Awards and Fellowship Programs

As the home association and voice of psychiatric pharmacy, the American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists (AAPP) seeks to:

  1. Honor accomplishments and significant contributions that advance the profession of psychiatric pharmacy and/or patient care.
  2. Recognize innovations and achievements which support and further AAPP strategic goals.

Honors

AAPP Fellowship Program

The AAPP Fellow Program Is Intended To:

  • Grant recognition to individuals demonstrating excellence in advancing the practice of psychiatric pharmacy.
  • Promote public awareness of pharmacists who have distinguished themselves in advancing the mission and goals of AAPP.

Application Window Now Open Through 10/1/2025

Member Recognition Awards

Application/nomination Window Now Open Through 10/1/2025

Criteria Applying Across Awards
  1. These awards are intended to recognize psychiatric pharmacists working in the field of mental health care which is inclusive of substance use disorders. Posthumous awards will not be allowed.
  2. Current members of the AAPP Board of Directors and Nominations and Awards Committee are not eligible for consideration. Members of the Nominations and Awards Committee are also not allowed to nominate or participate in the nomination of a candidate and must recuse themselves if consideration of any candidates represents a conflict of interest for them.
  3. Recipients can only be awarded each member recognition award one time and may receive only one recognition award per year. Strategic goal awards can be awarded to the same individual more than once and can be awarded to an individual the same year they receive a member recognition award.
  4. Judith J. Saklad Memorial Award recipients are not eligible for consideration of any other AAPP member recognition awards given that the Saklad Award is a pinnacle award and broadly encompasses the various components of other AAPP recognition awards.
  5. With the exception of the Saklad Award which is by nomination only, the other awards can be submitted by the applicant or through nomination by others. Regardless of the method, all required elements must be submitted for award consideration by the committee.
  6. Though each award is offered annually, the committee is not mandated to select an award recipient each year.
  7. Incomplete and/or late applications will not be considered.
  8. Applications must be submitted in PDF form to info@aapp.org by the deadline.
  9. Notification of awards will occur on or before the end of January.

Advancing Patient Care Award

This award recognizes individual AAPP member efforts and accomplishments in increasing patient access to high quality mental health care in exceptional and distinctive ways.

Early Practitioner Award

The Early Practitioner Award recognizes the efforts of psychiatric pharmacists in the first 5 years of practice or 5 years after completion of post doctoral training. Recipients will have demonstrated commitment to AAPP and its mission and be seen as a role model for future leaders within AAPP and psychiatric pharmacy.

Judith J. Saklad Memorial Award

The Judith J. Saklad Memorial Award celebrates the life and work of the late Judith J. Saklad. This award requires nomination by others and is presented to a senior psychiatric pharmacy practitioner who has achieved a level of professional distinction and demonstrates a continuing dedication to the practice of psychiatric pharmacy. Like Dr. Saklad, this practitioner will represent the qualities and ideals of professional enthusiasm, in addition to possessing a passion for optimizing patient care.

Psychiatric Pharmacy Advocacy Award

This award recognizes individual AAPP members who impact change benefiting patient access to care for individuals living with mental illness and/or the profession of psychiatric pharmacy through advocacy with policymakers and/or decision-makers.

Strategic Goal Awards

Mental Health Clinician Journal Awards

The Mental Health Clinician (MHC) journal is a valuable resource for psychiatric practitioners and researchers requiring authors, peer reviewers, and editors. Exceptional contributions to MHC are recognized through the Editors’ Choice Award, the designation of Outstanding and Trusted Peer Reviewers, and the Citation Milestone Award.

Research Awards

Research and Practice Awards are sponsored by the AAPP Foundation and awarded at each AAPP Annual Meeting held generally in April. Information on submission deadlines and the abstract center will be hosted on the Annual Meeting webpages. Submission dates are generally by mid-January of each year. Available Research and Practice Award categories include original research, therapeutic case report, research trainee, innovative practices, and health equity.