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House to host conference on mental health
Dean Kilpatrick, Ph.D., professor of psychology and director of MUSC's National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center, is an invited participant at the White House Conference on Mental Health to be held June 7. The conference is the first ever to address an issue that affects more than 50 million Americans and countless more family and friends who support loved ones living with mental illness. For the past 25 years, Kilpatrick has been involved in research and public policy work on the mental health effects of violent crime. The MUSC Institute of Psychiatry will broadcast this conference and has invited local consumers, providers, advocacy groups, business leaders, community mental health resources, and local and state elected officials as well as leaders in mental health research and pharmacology, service delivery and insurance coverage to attend and participate in a panel discussion and open forum on mental health issues. As the president's mental health policy advisor and a well-known advocate for people with mental illness, Tipper Gore, wife of U.S. Vice President Al Gore, has made a strong commitment to eradicate the stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness and educate Americans about the need for quality, affordable mental health care. “It is time to bring mental health care into the 21st century and end the stigma and discrimination that have for too long prevented people from seeking the treatment that can help them live healthy, productive lives,” Mrs. Gore said. “Breakthroughs in science, research and medicine have taught us more than ever before about the brain and the connections between mental health and physical well being. Despite these advances, there is still widespread stigma and discrimination attached to mental illnesses based on a lack of understanding. Many agree that this is one of the last stigmas of the 20th Century that we have not yet begun to fully address.” The White House Conference on Mental Health will seek to shed light and understanding on issues surrounding mental illness and its affect on people of all ages. It will highlight cutting-edge treatments and approaches to recovery and dispel myths about mental illness. The White House has designated MUSC Institute of Psychiatry as a top 20 national site for the satellite conference. White House Conference on Mental Health Working for a Healthier America Live satellite broadcast, June 7 MUSC, Institute of Psychiatry 12:30 - 2 p.m. Live satellite broadcast: Plenary Session chaired by Tipper Gore with participation by President Bill Clinton, Vice President Al Gore, First Lady Hillary Clinton, cabinet officials and conference participants 2:15 - 3:15 p.m. Local Panel Discussion and Open Forum on Mental Health Issues 3:30 - 5 p.m. Live satellite broadcast: Town Hall Meeting with Vice President Al Gore and Tipper Gore The program is open to the public. For more information on the satellite broadcast at MUSC Institute of Psychiatry, call (843) 792-7340. |