The 21st Annual STEP (Schizophrenia Treatment and Evaluation Program) Symposium highlighted recovery programs and the latest policy changes that will impact individuals with schizophrenia and other mental illnesses.
Sponsored by the Center, the Symposium is designed for individuals with serious mental illness and their families as well as mental health professionals.
Nearly 100 patients, families and mental health professionals attended “Recovery-oriented care in North Carolina,” a half-day program with an optional lunch at UNC’s William and Ida Friday Continuing Education Center on April 26, 2014.
Lorna Moser, PhD, HSPP, assistant professor of psychiatry at UNC-Chapel Hill and director, UNC ACT Technical Assistance, presented “Recovery in practice: Helping people live lives beyond Stability: Community integration through assertive community treatment.”
Emery Cowan, MS, LPC, LMHC, CESP, lead, Adult Mental Health & Employment Services, Best Practice & Community Innovations Team, Community Policy Management-Division of MH/DD/SAS N.C. Department of Health and Human Services presented “Community integration through supportive housing and supported employment.”
Mebane Rash, JD, director, Law and Policy at the N.C. Center for Public Policy Research and editor of North Carolina Insight Directions presented “Recovery in policy: For recovery-based care in North Carolina.”
“We’ve known for years that recovery from serious mental illness is possible. It is great to see the efforts across North Carolina that are making recovery a reality for our patients,” says John Gilmore, MD, director of the UNC STEP Clinic, and the UNC Center for Excellence in Community Mental Health, Thad and Alice Eure Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry, and vice chair of Research and Scientific Affairs.
UNC Health Care and Cardinal Innovations Healthcare Solutions-OPC were bronze sponsors of the event.