COMPEER DIRECTOR TO ATTEND FIRST EVER WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE ON MENTAL HEALTH
WASHINGTON, DC -- On June 7, 1999, the White House will host the first ever White House Conference on Mental Health 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.
"One of the big concerns in the mental health field is that increasing community support services will escalate the tax burden on states and communities," says Bernice Skirboll, Executive Director of Compeer, Inc., a nationally recognized program that matches trained volunteers with adults and children receiving mental health treatment. "Compeer has been addressing the problem of diminishing dollars by providing a cost-effective since 1973. Compeer brings the simple premise of friendship to the complex field of mental health." Skirboll was one of only 200 representatives selected to attend the conference.
The conference is chaired by Mrs. Tipper Gore, the President's Mental Health Policy Advisor and a well-known advocate for people with mental illness. The conference will bring together representatives from advocacy groups, business, community mental health organizations and national, state, and local elected officials as well as leaders in mental health research and pharmacology, service delivery and insurance coverage. The day-long conference begins with a breakfast meeting at the White House and concludes with a reception at the Vice-President's residence.
Mental illness is a significant problem in this country-more prevalent than cancer or alcoholism. Some 40 million Americans are affected by mental illness each year, including panic disorder, depression and schizophrenia.
Compeer, which means, quite literally, companion or peer, is a successful adjunct to traditional mental health treatment. The volunteers are drawn from all walks of life and the clients range in age from youths to senior citizens. Last year, 3,600 clients were served through 119 affiliate programs in the U.S., Australia, and Canada. In an era where volunteer efforts are difficult to measure, Compeer's success is tangible. Based on 1995 survey results, forty percent of Compeer clients had a reduction in their rate of rehospitalization and emergency room usage declined dramatically.
Dr. John McIntyre, president of the American Psychiatric Association, calls Compeer, "truly one of the outstanding mental health programs of the last two decades."
For more information about Compeer or to interview Bernice Skirboll contact Marilynne Herbert, Halstead Communications, (212) 734-2190.
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