03 Nov 2006

UCC Hosts Mental Health Conference , 17 November

'Policy, Promises and Practice; what Progress?'  is the title of a conference to be held at UCC on Friday, 17 November. The conference is organised by Cork Advocacy Network (CAN) and UCC's Department of Applied Social Studies. Set in the context of the changes advocated by the new mental health strategy 'Vision for Change' launched earlier this year, the conference aims to address questions on the progress of its implementation.  

An impressive line-up of speakers includes Gareth O'Callaghan who will chair the event, John Redican, CEO Irish Advocacy Network who will speak on "Service users' Involvement; Changing Attitudes", Martin Rogan, Assistant National Director with responsibility for Mental Health, HSE with a talk on "Mental Health into the Future", Mary Keys, Senior Lecturer, Department of Law, NUI, Galway who will speak on "Human Rights and the New Mental Health Act", Dr Liam Twomey; Fine Gael Spokesperson for Health and Children who will give speak on "Concerns in Mental Health; a Political Perspective", Noel Palmer; Crow Centre Bantry who will speak on "Community Development in Mental Health" and John McCarthy; CAN and Mindfreedom Ireland whose talk is on "Support not Guardianship"  

The conference will also have an international dimension with a contribution from Italy, a country which pioneered the closure of mental institutions in the late seventies through the Democratic Psychiatry movement. Dr Caterina Corbascio, Director of the Centre for Mental Health Turin, Italy and Regional Co-ordinator of Democratic Psychiatry will speak on "The Italian Psychiatric Reform; the Role of Service Users' Associations in Changing Services".   

The conference is aimed at a broad audience of people who have an interest in, or are affected by, mental health issues. John McCarthy of CAN said, "we are offering the public an opportunity to engage with those who make policy and those who implement that policy. While we will allow those on the platform an opportunity to express their point of view, what makes this conference different is that we dedicate the same amount of time to the audience to challenge that point of view, or to express their own point of view.  This conference will only work if the public attend.  If you have either a positive or a negative view to share then this is your opportunity to express it, this is the power of the CAN conference."

It is hoped that once again there will be an increase on the over 400 who attended last year's conference, and that those who need to will be able to come, listen, speak and learn from an eclectic mix of speakers. The conference takes place on Friday, 17 November, Devere Hall, Student Centre UCC, 9am- 4.30 pm. Admission is free and all are welcome.

320MMcS


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