The Advisory Board

Patricia Dowds, PhD

Dr. Dowds has been a practicing psychotherapist since 1973. She is currently a faculty member and partner at The Minuchin Center for the Family, NYC., Co- Director of The Family Therapy Institute Of Suffolk, Smithtown NY, on the Steering Committee of U2K and on the Board of The Suffolk County Psychological Association.  For many years Dr. Dowds served on the Board of the National Coalition and most recently was our vice-president.

Dr. Dowds says that she had hoped to be primarily teaching and doing research at this point in her career. Instead that is second place to the work of fighting to protect mental health benefits for families. She believes there will be a major move for universal health care in this country in the next few years, and is working to insure that those involved are mindful of the requirements for good mental health treatment.

Joyce Edward CSW, BCD

Ms. Edward is a Supervisor at the Society for Psychoanalytic Study and Research and the New York School for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy. She is the author of many articles on analytic social work and is the coauthor or coeditor of many books. 

Harold Eist, M.D.  

    A psychiatrist practicing in Bethesda, Maryland, for over 30 years has championed compassionate and ethical care based on a deep respect for patient dignity. He led the efforts in Washington, DC that developed and enacted the most proactive confidentiality law in the nation. This law has since become a model for other states. Working with the National Alliance of Mental Health Professionals, he was a co-author of their Patient's Bill of Rights.

Bertram Karon, Ph.D. 

A professor at Michigan State University, Dr. Karon's research focuses on the effectiveness of psychotherapy with schizophrenics, pathogenesis (unconscious destructiveness to those who depend on us), and the effects of discrimination. Some general interests include psychodynamics, psychoanalytic theory and therapy, and schizophrenia.  Click here to see more about Dr. Karon.

Mary Kilburn, Ph.D. 

Dr. Kilburn, a veteran psychoanalytic psychologist, advocate and leader from North Carolina, has long been a powerful and persuasive voice for confidential, patient-centered mental health treatment.  Through letters, newspapers, newsletters, cyberspace, discussion groups and articles, she has focused public attention on the destructiveness of managed care for mental health treatment. She has testified at legislative hearings, professional meetings, in classrooms and churches.

Her strong ties with consumer, community and professional groups have been a continuing resource to the National Coalition since its formation.  As the founding President of the NC Coalition of Mental Health Professionals and Consumers, Inc. she led that organization's formation as an effective advocacy presence working to  "TAKE MENTAL HEALTH OUT OF MANAGED CARE AND   MANAGED CARE OUT OF MENTAL HEALTH."   Currently she serves on the American Psychological Association's Interdivisional Task Force on Managed Care and Health Care Reform and the Recipient of the American Psychological Association's Heiser 2000 Award.

Click here to see more about Dr. Kilburn

Stanley Moldawsky, Ph.D.

Dr. Moldawsky is a past president of American Psychological Association Division 42, Independent Practice, the Society of Psychologists in Private Practice and Co-Chairperson, American Psychological Association Division 29/42 Task Force on Managed care

Elaine Rodino, Ph.D.

Dr. Rodino is  a Psychologist in private practice in Santa Monica, California. She is a past President of Psychologists in Independent Practice, (Division 42) a Division of the American Psychological Association.  She is a Past-President of the Division of Media Psychology (Division 46) of the American Psychological Association (1997) and of the Los Angeles County Psychological Association (1983).  Dr. Rodino is presently a  Board Member of both the California Psychological Association  and the  Los Angeles County Psychological Association.  She is a  Fellow of Los Angeles Society of Clinical Psychologists, a member of  National Academies of Practice, and the recipient of the Distinguished Service to Los Angeles County Psychological Association Award - 2000.  Dr. Rodino has been outspoken regarding the problems of Managed Care and has a forthcoming book co-authored with Sandra Haber, Ph.D., and Iris Lipner, CSW, "Saying Goodbye to Managed Care".  To see more about Dr. Rodino click here.

Charles Zadikow, Psy.D. 

Aside from continuing professional development Dr. Zadikow has been very concerned with what has been occurring within the field of mental health. Specifically, he has found that many managed care organizations (HMO’s) have been very unfair to clients and have been disruptive to the process of competent psychotherapy. They have virtually removed the rights to confidentiality, privacy, and choice that clients require for psychotherapy to be effective. Therefore, he has been very active for the last few years in attempting to help professionals and consumers learn about the problems inherent in managed care and how to seek possible resolutions. .

Dr. Zadikow has been a practicing Psychotherapist since 1968. He is the Co-Director of The Center for Professional Psychology, Summit, NJ and President of the American Mental Health Alliance - USA (An organization designed to provide ethical and responsible mental health care for our clients, dedicated to privacy and confidentiality). He is a member of the Faculty and Training Committee of the Institute for Psychoanalysis & Psychotherapy of New Jersey (IPPNJ), and a Field Supervisor for the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology (GSAPP). He is a past Senior Psychology Supervisor at Elizabeth General Medical Center, the past Director of Training in Psychology at the Marlboro Psychiatric Hospital, and Past Director of Psychology - Middlesex County Mental Health Emergency Center.

An Expert on gambling for the New Jersey Psychological Association (NJPA) he is past Commissioner for Governor Kean on Gambling in NJ. He is also a past secretary of the Council on Legislative Action (COLA) for the NJPA, an Executive Board Member of The National Coalition of Mental Health Professionals & Consumers (NCMHPC), Founder and Past Chair of NJCMHPC, Founder and Past Co-Chair of AMHA-NJ., a member of the Steering Committee of The Alliance for Universal Access to Psychotherapy in NYC; and a Member of MAYDAY (a NY based group dedicated to developing effective legal action against the abuses of Managed Care); the NJPA and The American Psychological Association