Arkansas Psychiatric Society

The beginnings of organized psychiatry in Arkansas can be discovered at the turn of the century in the central portion of the state. In an agriculturally oriented and sparsely populated state, Arkansas' medical institutions emerged in the central section of the state where the population gravitated and the seat of government and commerce had been established. All medical teaching facilities and all care for nervous disorders were located in the Little Rock-North Little Rock area. The Arkansas State Psychiatric Hospital first opened in 1983; the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Campus for the education of physicians appeared in 1879; and the North Little Rock Veterans Administration Hospital for treating the psychiatrically ill appeared about 1947. The number of physicians treating nervous disorders was very small as exampled by the small handful serving the institutions and only one practicing privately within the state in 1941.

The existing medical institutions found it necessary to be interdependent to provide proper care for psychiatric patients and educate new physicians in the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness. These institutions and the Arkansas Health Department joined forces to establish the Department of Neuropsychiatry at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Campus in 1947. The first chairman of the Department, Dr. Crawford Baganz, later become the second speaker of the Assembly of District Branches of the American Psychiatric Association.

Although the exact origins of the Arkansas Psychiatric Society are unclear, it is known that the Arkansas psychiatrists had a close relationship with Dr. Daniel Blaine, the medical director of the American Psychiatric Association. Dr. Blaine was observing the grassroots involvement of all psychiatrists in the American Psychiatric Association. In the late 1940's and early 1950's, Dr. Blaine was encouraging the Arkansas psychiatrists to form a District Branch society. Records indicate that the first formal action taken to form a district society came from Dr. William G. Reese, who was Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences campus. At a faculty meeting on March 22, 1951, Dr. Reese called for a committee to draw up a constitution for an Arkansas Psychiatric Society. The Society's first organizational meeting was held April 10, 1951 at which time officers were elected. The initial officers were President, Dr. A.C. Kolb, Vice-President, Dr. N.T. Hollis, Secretary-Treasurer, Dr. I Clark Case, and two councilors, Dr. William G. Reese and Dr. H.T. Sterling. There were 41 charter members of the Society and, of these, three were members of the American Psychiatric Association. At the meeting of the Council of the APA in May 1951, the Arkansas Psychiatric Society as accepted as an affiliate society. The first regular meeting of the Society took place on October 19, 1951, with a dinner meeting at the Arkansas State Psychiatric Hospital where the speaker as Dr. Daniel Blaine.

The Society was closely allied with the Mid-Continent Psychiatric Society, which was one of the first district branches of the APA. The Mid-Continent Psychiatric Society was composed of psychiatrists from Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri. In early 1954, Kansas psychiatrists initiated a move to separate from the Mid-Continent Psychiatric Society in order to form a state district branch. Although there was some opposition to the Kansas move, the Mid-Continent voted in September 1954 to withdraw it's APA District Branch status in favor of an affiliate status. This allowed the other states involved in Mid-Continent to petition for District Branch recognition. The Arkansas Society petitioned quickly for APA District Branch approval and received such approval in May, 1955. Dr. Payton Kolb, son of Arkansas Psychiatric Society's first president, Dr. A.C. Kolb, became the first delegate from the Society to the Assembly of District Branches at the next meeting of the Assembly at the annual APA meeting in Chicago in May 1956.

The 1950's and 1960's showed a further maturation in Arkansas psychiatry. During these years new facilities were constructed by the Veterans Administration system; a new and award winning building was completed for the Arkansas State Psychiatric Hospital; and the University of Arkansas Medical Science Department of Psychiatry developed a full, stable faculty and residency program. However, psychiatry remained small within the state of Arkansas as exampled by there being approximately 85 psychiatrists within the state in 1966. Of the 85 psychiatrists, 25 were in private practice, with only 10 being outside the Little Rock area.

The Arkansas Psychiatric Society remained an active organization during these blossoming years of psychiatry, but fell into relative inactivity during the late 1970's and early 1980's. During the mid 1980's a large portion of the membership committed itself to energizing the Society. As a result of this effort, the Society now exhibits a well organized administrative plan including an established office and part time administrative assistant. In addition to continuing its role as a social and educational organization for Arkansas psychiatrists, the society has become quite active in resolving ethical complaints and providing a voice in psychiatry in state legislation. Through a concerted recruiting effort, the Society now claims approximately 175 members satewide.