Addiction Psychiatry Chairs, Sean Lynch, M.D. and Amy Swift, M.D.
Committee Charge
1. To encourage participation of NYCPS psychiatrists interested in the treatment of substance use disorders (SUDs). 2. To be available to the Officers, Executive Council, and other Committees and Task Forces of NYCPS for consultation when matters concerning SUDs in arise, including policy and legislative matters. 3. To encourage ongoing education within NYCPS on topics related to addiction psychiatry, including the evaluation, diagnosis, and evidence-based treatment for SUDs. 4. To advocate for policies and programs that expand the availability of evidence-based SUD treatments and that reduce stigma faced by people with SUDs. 5. To serve a liaison function between NYCPS and other addiction-focused organizations in New York City (e.g. Area 2 of the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry).
*NYCPS Members interested in joining this Committee, please contact us at [email protected].
Recent Events
Psychedelics in Psychiatry September 20, 2023
The Addiction Committee kicked off its first in-person event since the pandemic by hosting a discussion on the role of Psychedelics in Psychiatry. Topics included psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, as well as the role of psychedelics in the treatment of substance use disorders. The event involved presentations by experts in the field from the NYU Psychedelic Center as well as a Q&A session.
Previous Events
Addiction in the World of COVID-19 December 3, 2020
The NYCPS Addiction Psychiatry, Residents', and Women's Committees held a joint virtual event entitled, Addiction in the World of COVID-19. The event was moderated by Drs. Mary Rockas, Alan Rodriguez Penney, and Jose Vito. Watch the full video below. Topics and speakers included the following:
Addiction and Intersectionality with Race: Crystal Fuller Lewis, PhD Addiction and the LGBTQ+ Community: Jeremy Kidd, M.D., MPH Addiction and Pregnancy: Shabnam Shakibaie Smith, M.D. Addiction and Current Treatments: Jonathan Avery, M.D. Addiction and Drug Policy/Legislation: Biz Berthy Q & A Session
Medical Marijuana: Evidence base and the promises of Cannabidiol (CBD) March 26, 2019
This seminar, held at Lenox Hill Hospital, addressed evidence for and against medical marijuana, including the question of cannabidiol (CBD). The regulations and logistics governing prescription of medical marijuana in New York State were reviewed. Speaker, Diana Martinez, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center presented. Her research career has focused on the neurochemistry of addiction and the pharmacology substances of abuse. Recent work has included the cannabinoid system, including its potential for therapeutic use.
Fentanyl - A New Chapter in the Opioid Epidemic September 25, 2018
Fentanyl, an opioid 50 times more potent than heroin, is increasingly implicated in opioid overdose deaths. More often than ever before, fentanyl is being added to heroin and other drugs such as cocaine. This represents a new chapter in the opioid epidemic. In this presentation, Sandra Comer, PhD reviewed the neurobiology of fentanyl and described the clinical and policy implications of fentanyl's increasing presence in the drug supply.
