American Psychiatric Assn. to make resources available to professionals in PR

From left , Dr. Pedro Castaing Lespier, dean of clinical operations and director of the Department of Psychiatry at Ponce Health Sciences University; Nitzandra Medina of the Puerto Rico Hospital Association); Dr. Theresa Miskimen Rivera, president of the American Psychiatric Association; San Juan Capestrano Hospital System CEO Marta Rivera Plaza, who chairs the Hospital Association’s Mental Health Committee; Dr. Waleska Crespo Rivera, president of Central University of the Caribbean); and Dr. Karen G. Martínez González, director of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Puerto Rico.

By THE STAR STAFF

The Puerto Rico Hospital Association held the Mental Health Summit 2025 over the weekend, a multidisciplinary meeting that brought together leaders from hospitals, universities, professional associations, service corporations, government agencies and community organizations to design innovative and sustainable strategies to strengthen mental health services on the island.

The event, moderated by San Juan Capestrano Hospital System CEO Marta Rivera Plaza, who chairs the Hospital Association’s Mental Health Committee, highlighted the importance of “recognizing the essential role of behavioral health professionals and the need to promote a more integrated, equitable, and people-centered mental health system.”

The keynote address was given by Dr. Theresa M. Miskimen Rivera, president of the American Psychiatric Association (APA), the first Puerto Rican to lead the prestigious Washington, D.C.-based organization. With more than 30 years of experience, Miskimen Rivera addressed global mental health challenges and their particular impact on Puerto Rico, highlighting the urgency of inclusive and integrated strategies.

The APA president also announced that she will make resources, training programs, seminars and tools available to mental health professionals in Puerto Rico, such as the services of the organization’s massive library, which it offers to its more than 40,500 members.

“Puerto Rico has a great opportunity to take advantage of our clinical training, professional development, and networking programs,” Miskimen Rivera said. “These resources help improve practice, strengthen patient care, and empower the advancement of each professional. Personally, I offer to accompany my colleagues on the island in this process of growth and renewal. They now have a Puerto Rican at the helm of APA.”

Also participating in the summit were prominent educational and healthcare institutions such as Albizu University, the Central University of the Caribbean, the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, the Mental Health and Anti-Addiction Services Administration (ASSMCA), APS Health Care, MMM, First Health Care, the Episcopal Health System, Credentia of Puerto Rico, the Mennonite Health System, Pan American Hospital, Johnson & Johnson, and the San Juan Capestrano Hospital System, among others.

A key moment of the summit came by way of Judge Carmen L. Otero Ferreira, administrator of the Bayamón Judicial Region, who provided a judicial perspective on public policies, mental health equity, and the importance of decriminalization and dignified treatment for people with mental health conditions.

Meanwhile, attendees “addressed crucial topics such as the workforce crisis in mental health services, childhood trauma and violence, well-being and mental health in older adults, resilience to disasters and collective trauma, integration of physical and mental health, addictions and associated stigmas, and changes in federal protection and inclusion policies imposed by the federal government,” Rivera Plaza noted.

“The summit also reaffirmed the urgency of addressing current challenges with innovative and collaborative solutions. Participants agreed that the integration of services, strengthening the workforce, equitable access, and the inclusion of vulnerable populations are fundamental pillars for transforming mental health in Puerto Rico.”