March 23, 2004 Improving care for the territory's mentally ill residents is the topic of a Mental Health Roundtable on April 6 in St. Thomas and April 7 and 8 in St. Croix.
"We hope that our discussions will result in the development of a mental health action plan and mental health task force for the territory," said the event's sponsor, Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen.
The round table will be held at the Holiday Inn Windward Passage in St. Thomas and the Tamarind Reef Hotel in St. Croix.
In St. Thomas, the event starts with a welcome reception from 4 to 6 p.m. A town hall meeting and discussion follows from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
In St. Croix, April 7 events include a luncheon from noon to 3 p.m. and a town hall meeting and discussion from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. April 8 events include a conference from 8 to 9:30 a.m., followed by a press conference from 10 to 11 a.m.
Families with mentally ill members, mental health professionals and anyone interested in the topic are invited to participate.
Christensen said the round table's goal is to begin discussion on how the government, along with private and nonprofit agencies, can provide better support for the territory's mentally ill.
She said participants will look at the systems and infrastructures currently in place as well as the cultural attitudes that affect how the territory deals with the mentally ill.
Sen. Douglas Canton Jr., who chairs the Legislature's Committee on Health, Hospitals and Human Resources, and Health Commissioner Darlene Carty will participate.
Christensen said officials from both the National Mental Health Association and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, along with several members of the Congressional Black Caucus and representatives from pharmaceutical companies Eli Lilly and Kellogg are expected to attend.
For more information, call the delegate's office at 778-5900 in St. Croix and 774-4408 in St. Thomas.
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