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

Dear Colleagues,

It is an honor and privilege to serve as President of PSV. I am grateful for the opportunity to represent our members and work alongside dedicated psychiatrists providing exceptional care across the Commonwealth.

As I begin my term, I reflect on both the progress our field has made and the challenges that remain. Never has the need for psychiatric expertise been more evident. Public awareness of mental health has increased dramatically, yet access to care remains limited for many individuals and families. Patients with serious mental illness continue to face significant barriers to treatment, housing, employment, and recovery. Emergency departments, community services boards, hospitals, and outpatient practices continue to feel the strain of increasing demand and workforce shortages. Our challenge is not simply to advance the science of psychiatry, but to ensure these advances reach those who need them most.

This year’s Fall Meeting theme, Serious Mental Illness: From Crisis to Recovery, underscores that challenge. Recovery is not a single event but a journey spanning prevention, early intervention, acute treatment, rehabilitation, and long-term community support. Throughout the meeting, we will explore the systems that influence outcomes for individuals living with serious mental illness and examine how psychiatrists can serve as leaders, advocates, educators, and clinicians within those systems.

PSV is most effective when it reflects the diverse perspectives and experiences of psychiatrists practicing in every setting. Our collective voice is strongest when members are actively engaged in shaping the future of our profession. As we look ahead, I encourage each of you to remain engaged with PSV, your communities, trainees, policymakers, and colleagues. Through advocacy, education, collaboration, and compassionate care, we can continue to improve the lives of those we serve.

Thank you for your dedication to our patients, our profession, and mental health care in Virginia. I look forward to working with you during the coming year and to seeing many of you at our Fall Meeting!