Contact:
Patrick Cody
(703) 838-7528
Mental Health Associations, People with Mental Illness Join Forces
Coming Together in'98: Conference Focuses on Consumer Movement
Alexandria, VA (June 1, 1998) Are kids with mental health needs in the juvenile justice system treated fairly? How can adults with severe mental illnesses negotiate a world of managed care? Is mental illness a barrier to serving in Congress?
The answers to these questions and many others can be found June 6-10 in Crystal City, Va., when 250 people with mental illnesses--mental health consumers--join 250 mental health advocates from all 50 states at Coming Together in 98: United in Leadership. A key goal of the conference, jointly sponsored by the National Mental Health Association (NMHA) and the National Mental Health Consumers' Self-Help Clearinghouse, is to provide consumers of mental health services new advocacy tools for an era of state health care reform.
DATES: Saturday June 6 to Wednesday June 10, 1998
KEY EVENTS:
June 6th 7 PM Research/Social Policy: Dr. Steve Hyman, NIMH
June 7th 11 AM-1 PM The Mental Health Consumers' Perspective
June 8th 9-11:15 AM Juvenile Justice/Mental Health: Shay Bilchik, OJJDP
June 9th 11 AM to 1 PM Medicaid Reform and People with Mental Illness: Sally Richardson, HCFA, and other experts
June 10th 8:30 AM-Noon Government Affairs Day: Rep. Rivers, Gov. Dean
PLACE: Hyatt Regency Crystal City, (703) 418-1234
CONTACT: Patrick Cody (703) 838-7528
Plenary speakers include Steve Hyman, MD, director of the National Institute of Mental Health; Shay Bilchik, administrator of the U.S. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; and Sally Richardson, deputy administrator of the Health Care Financing Administration.
NMHA will recognize Rep. Lynn Rivers (D-MI), the first member of Congress ever to discuss her personal experience with mental illness. NMHA will issue a report card ranking lawmakers on their attention to mental health issues. Conferees will deliver the report card to Capitol Hill.
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