16th Annual African American Mental Health Conference Commences Oct. 2

INDIANAPOLIS – The National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) will host its 16th Annual Mental Health Conference on Friday, Oct. 2, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET to engage state legislators, health care professionals, community leaders and the public on solutions to improve the mental health of African Americans by reducing socioeconomic barriers, cultural stigmas and the incidence of misdiagnoses.

The conference will broadcast live from Indianapolis via satellite to Jackson, MS, and Columbia, SC. The conference theme, "Breaking Mental Health Stigmas in Our Communities," will allow open dialogue between the conference participants and attendees in these three cities. The public will be able to view the conference here.

Topics will include "Follow-on Biologics' Role in the Treatment of Mental Health"; "Culture, Mental Health and Stigmas"; and "Military and Veterans Affairs Relative to Mental Health."

Rep. Calvin Smyre (D-GA), NBCSL's president, made the following statement regarding the conference:

Mental illnesses are complex and difficult to diagnose and treat. Cultural barriers such as stigmas associated with mental illness within the African American community make it even more challenging to treat and manage. We'll continue to fail our communities and our returning veterans unless we find solutions. As our soldiers continue to return from Iraq and Afghanistan, we must address impediments to effective mental health treatment. This symposium seeks to find solutions for these issues.

Judge Greg Mathis, chairperson of PUSH/Excel and a national board member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, is among the keynote speakers. Judge Mathis has long been an advocate of mental health reform within underserved communities. In the past he has highlighted that the prison system often becomes the default option for treating underprivileged people with mental illnesses.

For more information on the NBCSL, click here.

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