By Shariff Tanious, MD, FAPA
PSV President
Chief Medical Officer
Department of Behavioral Health
and Developmental Services

Dear Colleagues,

As we approach the fall, I am pleased to invite you to the 2026 Fall Meeting of the Psychiatric Society of Virginia, “Reimagining Care for Serious Mental Illness: From Crisis to Recovery” on October 2-3 at the Delta Hotel in Richmond. This year’s meeting will bring together psychiatrists and other mental health professionals from across the Commonwealth to examine some of the most challenging issues facing our patients and our profession. I hope you will join us for what promises to be an engaging and timely program.

The past year has underscored the importance of our work as psychiatrists. Across Virginia, patients with serious mental illness continue to face significant barriers to timely, appropriate care, while our health care system confronts workforce shortages, increasing complexity, declining reimbursements, and growing demands on clinicians. These challenges reinforce the importance of having a strong professional organization representing psychiatry in Virginia.

Advocacy remains a central responsibility of PSV. Our society works throughout the year with legislators, the Medical Society of Virginia, the American Psychiatric Association, and other partners to promote policies that improve access to psychiatric care and protect the quality and safety of the care our patients receive. Our voice is most effective when we speak collectively and when our members actively participate in the process. One important way members can support this work is through the PsychMD PAC, which allows us to engage with policymakers and advocate for issues important to psychiatry and our patients. I encourage those who are able to consider making a contribution.

I also encourage you to remain engaged with PSV beyond our annual meeting. If there are legislative, regulatory, or clinical issues that you believe deserve attention, please reach out to me or to the PSV leadership. Our strength comes from the participation of our members, and we want to ensure that the society remains responsive to the needs of psychiatrists practicing throughout Virginia.

I hope to see many of you at the Fall Meeting. Beyond the educational program, one of the most valuable aspects of our meeting is the opportunity to reconnect with colleagues from across the Commonwealth and strengthen the relationships that allow us to advocate effectively for our patients and our profession.

Thank you for your continued commitment to psychiatry and to the patients and communities we serve. I look forward to seeing you this fall!