Older Adult Mental Health Awareness Day Symposium

Welcome and Remarks from Deputy Secretary Andrea Palm 

Remarks from Federal Partners

• Alison Barkoff, Acting Administrator and Assistant Secretary for Aging 
• Miriam E. Delphin-Rittmon, Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 
• Carole Johnson, Administrator, Health Resources and Services Administration  

Keynote - Q&A Discussion

Montel Williams and NCOA's CEO Ramsey Alwin

Montel Williams will talk about his personal journey with mental health and multiple sclerosis(MS).

Eligible for 1 CEU with live participation

Montel Williams, Emmy-Award winning TV personality, Bestselling Author, Marine Corps and Navy Veteran and Healthcare Advocate

Andrea Palm, Deputy Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services

Alison Barkoff, Performing the duties of the ACL Administrator and Assistant Secretary for Aging, U.S. Administration for Community Living

Miriam E. Delphin-Rittmon, Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Carole Johnson, Administrator, Health Resources and Services Administration

Ramsey Alwin, President & CEO, National Council on Aging

Neuroscientists say there simply is no substitute for donated brain tissue when it comes to finding answers about brain diseases, including mental health conditions. The Brain Donor Project provides easy, step-by-step instructions on how to start the brain donation process. The nonprofit organization is governed by a Board of Directors and receives expert scientific input from NIH representatives who serve as Federal liaisons.

Article: How Brain Donation Can Help Scientists Understand Mental Illness, Dementia, and More

Website: https://braindonorproject.org/

There are 60 million Americans who provide unpaid care to an individual who has a physical or mental illness. This session will dive into what is the impact on the caregiver. Attendees will learn how they can better support these caregivers with resources to help them maintain their mental health and care for their care recipients. 

Eligible for 1 CEU with live participation

Ruth Fox, Chief Executive Officer and Caregiver, Allegheny Family Network

LaQuana Fulton, MSW, MS, LCSW, CSW-G, National Training and Education Coordinator, Caregiver Support Program, VA Central Office

Jamie Huysman, Psy.D, LCSW, CAP, CFT, Chief Compassion Officer, WellMed Medical Management

Greg Link, Director, Office of Supportive and Caregiver Services, Administration for Community Living

The session will provide an overview of medication safety for older adults and how the use of multiple and inappropriate medications can lead to and/or exacerbate mental health issues in older adults. A patient advocate will provide testimonial of her lived experiences and a senior center will discuss current initiatives that educate and empower older adults on safe medication use.  

Eligible for 1 CEU with live participation

Jennifer Stoll, PhD, Senior Research Scientist, Primary Care Research Institute, University at Buffalo Department of Family Medicine

Kerry Peek, Senior Center Director, Cheektowaga Senior Service Center

Mary Brennan-Taylor, Patient Safety Advocate, University at Buffalo School of Family Medicine

Kathleen Cameron, Senior Director, Center for Healthy Aging, National Council on Aging

Each year, an estimated 40 million older Americans experience a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Older adults who suffer from a TBI are at an increased risk for developing mental health disorders, such as major depression and panic disorder. This session will explore how TBIs impact older adults and their mental health. 

Eligible for 1 CEU with live participation

Michael Hall, PhD, LCP, Associate Professor, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Virginia Commonwealth University

Maria Crowley, MA, CRC, Director of Professional Development, NASHIA

Ken Collins, Person with Brain Injury, Advocate, Executive Director, Hozho Center for Personal Enhancement

Donna Bethge, Aging Services Program Specialist, Administration for Community Living

Stigma about mental health and substance use is strong at any age, but particularly among the current cohort of older adults. The E4 Center is dedicated to decreasing stigma around the experience of these issues and around getting effective treatment. One way we are doing this is by listening to older adults about their experience of mental health and substance use, treatment, and life after treatment through video.

Social cohesion and engagement can help improve quality of life and is associated with better mental and emotional health for older adults. Learn about the national initiatives to support social cohesion as well as intergenerational opportunities as one strategy to address older adult social isolation.

Eligible for 1 CEU with live participation

Vice Admiral Vivek H. Murthy, MD, MBA, Surgeon General of the United States

Colleen Galambos, Ph.D., LCSW, LCSW-C, ACSW, FGSA, FAASWSW, Helen Bader Endowed Chair in Applied Gerontology, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee

Maggie Ratnayake, LPCMH, ATR, NCC, Executive Director, Lori's Hands (Newark, DE)

Pat Drake, Lori's Hands Participant

Jenna Hopkins, Student, University of Delaware

Julianna Kolek, Student, University of Delaware

Lily Liu, Family Caregiver

Since 1972, ACL's National Senior Nutrition Program has supported nutrition services for older adults across the country. Funded by the Older Americans Act, local senior nutrition programs serve as hubs for older adults to access nutritious meals and other vital services that strengthen social connections and promote health and well-being.

Older and middle-aged adults in the United States account for about 80 percent of those who experience chronic pain. This session will discuss how people who have chronic pain are more likely to experience mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders. The session will discuss mental health resources available for those suffering from chronic pain.

Eligible for 1 CEU with live participation

Yvette Colón, PhD, BCD, LMSW, Professor, Department member, Women's & Gender Studies; and Faculty Affiliate for the Aging Studies Program in the School of Social Work, Eastern Michigan University

Nicole Hemmenway, CEO, U.S. Pain Foundation

Linda Shaw, U.S. Pain Foundation's BIPOC Community Support Group Lead

Linda Porter, PhD, Director, Office of Pain Policy and Planning, National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Older adults are greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Research has shown that rates of anxiety and depression for older adults have increased during the beginning of the pandemic. This session will examine what the impact has been on older adults’ mental health thus far and resources available to support older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Eligible for 1 CEU with live participation

Erica Solway, Ph.D., M.S.W., M.P.H., Deputy Director, National Poll on Healthy Aging, University of Michigan

JD Davids, Founder, Network for Long COVID Justice and Strategies for High Impact (S4HI)

Michael Beco, Business Director, Friendship Line, Institute on Aging

Anita Everett, MD, DFAPA, Director, Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

9-8-8 launched on July 16, 2022, as a new way for individuals in a mental health crisis to connect with a trained mental health professional. What has the rollout and impact looked like so far? The E4 Center will also share about new modules created for call centers to better help serve older adults. 

Eligible for 1 CEU with live participation

Tia Dole, PhD, Chief 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Officer, Vibrant Emotional Health

Erin Emery-Tiburcio, PhD, ABPP, Co-Director, E4 Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health Disparities in Aging

Pata Suyemoto, Feminist Scholar, Writer, Educator, Curriculum Developer, Equity Trainer, and Mental Health Activist

Monica Johnson, MA, LPC, Director, 988 and Behavioral Health Crisis Coordinating Office, SAMHSA

Are you interested in sharing information about the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline? These shareables were designed for use as social media posts, stories and threads.

This panel will summarize what are the current models and promising practices of behavioral health integration to address chronic conditions and mental health. 

Eligible for 1 CEU with live participation

Jürgen Unützer, MD, MPH, MA, Professor and Chair, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

Neil Korsen, MD, MS, Physician Scientist, Center for Interdisciplinary Population & Health Research, Maine Health

Ashley Breazeale, PhD, Clinical Psychologist, Cherokee Health Systems

Christopher Walter, Peer Support Specialist, Link-Age Program, Family Children's Association

Ramsey Alwin, President & CEO, National Council on Aging

Arlene S. Bierman, MD, MS, Chief Strategy Officer, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s (AHRQ)