In 1954, the American Psychiatric Association and the American Psychological Association appointed a joint committee to examine interprofessional relationships between the two Associations and their members and to propose methods for better communication and cooperation between the two APAs. A decade later, following declarations of independence and other position statements by the APAs-primarily around the issue of psychotherapy, there was a moratorium period during which the joint committee did not meet. The Associations realized that such a state of noncommunication at the official organizational level was inappropriate, and the joint committee again began its discussions. During the past several years, the joint committee has discussed a number of issues and has prepared recommendations to the parent organizations. Some of the issues have been the administration and management of community mental health and mental retardation programs, professional standards, legislation, insurance programs, manpower shortages, training practices, and governmental support for training and research. In order to widen the participation of members of the two APAs, the joint committee recommended public discussion of issues significant to both Associations and planned symposia for the 1967 annual meeting of the American Psychological Association and the 1968 annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association. The papers following were presented at the latter meeting, under the chairmanship of Robert H. Thrasher, chairman of the joint committee members from the American Psychiatric Association. Roy R. Grinker presented the psychiatric point of view, and George W. Albee the psychological position. This was followed by discussions by psychiatrist Joseph Schachter and psychologist Norman Garmezy. The symposium was moderated by Ivan N. Mensh, chairman of the American Psychological Association's Committee on Relations with the American Psychiatric Association, the psychologist part of the joint committees.