Four bills. Four days.
In early March, Yale Department of Psychiatry residents provided both written and oral testimony on bills that were called to the floor for public hearings at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford.
Drs. Emma Lo (PGY-4) and Falisha Gilman (PGY-3), along with members of the Yale School of Medicine and Yale Law School communities testified at an Appropriations Committee public hearing in support of Gov. Ned Lamont's budget proposal which allocates funding for medication-assisted treatment (MAT) in state correctional facilities. Drs. Jessica Chaffkin (PGY-2), Robert Werner (PGY-5, Addiction Psychiatry), and Sarah Baker (PGY-5, Forensic Psychiatry) submitted written testimony in support of this funding proposal.
Gilman also testified at an Insurance and Real Estate public hearing in support of HB 7125, legislation that will strengthen Connecticut’s ability to achieve mental health parity.
Dr. Lily Balasuriya (PGY-3) and Dr. Jessica Isom (PGY-4) provided oral testimony at an Education Committee public hearing for two bills that are the result of community grassroots efforts to enrich the grade school curricula state-wide and mandated the inclusion of African American Studies (HB 7082), Latino and Puerto Rican Studies (HB 7083) into public schools for K-12 students. A student-led intergenerational group, Students for Educational Justice (SEJ), proposed additional language to HB 7082 that would require the inclusion of the history of race and racism in the curricula as well as require that all teachers receive anti-bias training. Community partners of the SEJ with ties to the department reached out to solicit support representing the potential for physician advocacy to join with community-driven efforts to enrich the lives of those we serve. Dr. Nkemka Esiobu (PGY-4) also provided written testimony in support of this bill.
Yale psychiatry residents are taught the skills necessary for legislative and community advocacy, including the provision of oral and written testimony, during their didactic experiences within the Social Justice and Health Equity Curriculum Advocacy Track, led by Dr. Esperanza Diaz, Dr. Katherine Kennedy, and Gilman. This longitudinal experience begins in the spring of intern year, allowing residents to develop advocacy skills throughout their residency. This track is one of three residency wide components of the Social Justice and Health Equity Curriculum; more information about the curriculum may be found by clicking here.
Additional advocacy training is available through elective experiences, resident interest groups, and the district branch of the American Psychiatric Association. Through participation in these core didactics and additional opportunities, residents can confidently use their acquired skills and knowledge to challenge systemic barriers and to facilitate new opportunities for wellness benefiting the structurally disadvantaged and socially excluded.
Elective experiences include the Yale Legislative Advocacy Elective taught by Kennedy. This hands-on experience provides trainees with an understanding of the legislative process of the Connecticut General Assembly and equips them with the skills to play an active role in a bill becoming state law. Opportunities within the Mental Health Services and Policy Group include exposure to influential change-makers in the department and state-wide.
For an increased awareness of the nuances of organized medicine, residents can join the Connecticut Psychiatric Society, the District Branch of the American Psychiatric Association.