The LPA is an independent professional voluntary organization of Latvian
psychiatrists (M.D.) and associated foreign psychiatrists. In 2007 it has about
250 members. The LPA was founded in 1924 as the Organization of Neurologists and
Psychiatrists. It changed it name seven times in 82 years, and the present name
was adopted on 1990. Its first president was Hermanis Buduls, the “father” of
Latvian psychiatry, and the president since 2005 is Raissa Andrezina, Chair of
Psychiatry at Riga Stradina University. The LPA organizational structure
consists of the president, two vice presidents, a 14-person Board, the
Certification Committee and the Inspection Committee. Three sections are active:
the Young Psychiatrists, the Forensic Psychiatrists and the Geriatric Section
(GS). The LPA mission is to improve the quality of local psychiatric
research, education, clinical practice and mental health care standards by:
• Contributing to the advancement of international psychiatric research
• Raising the level of psychiatric education and training to European standards
• Promoting progress in clinical psychiatric practice e.g. more extensive use of
neuroimaging in psychogeriatrics
• Improving the range and quality of mental health services in keeping with
public health policies
• Enhancing links between other medical and non-medical organizations
• Raising the moral and legal standards of local psychiatry
• Disseminating information about psychiatry in society
The LPA accomplishes this mission by the following activities: organization of
conferences and seminars; the work of active sections; giving interviews to the
mass-media about mental health problems and strengthening links with
professional and non-medical institutions such as the World Health Organization
(WHO), World Associations of Social Psychiatry and Biological Psychiatry, Tromsø
University and Bayreuth Clinic, Alzheimer’s Disease Association. The LPA is an
affiliated member of International Psychogeriatric Association (IPA) since 2003.
The LPA does not have its own publications or logo. The LPA e-mail address is:
lpa@latnet.lv.
The success of APP will depend on the interchange of ideas and programs with other similar organizations worldwide. This
is why it is so important for APP to be involved with IPA. APP looks forward to participating actively in the success of
IPA in providing “Better Mental Health for Older People.”
IPA Bulletin June 2002
Copyright 2012 International Psychogeriatric Association
