Twenty-sixth Annual STEP Symposium focuses on social determinants of mental health and recovery
More than 100 patients, families and mental health professionals from around the State gathered April 6 at the UNC Friday Center to learn about community factors and other social determinants of health, including housing, transportation, food security, employment and social connectedness, which play a significant role in health, wellness and recovery for individuals with serious mental health.
John Gilmore, MD, the Center’s director, Eure Professor, and vice chair, Research and Scientific Affairs, hosted the half-day event.
Mark Salzer, PhD, professor of social and behavioral sciences, Temple University College of Public Health; director, Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion of Individuals with Psychiatric Disabilities, presented the keynote “Life in the community like everyone else: Community inclusion as a medical necessity.”
Other speakers included: Brian Klausner, MD, chief medical officer, WakeMed Key Community Care Accountable Care Organization, who presented “The role of Hot Spotter Models in the evolving world of population health.” Janice Bainbridge, LCSW, clinical instructor and team leader of the Center’s HomeLink and Case Management Programs and Antoine Bailliard, PhD, associate professor, UNC Department of Allied Health Sciences presented “HomeLink: Improving housing and housing stability outcomes among individuals experiencing mental Illness.”
The program closed with a panel discussion. Thava Mahadevan, MS, director of operations at Center and PI for HomeLink grant, joined Bainbridge, Salzer, Kausner, and Balliard for a panel discussion “What can the community do to support community inclusion?”
The annual STEP Symposium offers mental health professionals, advocates, individuals and families living with schizophrenia an annual learning opportunity focused on innovative treatment.
Photo:
L-R T. Mahadevan. L. Moser, M. Salzer, A. Balliard, J Gilmore, and J. Bainbridge