Who We Are

The South Carolina Psychiatric Association is the South Carolina branch of the American Psychiatric Association. SCPA represents almost 500 SC-licensed psychiatrists who work together to ensure humane care and effective treatment for all persons with mental illness, including substance use disorders. SCPA’s vision is quality psychiatric diagnosis and treatment that is available and accessible to all South Carolinians.

What We Do

The South Carolina Psychiatric Association strives to accomplish the following:

• Promote the common professional interest of its members
• Improve treatment, rehabilitation, and care of persons with mental illness including intellectual disability and substance use disorders
• Advance the standards of all psychiatric services and facilities
• Promote research, professional education in psychiatry and allied fields, and the prevention of psychiatric disabilities
• Foster the cooperation of all who are concerned with the medical, psychological, social and legal aspects of mental health and illness
• Provide psychiatric knowledge to physicians, scientists and the public
• Promote the best interests of those who are currently or will in the future use mental health services
• Advocate for its members

Membership Option

• General Members are practicing psychiatrists who have completed an acceptable residency training program in psychiatry, and hold either a valid license to practice medicine or an academic, research, or governmental position that does not require licensure.
• Early Career Psychiatrists (ECPs) are General Members of APA who are within their first seven years after completion of training (ACGME accredited residency/fellowship). Dues are reduced for the first six years of General Membership to ease the financial burdens of early career psychiatrists.
• Resident-Fellow Members are physicians who have been accepted into a psychiatric residency training program that is approved by the ACGME, RCPS(C), or AOA and remain enrolled therein. Residents enrolled in a one-year primary care training program to be followed by an approved psychiatric residency are eligible for Resident-Fellow Member status.
• Medical Student Members are Medical students enrolled in a school of medicine, in the U.S. or internationally, including osteopathic medicine are eligible to join the APA as a Medical Student Member.
• Semi-Retired and Retired Members. A Semi-retired member is defined as a General or Life Member who is near retirement age and works less than 15 hours per week in any administrative or clinical role or roles (i.e. across multiple settings). A Retired member is defined as a General or Life Member who has reached retirement age and is fully retired from all administrative or clinical responsibilities

Join through the APA (American Psychiatric Association) Website and select District 42 for South Carolina.