Social issues, a mostly new domain for the house of medicine, and psychiatry in particular. Last several years many policy conversations focused on the social determinants of health and mental health. One of them – gun violence. In response, CPA adopted an expanded policy platform on gun violence. Black Lives Matter elevates those types of concerns with violence into a broader context. CPA is already in the process of developing new policy to address BLM. From a psychiatric perspective, the causes of institutional racism will focus CPA on concrete strategies to overturn it. It will give direction to CPA advocacy. Already, CPA is considering concrete steps, such as support of AB 1136 (Gipson) which will soon be amended to contain a statewide prohibition of the so-called carotid chokehold.
