OTTAWA, Oct. 1, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Attention: News, Health, Medical and Lifestyle Editors
The outstanding work of the following individuals was recognized with CPA awards at the President's Gala on Saturday night:
CPA C.A. Roberts Award for Clinical Leadership
Dr. Ronald Remick from Vancouver, British Columbia was awarded the CPA C.A. Roberts Award for Clinical Leadership for his work as co-founder of the Urgent Psychiatric Assessment Program for the Mood Disorders Association of British Columbia. This innovative program offers follow-up care for all assessed patients using group medical visits (GMV) where six patients share hour-long follow-up medical appointments that include 10 minutes each for individual exchange. GMV is not group psychotherapy but instead allows patients to learn from each other and from the advice and psycho-education received by fellow group members. The program improves access by offering patients regular email communication with a psychiatrist in lieu of individual follow-up visits. Evaluations show patients are very satisfied with their psychiatric care and access. A healthcare economist assessed this model of care as being almost seven times more efficient than the traditional psychiatric outpatient care offered in private practice and it has been adopted in seven centres in B.C. and Ontario.
CPA J.M. Cleghorn Award for Excellence and Leadership in Clinical Research
Dr. Lakshmi Yatham from Vancouver, British Columbia received the CPA J.M. Cleghorn Award for Excellence and Leadership in Clinical Research for his outstanding contributions to bipolar disorders research and his leadership in advancing bipolar research and education in Canada and internationally. Dr. Yatham's brain imaging research has significantly advanced our understanding of the neurobiological aspects of bipolar disorder and the role of dopamine in bipolar disorder as well as what role the brain's 5-HT2 receptors play in activating antidepressant treatments. Dr. Yatham has also lead large clinical treatment trials that have helped change the way bipolar disorder is treated. His work with patients experiencing manic episodes for the first time is providing new insights into disease progression. In his role as Vice President and President of the International Society for Bipolar Disorders, Dr. Yatham helped advance international research in the field of bipolar disorders by establishing awards and taskforces.
CPA Paul Patterson Innovation in Education Leadership Award
Dr. Priyanthy Weerasekera from Hamilton, Ontario received the CPA Paul Patterson Innovation in Education Leadership Award. Dr. Weerasekera is an innovative and passionate educator, well known for developing an internationally recognized, evidence-based, competency-based psychotherapy training program, with a curriculum that provides a standardized approach to teaching and supervising psychotherapy. She receives this award in recognition of the latest evolution of her innovative work, a web based psychotherapy program called PTeR —or the Psychotherapy Training e-Resources program. PTeR contains e-modules for ten different psychotherapies and employs a combination of Powerpoint presentations, references, seventy clinical vignettes to demonstrate specific techniques, and a "virtual therapist" which uses interactive patient simulations to assess clinical competence. PTeR has been adopted by many psychiatric training programs in Canada and internationally, including the College of Psychiatrists in Ireland . Dr. Weerasekera is currently exploring the potential of the program for developing countries with little access to psychotherapy trainers.
R.O. Jones Awards for Best Papers:
Dr. Kiran Rabheru from Ottawa, Ontario received 1st Place, for his paper, Comparison of Traditional Didactic Seminar to High Fidelity Simulation for Teaching Electroconvulsive Therapy Technique to Psychiatry Trainees
Joanna Bhaskaran from Winnipeg, Manitoba received 2nd Place for her paper, Method of Suicide Attempt and Reaction to Survival as Predictors of Repeat Suicide Attempts: A Longitudinal Analysis
Dr. Julia Kirkham from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan received 3rd Place for her paper, Disordered Eating, Body Image, and Depression in Perinatal Women
2013 CPA Annual Conference Best Poster Awards
Dr. Michael Stubbs of Calgary, Alberta received 1st place, for his poster, Stuck in the Middle With Youth: An Interactive Workshop Highlighting a Mental Health Program for Transitional-Aged Youth
Dr. Timothy Moran from Ottawa, Ontario received 2nd Place for his poster, The Importance of a Multidisciplinary Approach to the Care of People with Developmental Disability: A Unique Case of Siblings with Developmental Disability and Neuropsychiatric Illness
Dr. Corinne Isaak from Winnipeg, Manitoba received 3rd Place, for her poster, Disrupted Balance: Narratives of Urban Aboriginal Homeless People
President's Commendation
Les Impatients, a Montreal-based community organization that helps people with mental illness through artistic expression through visual arts, music and expression libre workshops received a President's Commendation for the organization's active role in fostering and developing the creative skills of patients, connecting them through culture to the broader community, building on their strengths and helping break down the barriers of stigma.
Foundation of the Canadian Psychiatric Association
The Foundation of the Canadian Psychiatric Association also presented the 2013 Scotiabank Grant for Children and Mental Health during the CPA President's gala. Dr. Clairélaine Ouellet-Plamondon was granted $3000 to support her research into the merits of adventure therapy programs for youths recovering from first-episode psychosis.
Distinguished Fellows of the CPA and Fellows of the CPA
On Saturday morning, at its Annual General Meeting, the CPA inducted the 2013 Distinguished Fellows of the CPA and Fellows of the CPA. The honour of Distinguished Fellow of the CPA was bestowed upon CPA member psychiatrists Dr. Gerald Schneiderman and Amin Ali Muhammad. CPA members Dr. Howard Book, Dr. Padraic Carr, Dr. Maria Corral, Dr. Alison Freeland, Dr. Adel Gabriel, Dr. Karandeep Sonu Gaind, Dr. David Keegan, Dr. François Mai, Dr. Frank Sommers, Dr. Phil Tibbo, Dr. Michael Van Ameringen and Dr. Stephen Wiseman received the designation of Fellow of the CPA.
Other psychiatric organizations also recognized the excellent work of their colleagues at the CPA Annual Conference:
Alex Leighton Joint CPA-Canadian Academy of Psychiatric Epidemiology
Award in Psychiatric Epidemiology
Dr. Angus Thompson
Association of Chairs of Psychiatry Award for Excellence in Education
Dr. Nicola Casacalenda
Association of Chairs of Psychiatry Annual Research Award
Dr. Fidel Vila-Rodriguez
The Canadian Academy of Geriatric Psychiatry for Outstanding Contributions in Geriatric Psychiatry
Dr. Catherine Lynn Shea and Dr. Melissa Andrew
Canadian Organization of Undergraduate Psychiatric Educators Award for Best Paper by a Medical Student
Ratika Srivastava
Royal College – 2013 Mentor of the year (Region 3: Ontario & Nunavut)
Dr. Timothy Lau
The Canadian Psychiatric Association is the national voice for Canada's 4,500 psychiatrists and more than 600 psychiatric residents. Founded in 1951, the CPA is dedicated to promoting an environment that fosters excellence in the provision of clinical care, education and research.
Photos and further information available upon request.