
Procedure for Selection of HAPA Scholars
The HAPA Educational Fund Committee, appointed ad hoc by the HAPA President and co-Chaired by the HAPA President and Immediate Past President, will administer the program and will select the grantee scholars. The Committee will issue a request for applications (RFA) to the academic departments of psychiatry, and relevant professional psychiatric associations in Greece. The RFA will also be on the HAPA website, and published in the HAPA Newsletter along with a list of available HAPA mentors. The latter will be asked to submit the names of potential scholars to be supported by the programs. Nominees may include psychiatrists with academic or clinical positions in Greece at all stages of their career. While typically priority will be given to psychiatrists at earlier stages in their career, the funds might also at times be used to support sabbatical activities of mid-career or more senior psychiatrists.
The submissions will contain:
1) A letter from the nominating individual or institution specifying the reasons for the nomination, the qualifications of the nominee and the scientific/educational merit(s) of the proposed educational experience.
2) A letter from the proposed scholar specifying the aims of his/her proposed experience in the USA and their relationship with his/her career goals. If possible, the letter should contain specifics about the type of educational experience the nominee is seeking, including the specific educational experiences proposed. The letter should also specify proposed dates for the educational experience and sources of funds that will be used to supplement the HAPA grant.
3) The updated curriculum vitae (CV) of the nominee.
The HAPA Educational Fund Committee will review the applications, select the HAPA Scholar, and pair the scholar with a mentor. It will then be up to the Mentor and the Scholar to connect individually in order to arrange details of the activity, such as dates, Institutional appointment in the USA for the scholar, and issuance of the appropriate US visa.
Release of funds
Upon receipt of a letter from the mentor specifying that the details have been arranged, HAPA will issue checks in half the amount of the total grant to the scholar and the US Institution. Once the mentor specifies in writing that the HAPA scholar has arrived in the United States for the educational experience, HAPA will issue checks for the remainder of the funds.
Final report
Within one month of completion of the educational activity the HAPA Scholar, in collaboration with the mentor, will provide HAPA with a final report, typically a 2-3 pages letter, detailing the outcome of the educational activity. This report will be summarized for posting on the HAPA Website and publication in the HAPA Newsletter. HAPA will retain these reports in its records for the purposes of fundraising and to stay in touch with HAPA scholars.
Membership in HAPA
HAPA scholars will also be provided with one-year free membership in HAPA during the year of their educational experience in the USA.
MOTION: To authorize Dr. Lyketsos to move forward with solicitation of funds for the HAPA Educational Fund and to establish an Ad Hoc Committee, chaired by Dr. Lyketsos and composed of Drs. Petrides, Cassimatis and Lymberis to assist Dr. Lyketsos in screening candidates for the scholarship for the 2003-2004 project at Johns Hopkins under the mentorship of Dr. Lyketsos (see HAPA Educational Fund proposal appended to minutes).
Motion was seconded and approved unanimously.
Dr. Lyketsos announced that HAPA will be an official co-sponsor of the 2004 HPA meeting. The meeting falls about a week after the APA meeting which is 5/1-5/6. Dr. Petrides, as the Chair of the HAPA Program Committee, questioned whether we should have a meeting in New York in view of the Kos meeting. The issue was discussed extensively.
MOTION: To hold the Fifth HAPA Annual Meeting on Tuesday, May 4, 2004 in connection with the APA Annual Meeting in New York City. Motion was seconded and passed unanimously.
(II) President Elect’s Report
Dr. Petrides expressed his appreciation for the hard work of the HAPA officers and committee chairs. He noted that he is excited with the opportunity to chair the HAPA Scientific Program Committee, with the plan for our 2004 New York meeting and will ensure it is well publicized to all residents in the New York area hospitals. It is anticipated that we will be able to have an increased attendance because there are many Greek psychiatrists in the New York and East Coast areas.
Dr. Petrides will also work closely with Dr. Lyketsos in the selection of HAPA mentors for the HAPA Educational Fund and in publicizing the HAPA programs in the New York area Greek media, radio and TV.
Dr. Petrides also expressed his concerns about membership recruitment and expansion. He will work c loosely with Drs. Lyketsos and Lymberis in the upcoming annual membership drive in early fall ’03.
(III) HAPA Treasurer’s Report
Dr. Wang noted that she has been working very closely with Dr. Cardasis. She presented the annual status of HAPA and the list of members who have paid todate. From May ’02 through April 30, 2003, HAPA collected $1,970 in dues. Our total income for the same period was $2,016.76 which included a donation by Dr. and Mrs. Agallanos. Dr. Wang stressed the need for a more intense dues collection effort and thanked Dr. and Mrs. Agallanos for their contribution. She noted that HAPA had a total of $6,790.93 in expenses for the same period which left us with a balance of $4,465.07 as of April 30, 2003. She also thanked Dr. Lymberis for her efforts in obtaining a grant from Janssen Pharmaceutical that covered expenses for our 2003 meeting (dinner and AV equipment).
Drs. Lyketsos thanked Dr. Wang for her work on behalf of HAPA and specifically welcomed her husband, Mr. Chris Calott and their new baby daughter, Zoe Ming-Mei Calott-Wang,. Dr Wang noted that thanks to her Greek husband she now keeps her connection with both the Asian American and the Hellenic American Psychiatric groups. Dr Lymberis noted that this is no small task and clearly a gain for HAPA for which we are all thankful.
