The American Psychiatric Association (APA) is currently revising its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM), the authoritative handbook used by mental health professionals to diagnose mental disorders. The DSM influences the beliefs and practices of mental health professionals, the criminal justice system, the media, and the public. Therefore, it has an
Three representatives of B4U-ACT sent the following letter to the members of the DSM-5 Paraphilias Subworkgroup and the chair of the DSM-5 Task Force, asking for a meeting with members of the subworkgroup in order to provide input on the revision of the DSM as it relates to minor-attracted people.
B4U-ACT held its one-day workshop entitled “Beyond Fear and Mistrust: Toward Open Communication between Mental Health Professionals and Minor-Attracted People” in Westminster, Maryland. The workshop was highly interactive, with four mental health professionals and four minor-attracted people taking leadership roles as presenters or discussion leaders. Attendance was by invitation only
Participants at the TogetherChat submitted a report of their discussions to Baltimore Mental Health Systems. This report identifies several barriers to communication that exist between mental health professionals and minor-attracted people, including self-interest, media sensationalizing, culturally enforced secrecy, drastic and ineffective legal policies, inaccurate stereotypes, the silencing of minor-attracted people
B4U-ACT opened its forum for mental health professionals and minor-attracted adults to discuss the barriers that hinder communication between them. Three professionals, all of whom specialize in treatment for minor-attracted adults, and three minor-attracted adults were recruited to participate. Over the next several months, the group expects to include additional
