“The Public Policy Committee works in close collaboration with the Research, Treatment and Education Sections of AAAP to promote excellence of clinical practice in Addiction Psychiatry, to educate the public regarding substance use disorders, to promote accessibility and quality of treatment for all patients, and to support research in the field. Further, the Public Policy Section supports the Board of Directors in their deliberations regarding AAAP positions on legal cases and legislative initiatives pertinent to substance use disorders and addiction psychiatry.”
—Richard N. Rosenthal, MD, Section Head Chair; Hilary S. Connery, MD, PhD, Co-Chair and Justine Welsh, MD, Early Career Co-Chair
Position Statements
November 18, 2019
AAAP joins The American Medical Association in supporting a broad public health recommendation to cease using all vaping devices until further state and federal investigations determine causality and can advise on which, if any, vaping devices may be considered safe for use by the public.
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October 3, 2019
AAAP encourages states to consider the following, well-established and widely-reproduced findings in the scientific literature regarding cannabis and mental health.
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Advocacy Statements
July 27, 2022
AAAP encourages the Senate HELP Committee to follow suit and add companion language in order to support the implementation of high-quality integrated behavioral health care that is proven to be effective.
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June 30, 2022
AAAP is focused on working with the Administration, Congress, and experts in the field of addiction treatment to develop and implement science-based policies and programs to accomplish our shared goal of ending the opioid epidemic, addressing co occurring mental health problems, and providing effective treatment for our patients.
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June 28, 2022
AAAP is concerned and disheartened by the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling.
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March 7, 2022
AAAP supports improving access to lifesaving medical treatment for opioid use disorder.
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March 4, 2022
AAAP signs on to letter of support for prescribing of controlled substances via telehealth under Ryan Haight Act.
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February 8, 2022
AAAP signs on to The American Brain Coalition's letter in support of S.1810/H.R.3541, the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act.
November 8, 2021
AAAP signs on to letter to House and Senate Appropriations Committee leadership urging swift action to finalize the House-passed $904 million for the VA Medical and Prosthetic Research program for FY 2022.
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September 2, 2021
AAAP signed on to letter to support Family Support Services for Addiction Act.
August 5, 2021
AAAP provides input on the Biden-Harris Administration’s 2022 National Drug Control Strategy.
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May 18, 2021
Statement made by Kevin Sevarino, MD, PhD House of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee.
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March 31, 2021
AAAP signs onto Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative FY22 ABC sign on letter to the Senate and House appropriations leadership.
March 19, 2021
AAAP signs on to letter to support Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act.
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March 15, 2021
Appropriations Subcommittee leaders requesting $1.51 billion for HRSA Title VII and Title VIII programs in FY 2022.
February 23, 2021
AAAP Endorsement of Xavier Becerra as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
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February 18, 2021
AAAP Coalition fully support President Biden’s goal to increase access to science-based opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment.
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February 16, 2021
AAAP signs on to letter write to recommend the creation of a new safe harbor provision to the Federal anti-kickback statute (AKS) to protect the use of cash and cash-equivalent payments offered as part of contingency management (CM) in the treatment of SUD.
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January 25, 2021
AAAP signs on to letter thanking Chairman Wyden and Senator Grassley for investing in physician training by adding 1,000 new Medicare-supported graduate medical education (GME) positions in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021.
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January 12, 2021
AAAP submits recommendations to Mr. Mark Staz and Dr. Danny Takanishi Jr. regarding FSMB.
Statements by the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry are not intended to serve as a standard of medical care or treatment, nor do they necessarily reflect the views of individual AAAP members. These statements are not intended for use in making judgments about appropriate methods of care, treatment, or procedures, medical malpractice, disability determination, competency, or any other medical or legal matters. This website provides content associated with the work of Public Policy committee and approved by the Board of Directors.