Dr. Lyketsos noted that HAPA’s Membership Chair, Dr. Cardasis, also became the proud father of twins in the last year. Clearly HAPA is “”blooming”” and growing..
(IV) Report by Dr. Vidalis
Dr. Vidalis expressed his appreciation for HAPA’s efforts in providing opportunities for Greek psychiatrists. He reported on the activities of Greek psychiatrists in Northern Greece. Dr. Vidalis has been leading the effort to sponsor major medical and psychiatric international meetings in Northern Greece. Specifically, the launching of the World Congress on Quality of Life and the launching of a new scientific journal on hospital psychiatry.
Dr Vidalis reported that the decision to have three HAPA members in Greece run the membership drive: Dr I Zervas Southern Greece; Dr V Mavreas Western Greece and Dr Vidalis Northern Greece is not possible to implement. The Greek members noted that the University of Athens was “”appointed to deal with this””. However no specific person has been noted that we, in the US, can work with via e-mail. This will to be clarified by Dr Lyketsos when he goes to Greece later this summer.
Dr Vidalis reported that the 2nd Pan Hellenic Congress of Psychiatry in General Hospital was held in Thessaloniki February 7-9 2003. The theme of the meeting was “” The Clinical Approach of Psychiatry”” it included 75 presentations and it was very well attended. He is now planning for the 3d Congress and we let us know soon of the dates.
(V) Report by Dr. Lymberis
Dr. Lymberis thanked Janssen Pharmaceutica and Mr Brad Gerow
Janssen CNS District Manager for providing the funding for HAPAÕS Fourth Annual meeting in San Francisco.We look forward to their continuing support of HAPA and its programs.
Dr Lymberis noted that work on the HAPA website is continuing. The plans are to launch another membership drive this fall. Mrs Georgia Agallianos offered to help with the dues notices and the drive. She is very experienced and her help is greatly appreciated. Dr Cardasis was unable to attend but send his report which included the data base of members todate. He noted that there are over 160 members who have paid dues in the last four years but not all of them are renewing their membership. Dr Lymberis proposed that our upcoming membership drive should include a telephone tree by the officers and HAPA members. A personal connection with our members should help increase the membership. The HAPA Newsletter should be out by Jan Õ04. She urged people to send in items and articles.
Dr Lymberis reported on the Boston HAPA chapter request for HAPA to sponsor their local scientific meeting on 5/2/03. Dr Papas was unable to be at our meeting but he send his report: He noted that the whole day was devoted to “”Mental Health Services, Practices and Plans in Greece.””. ÒWe are fortunate in Boston to
have a psychiatric chief resident, Anna Georgiopoulos, in the Department
of Psychiatry at the Massachusetts General Hospital who is interested in
Cross Cultural Psychiatry. This week’s program was devoted to hearing
Dr. Stelios Stylianidis, Medical Director of the Child Psychiatric
Hospital of Attica. Dr. Stylianidis is a Visiting Professor of Social
Psychiatry at Pantion University in Greece, and a Consultant to the
World Health OrganizationÓ. Dr Papas has submitted a report for the HAPA Newsletter. Their program was a great success. This event can be done in other areas. HAPA charges an administrative fee of 10% for such co-sponsoring.
(VI) Nominating Committee Report
Dr. Petrides, Chair of the HAPA Nominating Committee reported that Dr. Charalambous’ term of office expires at the end of the fourth HAPA meeting. The Nominating Committee wishes to thank him for his contributions and recommends that he continue to serve for another term (2003-2006). There were no other nominations from the floor.
MOTION : to close the nominations was seconded and passed
MOTION: to nominate Dr. Charalambous for a second term as HAPA Councilor was seconded
ACTION: Dr Charalambous was unanimously elected to a second term.
(VII) New Business:
Dr. Lymberis presented an item from Dr. Kalogerakis who regretted that he was not able to attend our meeting. He raised his concerns about the current wave of “”virulent”” anti-Americanism that he personally encountered in his recent trip to Greece and asked if there were any psychiatrist aspects to this phenomenon that HAPA could address. A lively discussion ensued. There was agreement that American actions in Bosnia and the recent Iraq War were associated with this phenomenon. It was noted that while the Greek government supported the US, the Greek press was very critical. However, it was felt that while quite disturbing, the phenomenon is not a psychiatric issue that HAPA should be addressing.
(VIII) Scientific Presentation.
Dr. Lyketsos’ power point presentation on the “”Neuropsychiatric Disturbances in Alzheimer’s Disease”” concluded the meeting.
Dr. Lyketsos presentation detailed the results of his ten-year research in this area. This was an excellent presentation. It was enthusiastically received and generated a lot of interest. Dr. Lyketsos is a leading international researcher in this area and HAPA is fortunate to have him present his findings in advance of their official publication. (His work is currently in press.).
The Fourth Annual Meeting concluded at 10:10 PM.
The Fifth HAPA Annual Meeeting will be in New York City hopefully on the Tuesday of the APAÕs Annual Meeting May 1 2004 to- May 5 2004. The actual date of the HAPA meeting will be issued by APA after February 2004. See you in NYC.
Respectfully Submitted
Maria T Lymberis, MD
HAPA Founder & Immediate Past President
