Last Update—March 25, 2020

• What is the American Group Psychotherapy Association?

  The American Group Psychotherapy Association--AGPA is an organization of 2,000 mental health experts from a variety of professions (e.g., psychiatry, psychology, social work, nursing, counseling, etc.) who are dedicated to developing and delivering high-quality, effective and efficient group psychotherapy treatment. We work in a variety of settings that range from agencies and institutions, hospitals, college counseling centers, addiction settings, residential treatment settings and private practices. We are committed to training and education, continuing professional development and creating a community of practice to support our members’ capacity to provide excellent care.

   

• What’s involved in AGPA’s annual conference?

  AGPA traditionally holds an annual meeting at the end of February or the beginning of March, rotating among large cities across the United States. Approximately 1,000 people typically attend the annual meeting. Our conference uses a range of different formats including large plenaries, experiential training groups, workshops and open sessions. We also hold a luncheon and social dance and we invite all conference attendees to these events. 

   

• Where was the 2020 annual conference held?

  We held our AGPA Connect 2020 meeting in New York City from March 2 to March 7, at the Sheraton Times Square, a large, well-located conference venue. Our Board of Directors meetings which involve senior leadership trainings occurred on February 29 and March 1. 

   

• What considerations before the conference were there regarding COVID-19?

  We were guided by public health statements and prior to our conference; there were no recommendations to cancel or prohibitions around large group meetings. 

   

• What precautions were taken during the conference?

  Based on the guidance of public authorities, we tried to maximize the safety of our members by providing information and knowledge. Throughout the conference, we reminded our membership of the importance of social distancing and proper hygiene, encouraging handwashing and discouraging strongly any form of personal greeting that put people at risk of transmission. As a reminder, small bottles of Purell were provided to conference attendees in several locations to keep hygiene on their minds. 

   

• Did any conference attendees cancel before the meeting began?

  North American cancellations were very few. However, we were mindful of the impact of COVID-19 elsewhere, as evidenced by the fact that 30 colleagues from China were prohibited from travel to our conference by government restrictions.  We livestreamed several sessions to our Chinese colleagues and these sessions were viewed by thousands of Chinese participants. A small number of colleagues from Israel cancelled. 

   

• What was the climate of New York City at the time of the conference?

  At the time of our meeting, New York was bustling. The hotel was packed, restaurants were jammed, sporting events continued and it was difficult to get tickets to the theater. During the meeting we had contact with New York State Public Health and the CDC and we received no direction to not meet but that we should exercise caution; we abided by their advice.

   

• Were there any positive cases of COVID-19 during the meeting?

  No. The meeting concluded on Saturday, March 7 with a sense of success and was deeply appreciated by our attendees. No one became ill at the meeting with COVID-19 symptoms. People returned to their communities.

   

• When was AGPA first notified of conference attendees who tested positive for COVID-19?

  On the evening of Wednesday, March 11, 2020 our listserv exploded with information that one international member had tested positive for COVID-19. What followed afterward was an increasing number of  reports about the spread of COVID-19 in our community, around the country, and the world.

   

• What is the current state of affairs regarding conference attendees who have tested positive for COVID-19?

  As of March 24, 2020, we have 44 attendees who have tested positive, 41 of them have identified themselves on our listserv.

   

• What has AGPA done since learning that conference attendees have tested positive for COVID-19?

  • We have thrown our full resources into supporting our community with care, compassion and strong acceptance for the courageous self-disclosures of attendees who have tested positive for COVID-19 on the listserv. Using information provided by attendees who have tested positive, their meeting itineraries have been shared on our listserve so that colleagues would know their chance of exposure. We’ve also published a listing of the meeting sessions noting those which had attendees who have identified to us that they are COVID-19 positive.

  • We have used our listserve and emails to support our membership. Physical distance does not mean social distance and there has been a rapid growth of tips, strategies and formal training sessions to help our members move to online care using the different technological platforms now available. Our members are quickly transitioning to this method of delivering care to their patients and it has been heartening to see how many people continue to be helped and cared for online.  We are also offering information on coping with anxiety and how to help others cope with the anxiety COVID-19 will generate. We recognize the enormous impact in society of physical illness, social isolation, fear of illness and the economic upheaval this generates.
    

  • We are a community of mental health professionals who value the principles of trust, openness, transparency, professionalism and the ethics of first do no harm. It was very distressing to us and our members to learn that some had been diagnosed with COVID-19. Others on our listserv have reported being ill but not able to be tested, and others exposed to the illness have remained apparently well. Our members rapidly moved into self-isolation and social distancing and absorbed the rapidly changing public health information. Our listservs are filled with peoples’ expression of compassion, concern and support; and understandably some question whether we should’ve held our meeting.

   

• What is the current status at AGPA regarding having held the conference?

  It is impossible of course to go back and undo the past. We certainly made the best choices that we could at the time with the information that we had. If we could have had the foresight to see ahead even 10 days, we would’ve made a different decision about holding the meeting. The evolution of the pandemic from business as usual at the end of February and the beginning of March to widespread states of emergency in most jurisdictions by the middle of March was a crisis we wished we would’ve been able to anticipate.

   

• What is the current climate among AGPA leadership and members?

  • We have been acutely aware of the concerns people have for their physical health, for the anxiety of waiting for testing and the frustration of accessing testing, the inability to practice in our usual formats and the concern that in the two or three days before evidence of COVID-19 being present in our community was clear, our members had returned to work and to their community and family life. The thought that we may have contributed to others becoming exposed is very distressing. We do take some comfort from the public health guidelines that do suggest that in the absence of symptoms the transmission rate is much lower than in the presence of symptoms due to the droplet nature of transmission. It remains deeply concerning for mental health professionals who are committed to being part of the solution to difficulties in the lives of our clients and communities, to worry that they may have contributed to difficulties.

  • AGPA remains committed to being a community of professionals who operate at the highest levels of professionalism and the highest standards of practice. We will do all we can to maintain the trust of our members and help our members continue to provide excellent group therapy maintaining the trust of the clients and communities in which they work.