Congratulations to Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health Senior Vice President and Chief Clinical/Medical Officer Yolanda Graham, M.D., FAPA, DFAACAP, who was recently elected president of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry’s (AACAP) Regional Council of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (RCCAP) of Eastern Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey.

Graham, who joined RCCAP in 2020, previously served as secretary (2021-23) and president-elect (2023-24), before being elected president in June 2024.

The mission of AACAP and its regional councils is to “promote the healthy development of children, adolescents and families through advocacy, education and research, and to meet the professional needs of child and adolescent psychiatrists throughout their careers.”

“I am honored to be elected president of RCCAP of Eastern Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey,” said Graham. “Taking on this esteemed leadership role will allow me to serve as a representative of our regional council at AACAP’s general assembly meetings where I can elevate issues that impact our field to a national level. This includes recommending policy changes, best practice guidelines and system of care reforms that will ultimately benefit Devereux and the individuals and families we serve.”

Strengthening outreach; increasing advocacy
In her new position, Graham hopes to further the critical mission of RCCAP and AACAP to make a meaningful difference in the lives of children and adolescents throughout the region.

“Chief among my goals is to provide greater outreach to early career psychiatrists, encouraging their active participation in RCCAP and AACAP, and strengthen engagement with medical students to cultivate the next generation of child and adolescent psychiatrists,” explained Graham. “I also hope to increase advocacy for children and adolescents by partnering with other child-serving trade organizations. Finally, recognizing the importance of a strong and cohesive leadership team, I want to develop a comprehensive onboarding training program for all new RCCAP board members.”

Engaging youth, families
Prior to taking on her role as president of RCCAP of Eastern Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey, Graham was invited by AACAP President Tammy Benton, M.D., to serve as lead author for a chapter in a compendium, titled “Bringing the village to the child: Addressing the crisis of children’s mental health.” The compendium was published in July 2024 in the journal, Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America.

Graham’s chapter – “Engaging youth voice and family partnerships to improve children’s mental health outcomes” – focuses on promoting active participation of families and youth in mental health systems of care.

“Youth and families are the true experts on their own strengths, needs and preferences. By elevating their perspectives, we can ensure our interventions and support systems are meeting them where they are now,” Graham noted. “This collaborative approach fosters a heightened sense of investment and engagement with youth and parent peer supports, and can lead to improved outcomes and sustainable change. Prioritizing the inclusion of families and young people is an essential component of building a mental health system that works for everyone.”

Learn more about Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health.