The 23rd Annual STEP Symposium, held April 30 at the UNC William and Ida Friday Center for Continuing Education, attracted more than 100 participants from around the state. The annual STEP Symposium offers mental health professionals, advocates, individuals and families living with schizophrenia a learning opportunity focused on innovative treatment and approaches. 
This year’s symposium presented “Mental health and the criminal justice system: Mental health courts and other initiatives.”
Following a welcome from John Gilmore, MD, director of the Center, Judge Donna Stroud, North Carolina Court of Appeals, presented, “A report from the Governor’s Task Force on Mental Health and Substance Use.”
Judge Joseph Buckner, chief district court judge from the North Carolina 15B Judicial District, along with the Center’s Caroline Ginley, MSW, LCSW, program coordinator for the Community Resource Court (CRC), presented “Everybody needs a place to be: The role of specialty mental health courts.”
Gary Cuddeback, PhD, MSW, MPH, associate professor, UNC School of Social Work; director, Community Outcomes Research and Evaluation Center (COREC), UNC Center for Excellence in Community Mental Health, looked at special mental health probation issues for individuals with severe mental illness.
Cuddeback also moderated a panel discussion on “Mental health and the court system.” The panel included: Marie Lamoureaux, former programs and special projects manager, 15B Judicial District; Vickie Feaster Fornville, parole and probation officer, Orange County; Kayley Taber, assistant district attorney, Chatham County; Sherri Murrell, assistant district attorney, Chatham County, and Caroline Ginley from CRC.
STEP is a specialized treatment program for adults with schizophrenia and other severe mental disorders. Outpatient clinics are located at Carr Mill Mall in Carrboro and in Wake County. An inpatient unit is located at the North Carolina Neurosciences Hospital.
Next year’s symposium is scheduled for April 29, 2017. Contact is janice_linn@med.unc.edu
Photo L-R John Gilmore, MD, Caroline Ginley, MSW, Honorable Joseph Buckner and Thava Mahadevan, MS.