xxAACP Newsletter, Volume 18, Number 1, Winter/Spring 2004
Facilitated by Dr. Feldman, the Board devoted the entire second meeting day to strategic planning. The process began with reexamination of the AACP Mission Statement, proceeded to brainstorming of Global and Practical Strategies, and finally coalesced with designation of Consensus Priorities. The main points of this extended discussion are abstracted below.
Mission Statement
After considerable discussion the Board as a whole partially drafted a new mission statement:
“The mission of the AACP is to inspire, empower, and equip Community Psychiatrists to promote quality care, and to integrate practice with policies that improve the wellbeing of individuals and communities”
The Board approved the new mission statement, though a subgroup of Drs.Moltz, McQuistion, and Everett may refine the wording.
Global and Practical Strategies
As a bridge to listing practical strategies, the Board first attempted to organize its global strategies, defined on a conceptual level as the means toward achieving the mission statement. These were organized into 1) internal enabling objectives (financial solvency, increased membership, ‘impact oriented’ organizational structure, and improved organizational efficiency) and 2) external enabling objectives (e.g., developing practice strategies for vulnerable populations). However, this approach toward priority setting quickly became abstract and unwieldy, and the Board finally abandoned it, proceeding directly to brainstorming a highly inclusive list of practical strategies. Twenty-nine strategies were listed. These touched on a variety of themes, including improved connectivity between Board and membership, regional and state organization of membership, changes in listserve, expansion of public relations capabilities, expanded liaison with other advocates, leadership, education, and many others. These 29 items were then condensed to five common-sense structural priorities with immediate consensus, and 9 action-oriented goals to be voted on.
Consensus Priorities:
Structural
1. Maximize function of listserve.
2. Financial stability.
3. Maximize function of committee structure.
4. Re-examine organizational structure.
5. Re examine/prioritize liaisons.
Action-Oriented
1. Facilitation of organization of community psychiatrists within states.
2. Product development.
3. Differentiation from APA
4. Interaction with allied professions.
5. IPS leadership.
6. Response to New Freedom Commission.
7. Exploration of sub-specialty designation for community psychiatry.
8. Engagement of members through Area representatives.
9. Development of a Leadership Institute for Community Psychiatrists.
Board members silently and individually selected their five top priorities among the action-oriented priorities. Balloting was extended after meeting adjournment for members involved in presentations. Dr. Feldman will present the final results at the next Board meeting in May 2004.
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