Mental Health America's Inaugural Promotion and Prevention Summit to Set Course for Wellness

  Experts to Speak on Latest Science

Contact: Steve Vetzner (202) 744-6341 (cell) or (703) 797-2588 (work) or svetzner@mentalhealthamerica.net

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (June 3, 2008) Mental Health America's Inaugural Promotion and Prevention Summit will explore the latest science in the area and set a course for promoting wellness in individuals, communities and the nation this Friday and Saturday, June 6 and 7, in Washington, D.C.

"This will be a unique and exciting opportunity for people and organizations that are committed to advancing a prevention and promotion agenda to drive down the tragically high rates and profound impact of mental illnesses in the United States," said David L. Shern, Ph.D., president and CEO of Mental Health America.

The Summit, a part of Mental Health America's 2008 Conference, features nationally and internationally known experts who will:

• Articulate the current science in mental health promotion and prevention;
• Share successes and challenges in the implementation of research-based programs and interventions; and
• Connect researchers and advocates to build a movement for the advancement of promotion and prevention in public awareness, practice and policy.

On Friday, June 6, at 3:30 p.m., international authorities in behavioral health will discuss the extraordinary efforts they have undertaken to successfully advance a progressive agenda. They'll share obstacles their countries faced and lessons learned from the development and implementation of new promotion and prevention mandates.

The session, "Adopting a Prevention and Promotion Framework-Galvanizing the Political and Social Will for Change," features Gregor Henderson, former director of the Scottish Government's National Programme for Improving Mental Health and Wellbeing and one of the world's foremost experts in promotion and prevention implementation strategies, and Dr. Helen Herrman of the University of Melbourne, an internationally known expert on the prevention of mental illness and the promotion of health who will give insights from Australia's pioneering efforts to adopt a national program in Promotion/Prevention as well as her international experiences working with the World Health Organization.

Susan Dentzer, editor-in-chief of Health Affairs and former on-air correspondent for the "The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer," will lead a panel of experts on Saturday, June 7 at 9:15 a.m., in discussing the tremendous advances in our understanding of the brain in areas like neuroscience research, DNA sequencing or genomics, the role of the environment, and new therapeutics that are having an impact on the way we prevent, treat or view the brain and mental health.

Participating in the Saturday session, entitled "Breakthroughs in Genetics and Neuroscience and What They Mean for Prevention," will be Dr. Thomas Insel, director of the National Institute of Mental Health; Dr. Nora D. Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse; and Dr. Leslie Leve, research scientist at the Oregon Social Learning Center.

The Annual Conference and Summit are being held at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill.  The events are bringing together from around the country advocates, mental health consumers, policy makers, community leaders, and executives and staff from 320 Mental Health America state and local affiliates to learn about critical issues in the behavioral health field and map strategies for collective action.

Mental Health America is the country's leading nonprofit dedicated to helping ALL people live mentally healthier lives.  With our more than 320 affiliates nationwide, we represent a growing movement of Americans who promote mental wellness for the health and well-being of the nation - everyday and in times of crisis.