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Research in Brief

Hundreds of mental health advocates from across the country gathered to move the “Fight for Justice” forward at NMHA’s 2004 Annual Conference, which was held in June. Through plenary sessions and more than 30 workshops, participants met with the nation’s foremost experts to explore the many barriers people face when accessing mental health treatment, to share proven solutions from the field and to find practical, new ways to improve access to care.

Among our expert speakers were A. Kathryn Power, director of the federal Center for Mental Health Services, and Shay Bilchik, president and CEO of the Child Welfare League of American. NMHA also honored exceptional leaders and programs in the mental health movement at the conference. Winners include:

• Clifford W. Beers Award: Angela Vickers, mental health educator and advocate, Jacksonville, Fla.
• Sandy Brandt Volunteer Service Award: Pender McElroy, NMHA board member, Charlotte, N.C.
• Tipper Gore “Remember the Children” Award: Glenda Fine, founder of the Parents Involved Network at the MHA of Southeastern Pennsylvania.
• mpower Youth Awards: Adam Oates, 14, Lawndale, N.C.; Kristina Hebner, 17, Staten Island, N.Y.; Maryley Prunty- Lara, 19, Sioux Falls, S.D.; and Kristy Worthen, 25, Salem, Ark.
• Lela Rowland Prevention Award: Alliance for Families and Children, Hennepin County, Minn., for its Primary Project program.
• Innovation in Programming: MHA of Southeastern Pennsylvania for its Training, Education and Consultation (TEC) Family Center
• Betty Humphrey “Cultural Competence” Award: MHA in North Carolina for its Hispanic/Latino Outreach Program.

Outstanding journalists got top honors for their efforts to educate the public about mental health: University’s Daily Northwestern, Chicago Public Radio, Los Angeles Times Magazine, Eagle-Tribune (Mass.), Science magazine, ABC News-Primetime Monday, Lichtenstein Creative Media, Chicago Tribune Magazine, Polaris Images, and IFC Films.

NMHA’s 2005 Annual Conference will be held June 9-11 in Washington, D.C. under the ,Justice for All,” theme, which reflects our continuing quest to ensure that all people who need mental health treatment have full access to care. Be sure to return often to NMHA’s Web site for updates.

NMHA’s 2004 Annual Conference was made possible through the generous support of Bristol-Myers Squibb and Otsuka America Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Eli Lilly and Company; AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, L.P.; Forest Laboratories, Inc., and Janssen Pharmaceutical Products, L.P.; McNeil Consumer & Specialty Pharmaceuticals; Alamo Pharmaceuticals, LLC.; and Discover Card. The conference was made possible with additional generous support from the Center for Mental Health Services and the National Institute of Mental Health.