Latino Mental Health conference

[Adam Blatner]

"Carlos Rodriguez" <carlosrdt at YAHOO.COM> a drama therapist writes: Greetings/Saludos:
It is with great  pleasure that, on behalf of the faculty of New York University (NYU) 
Post-Graduate Medical School, the  Center for Latino  Health, the NYU Institute of 
Community Health and Research and  the NYU-Bellevue Hospital Latino Treatment Program, we 
invite you to attend the  First Annual LatinoMental Health Conference: Theme:  Saving 
Lives: Eliminating Mental  Health Disparities in our Families and  Communities
     to be held at the NYU School  of Medicine on October 13, 2007, 9 AM to 9 PM.
 The conference is being planned  and developed in partnership with the New York State 
Assembly Committee on  Mental Health, New York State Office of  Mental Health, New York 
City Department  of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York City Health and Hospitals 
Corporation,  Association of Hispanic Mental Health Professionals, American Association 
for Psychosocial Rehabilitation, National Alliance for the Mentally Ill of New York 
State, NAMI NYC Metro, Mental Health Association of New York City, New York Association of 
Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services, American Association of Hispanic Psychiatry, World 
Federation for Mental Health and the Hispanic Federation Mental Health Consortium. Our 
five previous  Latino Health conferences brought together health care professionals from 
local, national and international arenas, including clinicians,  academicians, public 
health specialists, and administrators, as well as legislators  and community leaders and 
advocates.
    Each conference, attended by more than  400 persons, not only served as forums for the 
exchange of information, data  and ideas, but also invigorated the Latino health care 
community of the  tri-state area of our communities locally, nationally and 
internationally and  stimulated the creation of highly successful projects. Even though 
there has  been an important mental health component in each of the previous Latino Health 
conferences, the tragedy evidenced by the suffering and the many years of life  lost as a 
result of mental illness and its complications,  requires a conference dedicated to 
address the serious Mental Health Disparities affecting the New York State Latino 
Community.
    As in the previous  Latino Health conferences, the First Latino Mental Health 
Conference will count  on an impressive roster of physicians, health care experts, 
historians,  researchers, media professionals, educators and community advocates who will 
discuss topics such as access, prevention, cultural competency, suicide,  education, 
community empowerment, immigrant health, and wellness.  Additionally, we are extending a 
call for abstracts from students, educators, advocates,  community and faith-based 
organizations, health and social services  professionals, and researchers that focus on 
the mental health disparities theme, and  on Latino Mental Health throughout the life 
cycle. Selected abstracts  will be featured during the Conference and will appear in the 
Conference  syllabus.
    This activity has been  planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas 
and policies of  the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) 
through the joint sponsorship of NYU  Post-Graduate Medical School, the Department of 
Psychiatry and the Institute of Community Health and Research.  NYU Post-Graduate Medical 
School is accredited by the ACCME  to provide  continuing medical education.
    Please find attached  our request for abstracts, registration form and save the date 
flyer in English  and Spanish (please, post and distribute). For registration, please fill 
out the  attached registration form, and either email it  to _07lmhc at med.nyu.edu_ 
(mailto:07lmhc at med.nyu.edu) , or fax to number 212  263 8097.
     We most sincerely hope  that you will accept our invitation and most enthusiastically 
await the  opportunity to meet you.
Best  Regards, Manuel Trujillo,  MD ,  Professor and  Vice-Chair for public and Global 
Health ; Department of  Psychiatry, NYU  School of  Medicine ; Director, Department  of 
Psychiatry, Bellevue Hospital Center
    Mariano J. Rey,  M.D.  Dean for Community  Health  Director, Institute  for Community 
Health and Research. NYU
New  York University School of  Medicine
   Martha Laureano,  RN   Director, Latino Health Center, NYU School of  Medicine
  Antonio A. Abad,  MD ; Director, NYU-Bellevue  Latino Treatment Program,  NYC Health and 
Hospitals Corporation