Canadian Psychiatrists Welcome Dr. Stanley Yaren as New Association President

ST. JOHN’S, – Sept. 2 – Dr. Stanley Yaren was inaugurated this weekend as president of the Canadian Psychiatric Association (CPA) for 2009-2010. The exchange of office from Dr. Susan Abbey to Dr. Yaren took place at the CPA’s 59th Annual General Meeting in St. John’s, Newfoundland, August 26-29.Dr. Yaren is Director of the Adult Forensic Psychiatry Program for Manitoba and the Winnipeg Region Health Authority and serves as the Deputy Clinical Head of the Mental Health Program of the Winnipeg Health Sciences Centre. He is presently an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Manitoba. He specializes in Forensic Psychiatry, a branch of psychiatry concerned with the intersection of mental illness and the law.

Since 1987, under Dr. Yaren’s leadership, Manitoba’s Adult Forensic Program has grown from one psychiatrist and a few staff into an active teaching program with a research component and an expanded clinical base that includes a multidisciplinary team with five psychiatrists.

In addition to teaching, and criminal and correctional forensic work, Dr. Yaren has a consulting practice with an interest in psychiatric disability, employment issues and personal injury litigation. He has been qualified as an expert by courts in several jurisdictions in personal injury litigation and employment issues. He serves as a consultant to unions, several insurance companies and disability plans. He is a consultant to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Crisis Negotiation Team. Dr. Yaren also has extensive experience in working with First Nations people and is on the panel of experts for the Indian Residential Schools Adjudication Secretariat.

Dr. Yaren has long been involved in organized psychiatry. He is the immediate past president of the Manitoba Psychiatric Association (2006 – 2008) and has twice served as the Manitoba member of the CPA’s Council of the Provinces. He served on the CPA Board of Directors in the mid 90s as the Manitoba representative. Dr. Yaren is also a past executive member of the Canadian Academy of Psychiatry and the Law and a former member of both the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons Psychiatry Specialty (RCPSC) Committee and the RCPSC Examination Board.

Born and raised in Winnipeg’s North End, Dr. Yaren completed his medical doctorate in 1972 and his psychiatry training in 1976 at the University of Manitoba.

The Canadian Psychiatric Association is the national voice for Canada’s 4,100 psychiatrists and more than 600 psychiatric residents. Founded in 1951, the CPA is dedicated to promoting an environment that fosters excellence in the provision of clinical care, education and research.

For further information: Hélène Côté, Canadian Psychiatric Association, Tel: (613) 794-9663 or hcote[at]cpa-apc.org