Mental Health Awareness “What To Do If Someone You Care For Has Severe Mental Illness: Practical Answers”

Sept. 29, 2011 - PRLog -- Mental Health Awareness Seminar at Middlesex Community College

Lowell, Massachusetts - ““What To Do If Someone You Care For Has Severe Mental Illness: Practical Answers” will be the focus of a seminar that will be held at the Middlesex Community College (MCC) campus in Lowell on Wednesday, October 19th from 7:00PM to 9:00PM. MCC is co-sponsoring this seminar with Keep Sound Minds (KSM), a New Hampshire based nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing society’s understanding and management of mental health issues through training and advocacy at the regional and statewide level. Practical answers will be provided for students, families and professionals on how to recognize when someone is experiencing a mental health crisis, how to get help and how to provide support for them. Attendees will also learn about the resources available to assist mentally ill individuals and their families.

A panel discussion will feature Everett clinical psychologist Dr. Janice Tedford, who has significant experience in crisis assessment and suicide prevention, James Lahiff, RN, a psychiatric case manager and Lowell Police Training Academy crisis intervention instructor, psychiatric and mental health manager Jennifer Barnes, RN-BC, Aimee Rusman, director of the MCC TRIO Program for Student Achievement, who is also a nationally certified rehabilitation counselor for mentally ill individuals living in the community, and KSM president and co-founder Ken Lambert.
The seminar will be held at the Lowell Federal Building, located at 50 Kearney Square and will be free and open to the public. Free public parking with MCC validation is available in the “lower locks”. MCC counselors will be on hand to support the panel discussion and KSM will have staff available to discuss their advocacy work to create further awareness of mental health issues and to ensure appropriate treatment options are available for individuals and families. For more information please contact KSM at (978) 662 - 9902 or visit www.keepsoundminds.org

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Keep Sound Minds (KSM), a New England-based nonprofit organization that is dedicated to raising awareness about mental illness.