CHICAGO HEIGHTS—(ENEWSPF)—September 14, 2014. Mental illness is very prevalent today, impacting people of all ages. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, one in five American adults faces a mental health issue, one in 10 young people has grappled with a period of major depression, and one in 20 Americans lives with a serious mental illness.
Prairie State College (PSC) is hosting a full-day conference, “Changing Perspectives and Altering Perceptions: Understanding Mental Health,” to increase awareness of the complexities of mental illness and ways to reduce the stigmas associated with it.
The event sponsors include PSC, The Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago, Grand Prairie Services, the National Alliance on Mental Illness and Sertoma Centre, Inc.
The conference will be held from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 23, in the Conference Center on the PSC main campus, located at 202 S. Halsted St. in Chicago Heights.
The day opens with registration, networking opportunities, and an exhibit expo.
Beginning at 8:30 a.m., welcoming remarks will feature Craig D. Schmidt, PSC vice president, community and economic development, who will introduce special guest, Illinois Senator Michael E. Hastings. Hastings recently sponsored a bill in the Illinois Senate that would ensure that funds collected from the sale of the closed Tinley Mental Health Center stay in Tinley Park and the surrounding area. The bill passed the Senate unanimously.
An 8:45 keynote address features Dr. Theodora Binion, acting director for mental health division and director of alcoholism and substance abuse for the Illinois Department of Human Services.
The first session, “ACA, CountyCare and New Opportunities for Behavioral HealthCare,” will feature Linda Diamond Shapiro, chief strategy officer for Cook County Health and Hospital Systems.
The breakout sessions begin at 10:45 a.m. Attendees can choose from one of the sessions, which include “Hearing Voices,” featuring Derek Harris of Sertoma Centre; “Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR),” featuring Gia Washington of Sertoma Centre; “Stressed Or Depressed? How to Know the Difference,” featuring Felicia Houston of Ingalls Behavioral Health; “Trauma and Recovery,” featuring Dan Wasmer, director region services, IDHS, Division of Mental Health; “Misconceptions, Mental Illness and Culture,” featuring PSC Associate Professor of Psychology Dr. Cynthia Cornejo; “Mental Health First Aid: Increasing Understanding and Reducing Stigmas,” featuring Claudia Kottwitz of Community Counseling Centers of Chicago; and “Restoring Hope After Suicide: Working with Bereaved Survivors,” featuring Jack Starkey, LOSS (Loving Outreach to Survivors of Suicide) Program facilitator and Deborah R. Major, director of the LOSS Program, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago.
An hour-long lunch and exhibit expo follows the breakout sessions. After lunch, the breakout sessions will be repeated, and attendees can choose a second session.
The day will close with a 2 p.m. panel discussion, “My Journey with Mental Health,” featuring community members in recovery.
“This is a great event for anyone with a vested interest in mental illness, whether personal or professional,” Schmidt said.
“Attendees can choose from a variety of education sessions and learn from state-wide mental health authorities, local experts and those with first-hand experience. They can expect to leave the event with a variety of tools and strategies to use in their personal and professional life,” he added.
The cost to attend the conference is $79 or $99 with CEU credits. The deadline to register is Tuesday, Oct. 21. Registration is available online at www.prairiestate.edu/personal-and-professional/news-and-events. For more information or registration assistance, contact Michelle Guiliani at 708-709-7957 or [email protected].
Source: prairiestate.edu
