GETTYSBURG, PA., Sept. 25, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- At least half of the approximately 500 people killed by police across the United States each year are people with mental illness. Circumstances are usually complicated, but, with hindsight, the killings seem heart-wrenchingly unnecessary. Even in emergency rooms, the experience of individuals in behavioral health crisis can be undignified and traumatizing. Often, this results in hospitalization or some form of forced treatment – not always the optimal intervention. The problems of individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis appear to be growing: Fortunately, there are models and programs emerging that are sensitive to the mistreatment of individuals with mental illness and addiction disorders, which can produce positive outcomes.
The National Dialogues on Behavioral Health Conference titled, "Opportunities in Behavioral Health Crisis Services: What is the New Frontier?," will be held in New Orleans from November 2nd through 5th and will focus on issues and models related to services for individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis. The conference will open with keynote speakers Paolo Del Vecchio, Director of SAMHSA's Center for Mental Health Services and Robert Bernstein, President and Chief Executive Officer of Bazelon Center for Mental Health Policy and Law speaking about national perspectives on behavioral health crisis. The conference will also include sessions on:
- Implementing trauma-informed approaches across service systems
- Models for community collaboratives from across the country
- Implementing cutting edge behavioral health crisis systems
- Ways behavioral health crisis systems will evolve in the future
The National Dialogues on Behavioral Health Conference, in its 55th year, is the oldest ongoing Conference on mental health and addiction disorders in the United States. The purpose of the Conference is to bring experts, administrators, providers, consumers, family members, and advocates together to discuss the cutting edge in the topic of interest, with a focus on implementation and "how to do it." A unique aspect of the conference is the opportunity of participants to have extended dialogue with the experts.
To learn more about the National Dialogues On Behavioral Health Conference agenda and to register, please visit: nationaldialoguesbh.org