Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) people with severe mental illness (SMI) face significant barriers to health care access, leading to unmet needs and inequitable health outcomes. Reverse integration models embed primary care services within mental health centers (MHCs) that serve as primary contact points to broader health care systems for people with SMI. Such models have been shown to improve health outcomes in this population by promoting access to screening, preventative care, and chronic metabolic condition management. This article highlights the benefits of gender-affirming medical care (GAMC)-including reductions in depression, at-risk substance use, and suicidality-and explores reverse integration models for promoting equitable access to GAMC for TGD people with SMI. We propose two strategies: (1) colocation of GAMC services within MHCs and (2) coordinated referrals to external GAMC practices. Additionally, we address clinical considerations for supporting GAMC access for people with SMI, emphasizing the importance of individualized, person-centered care, clinician education, care coordination, and ongoing collaboration between MHCs and gender-affirming medical practitioners to equitably serve this population. Recognizing the ethical principles of justice and autonomy, we advocate for integrating supportive GAMC pathways within MHCs to ensure access to comprehensive, affirming care in settings that foster trust and continuity.

After participating in this CME activity, the psychiatrist should be better able to: Define hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (HPPD) and describe its diagnostic criteria and subtypes. Evaluate pharmacological and nonpharmacological interventions, including evidence-based and supportive approaches. Hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (HPPD) is characterized by perceptual phenomena that either linger after substance-use cessation or recur as reperceptions or flashbacks. These symptoms may be either mild and transient or long-lasting and severely burdening. Since evidence for pharmacological treatment of HPPD is unclear, we seek to provide treatment advice based on a systematic review of existing medication studies. Our search yielded 31 studies with 87 participants treated for HPPD with different types of medication. Three observational studies reported substantial symptom reduction for regimens with clonidine, clonazepam, and levetiracetam. The other 28 studies, which consist of case reports and small case series, found largely similar results for benzodiazepines, antiepileptics, antidepressants, and alpha agonists. Of those who received these pharmacological treatments, 28% showed full recovery and 61% partial recovery within a year. When HPPD was triggered by lysergic acid diethylamide, benzodiazepines were ineffective. Notably, several studies described HPPD symptom aggravation upon treatment with the antipsychotic agent risperidone. Although not statistically significant, our analysis suggests that HPPD can be treated to good effect with the aforementioned groups of medicines. On the basis of our findings, we provide a list of practice-based treatment methods and make suggestions for further research. In particular, epidemiological studies are needed to investigate the natural course of HPPD. Likewise, randomized controlled pharmacological studies are necessary to evaluate the efficacy of medications in different, well-defined HPPD subgroups.

Increased firearm accessibility and related violence have generated global debate concerning public gun policies. Although the physical dangers associated with firearms are widely acknowledged, the psychological effects of firearm use and accessibility require greater exploration. We evaluate the influences of gun ownership, violence, and policies on mental health outcomes across different populations.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is often comorbid with other psychiatric disorders, such as anxiety and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). While common, individuals with autism and their families often face challenges accessing appropriate community-based treatment for coexisting disorders. The case of a preadolescent boy with ASD and comorbid anxiety and ADHD illustrates challenges and frustrations associated with fragmented health care systems, prolonged wait times for specialized services, and limited availability of clinicians trained in neurodevelopmental and psychiatric comorbidity interventions. Evidence-based psychotherapeutic and pharmacologic treatments for neurodivergent patients with psychiatric comorbidities are also discussed. Ongoing advocacy to reduce disparities and improve outcomes for children with neurodevelopmental and mental health needs is critically needed.

The absence of systematic psychosis screening within general mental health services contributes to substantial treatment delays and poor long-term outcomes for individuals with psychotic symptoms. We conducted a meta-analysis to estimate rates of subclinical psychotic symptoms for psychotic experiences (PE), clinical high-risk for psychosis syndrome (CHR-P), and psychotic disorders that were identified via studies screening treatment-seeking individuals. These rates can inform implementation recommendations for routine psychosis screening in general mental health settings.

After participating in this CME activity, the psychiatrist should be better able to:• Summarize findings from systematic reviews and meta-analyses on the efficacy of psychotherapeutic bereavement interventions.• Identify and apply key moderating factors (e.g., symptom severity, timing, age, gender) that influence intervention outcomes.• Analyze methodological limitations in the bereavement literature, including study design and review quality issues.

