[NYAPRS Enews] Kennedy, Chacku Mathai to Speak at Clubhouse of Suffolk's MIA Day

Mon Aug 15 09:19:48 EDT 2011

Press Release #1
August 12, 2011                                   

Contact: Michael Stoltz, LCSW

(631) 471-7242 x1304       

michael.stoltz at clubhouseofsuffolk.org
<mailto:michael.stoltz at clubhouseofsuffolk.org> 

Former Congressman Patrick Kennedy to Address Personal and Public Policy
Challenges of Dual Recovery at Clubhouse's 19th Annual Mental Illness
Awareness Day

Clubhouse of Suffolk is proud to announce that former Congressman
Patrick Kennedy will serve as Keynote Speaker for our 19th annual Mental
Illness Awareness Day to be held on Friday, October 14th at the L.I.
Huntington Hilton.

Son of the late U.S. Senator Edward M. Kennedy from Massachusetts,
Congressman Kennedy served 16 years in the U.S. House of Representatives
and is known as the author and lead sponsor of the landmark Mental
Health Parity & Addiction Equity Act of 2008. This dramatic piece of
legislation provides tens of millions of Americans who were previously
denied care with access to mental health treatment. Today, Congressman
Kennedy is the co-founder of One Mind for Research, a newly formed
national coalition that is seeking new treatments and cures for
neurologic and psychiatric diseases of the brain that afflict one in
every three Americans. Mr. Kennedy has been very open about his own
journey of recovery with co-occurring psychiatric and substance abuse
disorders and about how these experiences have inspired his work on
behalf of millions of affected Americans and families.  

The Featured Speaker for the event will be Chacku Mathai, Associate
Director of the New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation
Services (NYAPRS). Mr. Mathai is an Indian-American, born in Kuwait, who
has over twenty-five years experience in mental health in many roles
including peer advocate, peer support facilitator, self-help educator,
community organizer, and consumer of mental health and addiction
service. Chacku is regularly invited to train across the country on peer
support, leadership, and exemplary practices in supporting people with
psychiatric disabilities, trauma, and co-occurring conditions. 

The all-day MIA Day event will also feature workshops addressing
cutting-edge issues on topics such as:  "New Understanding of Dual
Disorders"  "Animals and Pets as Partners in Recovery", "Helping Young
Adults Toward Recovery: What the Evidence Shows",  "The Promise of
Behavioral Health Managed Care Organizations", "Dirty Little Secrets:
Nutrition & Recovery", and "The Hope & Realities of New Medications and
Technologies". 

A behavioral health trade show, featuring exhibits of Long Island
agencies and companies that assist people with mental health issues,
will run all day. Sponsors for last year's event were Adelphi
University, Outer County Construction, the law firm of Fusco,
Brandenstein & Rada, PC, Suffolk County National Bank, Profile
Insurance, South Oaks Hospital/Broadlawn Manor, CONCERN for Independent
Living, Phoenix House, MHA Of Nassau County, and Janssen Pharmaceutica.
For information on 2011 exhibitor and sponsorship opportunities -- as
well as registration -- call (631) 471-7242 ext.1305 or click here.

The not-for-profit Clubhouse of Suffolk, Inc., founded in 1990 by
families of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), has grown to
become a highly respected psychiatric rehabilitation agency serving
people whose lives have been disrupted by mental illness. The agency now
serves more than 1,200 people each year in a range of services in
Suffolk County. 

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