American Psychiatric Association
The leading professional medical association for psychiatrists in the United States.
American Psychiatric AssociationFounded in 1844, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) is often cited as the oldest medical specialty society in the U.S. Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, it represents approximately 37,000 psychiatric physicians practicing both domestically and internationally.
The organization is most notable as the publisher of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the most widely used psychiatric classification system. It also produces flagship journals such as The American Journal of Psychiatry and Psychiatric Services, as well as the news publication Psychiatric News.
Core activities include establishing psychiatric practice guidelines, advocating for mental health care access, and providing medical education and accreditation. Innovations in this space are relevant to the APA's mission of advancing psychiatric practice and mental health care standards.