In an evolving health care landscape, community health workers (CHWs) have emerged as invaluable assets, bridging gaps to mental health service access and fostering community resilience. In this article, we explore the multifaceted responsibilities shouldered by CHWs, encompassing outreach, education, and support, and underscore their unique abilities to establish trust within diverse communities. We also highlight evolving recognition of CHWs as integral health care team members and examine the growing body of evidence on CHW effectiveness in enhancing mental health outcomes, reducing disparities, and promoting preventative measures. Additionally, we review how, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the CHW role has shifted with increased demand for their services within the mental health care landscape. The pandemic laid bare the vulnerabilities in existing health care structures, disproportionately affecting communities with limited resource access, including mental health support. Furthermore, we review six primary research domains that could potentially help expand the CHW workforce: standardization and training, sustainability and retention, integration into health systems, impact measurement, cost-effectiveness and financing, and scaling up and adaptation. Last, we examine the pandemic's transformative effects on CHWs; we shed light on their resilience and adaptability in the face of unprecedented challenges and underscore their heightened relevance within the evolving health care response paradigm post-COVID.

The bidirectional relationship between sleep and obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders (OCSDs), chronic tic disorders (CTDs), and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is not well understood. To better treat individuals with these co-occurring sleep and developmental neuropsychiatric conditions, it is necessary to determine the common neural underpinnings to then target with treatment. Research has implicated dysregulated cortico-striatal-thalamo-cortical (CSTC) neurocircuitry in the development of CTDs, OCSDs, and ADHD. We review current literature to assess the state of knowledge about the neurocircuitry of OCSDs, CTDs, and ADHD, and their related sleep disturbances. Our review consistently implicates CSTC-pathway disruptions in OCSDs, CTDs, and ADHD, as well as dopamine and GABA dysregulation, primary neurotransmitters in CSTC circuitry, in sleep disorders. In addition, we highlight reports of subjective poor sleep and insomnia in adults with OCSDs, CTDs, and ADHD, and sleep movement disorders in adults with CTDs. The limited sleep research on youth with these conditions has demonstrated some similar findings. Unfortunately, much of the current research to date has not employed polysomnographic methods for objective sleep-related assessments. Future research should further clarify the neural association between these neuropsychiatric conditions and sleep disturbances to better guide potential therapeutic targets. Determining the most effective treatments for subjective sleep-related complaints in patients with these conditions will be crucial, particularly for determining treatment course-whether to prioritize treatment of the underlying condition, the specific sleep symptoms, or both simultaneously.

The growing body of clinical neuroscience knowledge is transforming the psychiatry field. Today's psychiatrists must have strong command of clinical neuroscience and its applications to clinical practice. Over the past few decades, increased emphasis has been placed on clinical neuroscience education for psychiatrists and psychiatric trainees; residency training serves as a primary avenue for such educational intervention. These efforts, however, have been met with varying beliefs, attitudes, and responses. In this perspective, we examine the existing literature on clinical neuroscience education in North American psychiatry residency training programs as reported by department chairs, program directors, practicing psychiatrists, and trainees. We note key challenges, including perceived lack of clinical relevance in teaching, insufficient integration of clinical neuroscience education into residency training, and a shortage of specialized faculty educators. We summarize existing efforts to address these challenges, then propose future directions that may further advance clinical neuroscience education in psychiatric residency training. Such propositions include further developing longitudinal and integrated curricula, tailoring teaching for diverse learner and institutional needs, incorporating effective teaching methods, and continually collaborating across parties of interest.

Biological mechanisms associated with psychosis risk are often formed by generations of social-environmental experiences within families, communities, and neighborhoods, and further shaped by structural policies. This column first describes conceptual work that integrates macrolevel structural, individual-level social, and biological domains to better understand psychosis risk. It then highlights the interconnection of low neighborhood ethnic density and racial exclusion as an example of how social determinants connect to social and biological consequences associated with psychosis outcomes. Neighborhood ethnoracial diversity may be protective against social and biological mechanisms connected to psychosis outcomes among minoritized groups at risk for psychosis. This is particularly salient during childhood because such diversity attenuates stress processes associated with social exclusion and discrimination. Moreover, ethnoracially diverse communities foster close relationships and social connection. We provide supportive literature to illustrate the importance of multilevel/multifactorial approaches for identifying psychosis risk and protective factors. Investing further in integrative approaches for understanding psychosis risk and prognosis may translate into more substantial improvements for individuals with these lived experiences.

After participating in this CME activity, the psychiatrist should be better able to:• Discuss the effects of structural racism on pregnancy and obstetric care and their contributions to maternal mental health challenges and inequitable outcomes.• Outline the current understanding of interventions initiated during pregnancy or childbirth that use reproductive justice principles to improve Black maternal perinatal and intergenerational mental health outcomes.

Vicarious racism, or second-hand/indirect exposure to racism, is a highly prevalent phenomenon linked to negative emotions and poor mental health. We performed a scoping review to summarize and analyze the literature on how vicarious racism is defined and measured, where it occurs, samples and study designs used, racial makeup of witnesses compared to targets, evidence connecting vicarious racism to negative emotions and poor mental health, and recommendations for future research.

