Counselors, social service providers, educators, health providers, health students, veterans, and community members are invited to attend the 14th Annual Mental Health & Substance Abuse Awareness Symposium on Wednesday, May 10, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Texas A&M International University Student Center-Ballroom.
The conference is made possible through community leaders and organizations that partner to increase mental health awareness and education. Conference participants can obtain continuing education credits.
Julie Bazan, executive director of Area Health Education Center (AHEC), part of the team making the conference possible, said, “Numerous individuals afflicted with mental health issues at times have no place to turn. It is our responsibility to empower others with education and information to help them to improve their quality of life.”
Dr. Glenda Walker, dean of the TAMIU College for Nursing and Health Sciences, Calixto Seca of the Texas Department of State Health Services, and Jaime Arizpe of WestCare have contributed to the content of the symposium’s program on topics regarding bipolar disorders; social anxiety; synthetic marijuana; mental health and addiction; and others.
The primary sponsor of this year’s program is Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc.(MHM), the largest private, faith-based funding source for healthcare services in South Texas. MHM is a grantee of the Social Innovation (Si) Fund which selected Texas A&M International University as one out of 12 South Texas counties identified as a cohort for the grant. The SI Texas project focuses on Social Innovation for a Healthy South Texas. MHM focuses on providing medical, dental, and health-related services to low-income and uninsured families. Through the “Si Texas” grant South Texas will have the opportunity to improve both physical and behavioral health regarding diabetes and depression, along with obesity and associated risk factors in nearby communities with high poverty rates.
AHEC is an outreach program under the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio and is a non-profit 501(C )3 organization with a mission to enhance quality of life by increasing the number of well-trained health care workers; enhancing academic resources; and fostering a healthy lifestyle through community education programs.
For additional information about AHEC, the symposium’s menu of programs, or registration, visit www.mrgbahec.org or call (956)712-0037.
