William James College to Host “Poto Mitan” Conference

Newton, Mass. — May 4, 2018 —William James College (WJC), a leader in educating the next generation of mental health professionals, announced it will host “Poto Mitan: Change Agents that Promote Well-Being in the Haitian Community,” a conference and art exhibition in partnership with its Center for Multicultural and Global Mental Health (CMGMH), Haitian Mental Health Network, and Haitian Artists Assembly of Massachusetts. Held in celebration of Haitian Heritage Month, which begins May 1, the conference will take place Saturday, May 5 from 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. at William James College.

“Poto Mitan” refers to individuals, agencies and institutions that serve as pillars in a community and are vital to livelihood, survival, and sustainability of a society. The conference aims to identify assets that promote health, mental health, and overall wellbeing of the Haitian community, and acknowledge multi-disciplinary collaborations that address gaps in access to mental health care, decrease fragmentation in health and social services and provide comprehensive, integrated and systems-level programs to improve community wellness. The conference will feature speeches from two keynote speakers: Wingdie “Didi” Bertrand, a medical anthropologist and community health specialist who has worked in Haiti, France and Rwanda, and Abner Septembre, sociologist and founding member of the Association des Paysans de Vallue (APV).

“Too often, there is a focus on the challenges of the Haitian community with little attention paid to its numerous assets,” said Gemima St. Louis, Ph.D., Co-Director of the CMGMH at William James College. “Therefore, through this conference, our hope is to raise awareness of the resources that serve as ‘Poto Mitan’ and lead to prosperity among Haitians living in Haiti and in the Diaspora.”

The art exhibition will be held from May 3 – June 28, and will showcase 30-35 paintings from New England-based artists and guests artists from Jacmel, Haiti, that explore the intersection between the state of maternity and creativity. The art exhibition opening reception will be held during the conference on May 5.

To learn more about the CMGMH at William James College, visit the William James College web site. If you are interested in attending the event, please register at here.

About William James College

William James College is a leader in educating the next generation of mental health professionals to support the growing and diverse needs of the mental health workforce. Integrating field work with academics, the College prepares students for careers as organizational leaders and behavioral health professionals who are committed to helping the underserved, multicultural populations, children and families and Veterans. William James College graduates can be found making an impact in a variety of settings, including schools, the courts, clinical care facilities, hospitals, the community and the workplace. For more information, please visit http://www.williamjames.edu/.

About the Haitian Mental Health Network

The Haitian Mental Health (HMH) Network is a Boston-based organization comprised of psychologists, social workers, psychology and social work students, and other mental health providers. Members of the HMH Network work collaboratively with community-based organizations to improve access for Haitians to mental health services that are comprehensive, integrated, culturally sensitive, and developmentally appropriate. The HMH Network’s vision is to raise awareness about mental illness and promote access to quality, culturally-oriented and evidence-based mental health services for members of the Haitian community locally, nationally and internationally. To learn more, please visit www.hmhnetwork.org.