After participating in this CME activity, the psychiatrist should be better able to:• Analyze neuroimaging findings to identify and explain structural and functional brain differences associated with SPD, including implications for impulse control, emotional regulation, and motor coordination.

Feigning and fabrication by a patient can evoke anger and distress in staff and generate diagnosis and management challenges. When faced with difficulties that can lead to moral injury among health care providers, and even risk compromised patient care, clinical teams must balance empathy with appropriate boundaries. This case report examines an individual with a history of polysubstance use and acute-on-chronic pain whose persistent patterns of fabrication-spanning exaggerated military service, terminal illness, family trauma, and academic accomplishments-posed substantial risk-assessment and treatment-planning challenges across multiple clinical presentations. Insights from three expert discussants with distinct specializations in psychodynamic formulation, distress management, and forensic psychiatry are provided. Through their analyses, the complex interplay among chronic pain, inadequate distress tolerance, personality pathology, and health care utilization are evaluated in conjunction with evidence-based approaches to differential diagnosis and management. This article presents practical recommendations for preserving therapeutic engagement while protecting appropriate boundaries and, ultimately, working toward optimized care delivery for such challenging, vulnerable patients.

Clinician well-being and patient safety culture play critical roles in how clinicians respond to adverse events. These elements, in turn, affect clinician experience and future patient access to care, both key drivers of health care quality. While there is literature on the relationship between well-being and safety culture, in this column we critically examine their importance after patient suicide, a most devastating medical outcome. We discuss the definition of well-being and safety culture; clarify their relationship; and offer recommendations to achieve both following patient suicide to mitigate future risk.

As practitioners seek more personalized approaches, exploring how patients' environments, relationship templates, and mindsets factor into symptom burden can help broaden understanding of how psychotropic medications facilitate recovery. Despite increasing focus on medications to provide relief, there is an important and undeniable influence the therapeutic environment has on shaping outcomes, particularly for the patient-clinician alliance. While environmental dimensions are relevant for informing possible placebo or nocebo responses, they also build upon the pharmacodynamic and neurobiological effects of medications. By heightening neuroplasticity, some antidepressants may amplify the effects of nonmedication factors in patients' lives, including the patient-prescriber therapeutic relationship. There are important parallels between antidepressants and psychedelics in emerging literature. For instance, the preparatory and integrative work with a provider can be crucial in determining outcomes. This paper will draw from the extant literature to discuss the therapeutic relationship in psychiatric practice, including in acute care settings and instances in which psychotropic prescribing is a key aspect of treatment.

Maternal depression is an established risk factor for parenting disruptions with potential consequences for child development. Although previous studies have examined the effects of maternal depression on parenting behaviors, the most recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses only include data up to 2013. Given evolving perspectives and methodologies, updated insights are necessary. This systematic review synthesizes evidence on the association between maternal depression and parenting over the past decade.

Discrimination is an established social determinant of mental health that contributes to psychiatric illness disparities among marginalized populations. There is emerging research elucidating the biological mechanisms connecting discrimination to mental health outcomes, revealing inflammation as a key pathway. This column synthesizes evidence from existing literature on the links between discrimination and inflammation, and outlines both the opportunities and challenges in this field. The discussion highlights the necessity of a multifaceted approach to address discrimination, and thus, reduce inflammation at both individual and population levels.

Internet-based psychological interventions are becoming a feasible substitute for conventional in-person therapy. This article provides a perspective on health economic evaluations of internet-based interventions employed for preventing and managing eating disorders (EDs).

Despite increased research on and attention to mental health, significant racial and ethnic disparities in this area persist. We propose that racial and ethnic disparities in mental health should be examined through the lens of social determinants of mental health (SDoMH). In this perspective article, we review current definitions and frameworks of SDoMH, discuss their strengths and shortcomings, and provide recommendations for a framework to better capture the causal pathways of mental health for racially and ethnically minoritized populations. We also discuss efforts to address SDoMH, focusing on policy-level SDoMH interventions, and review progress and challenges in integrating SDoMH approaches into mental health care.

Many individuals diagnosed with psychosis make multiple attempts to discontinue antipsychotic medications. In this clinical challenge, we examine three snapshots in which shared decision-making (SDM) breaks down due to ongoing disagreement between the service user and the health care provider. We offer three perspectives on how to think about such disagreement: philosophical, psychological, and psychiatric perspectives. Finally, we propose shared deliberation as a potential model for when SDM fails, emphasizing an iterative process of mutual value sharing that avoids binary yes/no responses.