Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration

CMHS Consumer Affairs E-News
March 25, 2004, Vol. 04-36

You are invited to participate in a free training session, via telephone, on Training Educators to Eliminate Stigma and Discrimination in High Schools. This training is presented by the Resource Center to Address Discrimination and Stigma (ADS Center), a program of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Mental Health Services.

Date: Tuesday April 20, 2004
Time: 4:00pm - 5:15pm (Eastern Time)

Mental health is essential to learning as well as to social and emotional development. Because of the important interplay between emotional health and school success, schools must be partners in the mental health care of our children.

When untreated, mental disorders can lead to school failure. Discussing mental health with all youth may result in greater acceptance and understanding of people with mental illnesses, less stigma and discrimination attached to mental health problems, and lead to treatment for children and adolescents with mental disorders.

The speakers will be:

Kelly Jones, Powerful Youth Friends United
This North Carolina group includes youth between the ages of 13 and 21. Some group members deal personally with mental health issues, or are family members of people with mental illnesses. The group's goal is to provide support for youth.

Steve Adelsheim, M.D., Director, New Mexico School Mental Health Initiative
New Mexico's children face some of the highest rates of violence, substance abuse, suicide, and school failure in the United States. More than one third of students visiting school-based health centers in New Mexico have primary mental health needs. Dr. Adelsheim is director of this initiative, which operates at least six different programs for students. In 2002, his organization trained 180 teachers and school health professionals from 14 school districts in New Mexico as part of its Behavioral Health Training Institute. http://www.nmsmhi.org/programs_sbti.html

The presentations will take approximately 45-minutes, to be followed by a 30-minute period of discussion between the participants and the presenters All participants will receive confirmation by e-mail after responding to this invitation. Before the call, participants will receive an online link to presentation materials and log-in instructions for the call.

The session is free to participants.

To register for this teleconference, please reply via e-mail to info@adscenter.org indicating that you want to participate. Please keep the subject heading as it is here (ADS Center High School Teleconference). Please also feel free to pass this invitation on to others who might be interested.

For more information, please contact Jennifer Melinn at info@adscenter.org.

Please let us know if you will be calling from outside the Continental United States, as we will need to make special arrangements for your participation.

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The Center for Mental Health Services is a component of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, United States Department of Health and Human Services.