WPA Co-sponsored International Conference for Forensic Psychiatry

Prof. Antoni Novotni is a psychiatrist and academic researcher affiliated with the Saints Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje. He has made significant contributions to the fields of mental health and psychosocial research. He is also involved in forensic psychiatry, serving as a chair for the Forensic Psychiatry section of the World Psychiatric Association. From 1995–2005, prof. Novotni was a leader of the multidisciplinary team for promotion of children mental health and prevention of child abuse in Macedonia. He has organized numerous conferences as the president of the Macedonian Psychiatric Association.

In the period of 2008- 2017 he served as a Medical Director of the University Clinic of Psychiatry and from 2007 to 2017 he was a WHO National Counterpart for Mental Health for Macedonia (appointed by the Minister of Health of R. Macedonia and WHO office in Skopje, Macedonia). Prof. Novotni, has been part of international collaborations and was a principal investigator of two Horizon 20/20 European Commission Project: IMPULSE research project (Implementation of an effective and cost-effective intervention for patients with psychotic disorders in low- and middle-income countries in South Eastern Europe) (Project number 779334) and ‘RECOVER-E’ (LaRge-scalE implementation of COmmunity based mental health care for people with seVere and Enduring mental ill health in EuRopE’).

Prof Völlm has been Professor of Forensic Psychiatry and Director of the Hospital of Forensic Psychiatry at the University of Rostock since September 2018. Bevor then she was Professor in Forensic Psychiatry at the University of Nottingham, UK, and a Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist in the enhanced service for personality disorders at Rampton high secure hospital.

Her main research interests include ethics in forensic psychiatry, reduction of coercion, service development and evaluation, patient participation, personality disorders and comparisons between services in different countries. Prof Völlm has held national and European grants on long-stay, the effectiveness of Individual Placement Support and on Circles of Support and Accountability. She has published about 150 scientific papers and book chapters.

Prof Völlm was the Chair of the Forensic Section of the European Psychiatric Association from 2012 – 2016 the Chair of the Forensic Section of the World Psychiatric Association from 2020 - 2023. Prof Völlm is a regular expert for the Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhumane and Degrading Treatment (CPT).

Professor of Psychiatry and Forensic Psychiatry Academic Division Lead, McMaster University, Canada and Head of Service of Forensic Psychiatry, St. Joseph’s Healthcare, Hamilton, Canada. His holds a co-Chair in Forensic Psychiatry in Violence Reduction from St. Josephs Healthcare Hamilton. He is a Distinguished Fellow of both the Canadian and American Psychiatric Associations.

He is the Canadian representative to the World Psychiatric Association, Secretary-Treasurer of the Canadian Psychiatric Association and on the Board of both the World and Canadian Psychiatric Association. Continuing medical education activities include the International Forensic Psychiatry Lecture Series is an innovative weekly lecture series broadcast every week with attendees from over 55 countries.

Dr. Chaimowitz has received multiple awards including three from key national and international forensic psychiatry associations.

He has published over 90 articles and book chapters.