The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) is committed to transparency at every level. One part of that transparency is disclosure of relationships for all AACAP members involved in leadership roles. Decisions by AACAP leaders on behalf of AACAP have far-reaching significance and consequences. Relationships with external entities may result in real or perceived conflicts of interest that impact an individual’s opinion, and full disclosure is necessary to maintain the integrity of AACAP activities. While AACAP recognizes potential benefits of member relationships with external entities, all AACAP policies, publications, and activities must remain unbiased and consistent with AACAP’s mission. Although AACAP permits members who have relationships with external entities to hold AACAP leadership positions, it requires transparency, disclosure, and mitigation of conflicts of interest.

AACAP also acknowledges that it is important for the organization itself to have collaborative relationships with external entities to provide expert input into advancing new treatments for children and adolescents as well as provide accurate information to the membership. Therefore, AACAP will develop relationships with external entities that are aligned with its mission and will manage these relationships with transparency, disclosure, and mitigation of conflict of interest.

The resources on this page outline the policies and procedures AACAP has in place to manage relationships with external entities as well as organizational information about our operations to be transparent with our members and the public.

Sections

• AACAP’s Policy on Management of Individual and Organizational Relationships with External Entities: Transparency, Disclosure, and Mitigation of Conflict of Interest
• Operating Principles for Extramural Support of AACAP Meetings and Related Activities
• JAACAP Journals Conflict of Interest Policies
• Mission Statement
• Code of Ethics
• Leadership Disclosures
• Audit Reports
• Investment Policies
• AACAP’s Financial Relationships with Ineligible Companies
• AACAP Disclosure of Relationships Form
• Principles of Practice
• Guidelines on Conflict of Interest for Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists
• Guidelines on Conflict of Interest for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Researchers

AACAP’s Policy on Management of Individual and Organizational Relationships with External Entities: Transparency, Disclosure, and Mitigation of Conflict of Interest

Updated and approved by Council, June 2025

This policy serves two distinct purposes: governing how individual AACAP members in leadership roles and other key positions manage their relationships with external entities and establishing procedures for AACAP's organizational interactions with external entities. External entities include ineligible or eligible companies, as defined by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) and adopted by AACAP.

Operating Principles for Extramural Support of AACAP Meetings and Related Activities

Adopted in 2003, updated annually

To facilitate transparency and disclosure, AACAP has approved the Operating Principles for Extramural Support of American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) Meetings and Related Activities. These principles provide the framework through which members of AACAP and AACAP meeting attendees and supporters can foster high quality scientific and educational programming in the context of full financial disclosure.

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JAACAP Journals Conflict of Interest Policies

The JAACAP family of journals aims to promote the well-being of children and families globally by publishing original research and papers of theoretical, scientific, and clinical relevance in the field of child and adolescent mental health. The journals recognize the importance of considering potential editorial conflicts of interest when evaluating manuscript submissions. Information about author, reviewer, and editor/masthead conflict of interest policies and disclosures are in the links below.

JAACAP
Author | Reviewer | Masthead

JAACAP Open
Author | Reviewer | Masthead

JAACAP Connect
Author | Reviewer/Masthead 

Mission Statement

Amended and approved by Membership, December 2014

The Mission of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 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.

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Code of Ethics

Adopted by Council, September 2014
Revised October 2023

AACAP was among the first medical associations to create a written code of ethics. The AACAP Code of Ethics was created in 1980 to ensure the highest level of services to children, adolescents, and their families. This set of principles guides child and adolescent psychiatrists in the changing landscape of the doctor-patient relationship in the modern practice of child and adolescent psychiatry.

All AACAP members must pledge to adhere to the AACAP Code of Ethics as a condition of membership.

Leadership Disclosures

To best serve child and adolescent psychiatry and the interests of practitioners and families, AACAP requires its “Tier One” leadership, including its president, president-elect, secretary, treasurer, chair of the Assembly of Regional Organizations, executive director/CEO, JAACAP Editor-in-Chief and Editors of other peer-reviewed scholarly publications, program committee chair and deputy chair, Quality Issues Committee chairs and members, and COI Group chair to be free from direct or indirect financial or contractual relationships with ineligible companies.

Disclosure of Affiliations for the Executive Committee, Program Committee Chair and JAACAP Editor

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AACAP Disclosure of Relationships Form

To identify and mitigate potential conflicts of interest, AACAP requires all individuals in leadership roles to disclose relationships on an annual basis or when new relationships arise. Leadership roles are defined as those for individual members elected to national leadership, appointed to a formal leadership group, or an Assembly delegate.

AACAP Audit Reports

AACAP’s audits are conducted by independent auditors and facilitated by AACAP’s Chief of Finance and Operations and AACAP’s Treasurer.

A physician’s first obligation is his or her patients. AACAP wrote its Guidelines on Conflicts of Interest for Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists to support patients by helping child and adolescent psychiatrists assess conflicts of interest. AACAP notes the 4 A's of conflicts of interest management: awareness, assessment, acknowledgment, and action.

• 2024
• 2023
• 2022
• 2021
• 2020

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Investment Policies

Adopted by Council June 1992
Revised June 2024

AACAP’s investment policies are overseen by Council and the Financial Planning Group. As indicated in the Investment Policy Statement, AACAP endeavors to avoid investing in foreign securities as well as companies that provide products that put children at unnecessary risk such as alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and firearms.

AACAP’s Financial Relationships with Ineligible Companies

Funding from ineligible companies is monitored by the AACAP Treasurer and total direct revenue from ineligible companies cannot exceed 10% of total revenue from operations in a given fiscal year. Funding from eligible companies is not capped. Below are annual reports of AACAP’s funding from ineligible companies, including the total amount of funding and sources of funding.

• 2024

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Principles of Practice

Adapted from CODE OF ETHICS, May 16, 1982 (under review)

AACAP's Principles of Practice was adapted from its Code of Ethics. The Principles of Practice states that child and adolescent psychiatrists must avoid all actions which may have a detrimental effect on the optimal development of a child or adolescent. Additionally, child and adolescent psychiatrists must maintain the integrity of professional judgment independent of influence. Child and adolescent psychiatrists agree to adhere to these principles as a condition of AACAP membership.

Guidelines on Conflict of Interest for Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists

Last Reviewed and Approved by Council on January 30, 2009 (under review)

A physician’s first obligation is his or her patients. AACAP wrote its Guidelines on Conflicts of Interest for Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists to support patients by helping child and adolescent psychiatrists assess conflicts of interest. AACAP notes the 4 A's of conflicts of interest management: awareness, assessment, acknowledgment, and action.

Guidelines on Conflict of Interest for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Researchers

Approved by Council on January 30, 2009 (under review)

Research is funded by a range of entities. AACAP encourages the interaction of child and adolescent psychiatry investigators and sponsors, including government, private, and commercial organizations that serves the best interests of children and adolescents while maintaining scientific integrity. Child and adolescent psychiatrists who engage in research must disclose all relevant benefits, especially material financial interests.

• AACAP Financial Conflict of Interest Policy for Investigators with Public Health Service (PHS)-Sponsored Research
• AACAP Disclosure of Financial Conflict of Interest for Investigators With PHS-Sponsored Research

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