Title: Confronting Addiction: From Prevention to Recovery
Keynote Speaker: Petros Levounis, MD, American Psychiatric Association-Past President
Host: Elie Aoun, MD, MRO, Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, Columbia University
In May, Dr. Petros Levounis finished his one-year term as the American Psychiatric Association’s (APA) first Addiction Psychiatrist to serve as President. During his time, he raised awareness about important issues ranging from LGBTQ+ to parity and addiction with his priorities being:
- Substance use disorders and addictive behaviors, bringing together diverse constituencies to offer education, treatment and support to patients, families and practitioners, as well as to extend the APA’s reach to teachers, faith leaders and politicians.
- Expand the workforce through building more residencies and developing innovative career pathways for young psychiatrists.
- Fight for parity in reimbursement of clinical services on par with other medical specialties.
- Amplify the psychiatrist’s voice on critical social issues, such as systemic racism, homophobia, and climate change.
Dr. Elie Aoun will interview Dr. Levounis about his work as President to advance psychiatry and elevate general psychiatrists and the public’s understanding of addiction issues.
