Hassan, Ayotte Speak at Behavioral Health Summit

Registrations are still being accepted for the first annual NH Behavioral Health Summit, scheduled for Dec. 3, and Dec. 4, 2015, at the Sheraton Harborside Hotel in Portsmouth. But slots are filling up fast, so organizers advise registering as soon as possible for the event, which kicks off on Thursday at 3 p.m.

Gov. Maggie Hassan, D-NH, US Senator Kelly Ayotte, R-NH, and U.S. Rep. Frank Guinta, R-NH, are confirmed to speak, as are representatives of the NH Attorney General’s Office, the University of NH Survey Center, the NH Department of Health and Human Services, and the Disabilities Rights Center. Laura Galbreath of SAMHSA, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services agency charged with advancing behavioral health, is slated to speak as the Summit opens.

A featured speaker for the event is Dr. Michael Hogan, a nationally recognized expert and leading voice on Zero Suicide in Health and Behavioral Health Care, who served as New York State Commissioner of Mental Health from 2007-2012. Leading a panel on integrated care will be Alexander “Sandy” Blount, Professor of Clinical Psychology at Antioch University New England and former Director of the Center for Integrated Primary Care and Professor of Family Medicine and Psychiatry at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, MA.

“From Crisis to Solutions,” as the Summit is tagged, will bring the state’s behavioral health community together in a single forum for professional development, sharing public policy goals, and meaningful networking.

Roland Lamy, Executive Director of the NH Community Behavioral Health Association, said, “What makes this event different from others is that it is all-inclusive. We will be talking about public policy and offering a number of continuing education tracks, so there will be a more robust approach to the challenges we face.”

To register, visit this page: dupontgroup.com/events/eventsnhbehavioralhealthsummit/