A practice guideline is not a “standard of care.” The ultimate judgment regarding a particular clinical procedure or treatment plan must be made by the psychiatrist in light of the clinical data presented by the patient and the diagnostic and treatment options available.APA practice guidelines are developed by expert work groups, who review available evidence using an explicit methodology. Iterative drafts undergo wide review by experts, allied organizations, and any APA member on request. Every guideline is also reviewed and approved for publication by the APA Assembly and Board of Trustees.  The development of APA practice guidelines has not been financially supported by any commerical organization. For more detail, see APA Guideline Development Process (updated May 2006) (PDF)Watches briefly summarize significant developments in the scientific literature since guideline publication. They may be authored and reviewed by experts associated with the original guideline development effort and are approved for publication by APA’s Executive Committee on Practice Guidelines. Thus, watches represent opinion of the authors and approval of the Executive Committee but not policy of APA.Part A of every new guideline or guideline revision is initially published as a supplement to the American Journal of Psychiatry. The complete guideline (Parts A, B, and C) is published online (below) and in guideline compendiums, available from American Psychiatric Press, Inc. A continuing medical education (CME) course, quick reference guide, patient and family guide, and other tools may be available for individual practice guidelines.