Ryan Flanagan, MD, Resilience Program Director, Appointed Committee Chair at GAP
Kudos to Ryan Flanagan, MD (above left with GAP colleagues), on his recent appointment as Chair of the College Student Committee at the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry (GAP).
Dr. Flanagan, the Director of the Resilience Program for the Treatment of Emotion Dysregulation at Silver Hill, began on the committee in 2024. As chair, he’ll continue to work collaboratively with GAP colleagues researching and writing on current influences on the mental health of the college-age population.
“This age is incredibly pivotal,” says Dr. Flanagan. “It’s the intersection of adolescence and adulthood—falling between child/adolescent psychiatry and adult psychiatry—with so many elements impacting their growth and their futures. With over 18 million college students in the United States, it truly warrants study and attention.”
Among the topics on tap for the GAP College Student committee to explore are AI and technology, cannabis use, and the tension between independence and autonomy in relation to family systems, parental influences, finances, and more.
“Silver Hill treats patients of all ages,” says Dr. Flanagan, “with a significant college-age population in the Resilience Program. Additionally, our recently launched Young Minds outpatient group focuses solely on emerging adults 18-30. The work I’m doing with GAP informs what’s happening at Silver Hill and vice versa. I’m very fortunate to be part of a committee of such high-level psychiatrists, many of whom work in university settings.”
The GAP College Student Committee is focused on exploring the emotional, cognitive, social, and academic development of transitional-age youth. Recent publications of the committee members include:
- The Fallout of the COVID-19 Pandemic on College Students
- Coping with Problematic Effects of Social Media
Founded in 1946, the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry is a think tank of over 200 thought leaders in psychiatry whose analysis and recommendations serve to influence and advance modern psychiatric theory and practice.