May is Mental Health Awareness Month, Mental Health Symposium Scheduled for May 10th

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. - May 2, 2016 - PRLog -- To help bring attention to Mental Health Awareness Month in May, the Stewart-Marchman-Act Foundation and SMA Behavioral Health Services, Inc. are pleased to announce they are sponsoring a free Mental Health Symposium on Tuesday, May 10^th, 2016 from 8:00am to 1:00pm in St. Augustine, FL. There is no cost to attend the event and lunch and a t-shirt are included. Media are welcome to attend.

The Keynote Speaker will be Blake LeVine, MSW.  Blake will share his story of overcoming the challenges of Bipolar and pursuing a professional career in the mental health field.  His success includes obtaining his Master's Degree and becoming a counselor, as well as publishing numerous books related to mental illness.  His story gives hope and inspiration to individuals living with mental illness, family, friends, and community members.

The event also includes a presentation of MINDSTORM 2.0®, a visual presentation that allows viewers to experience the visual hallucinations and distortions and voices associated with schizophrenia. It was created with the help of people with schizophrenia and an expert panel of psychiatrists. Endorsed by mental health advocates, MINDSTORMTM 2.0® can be a valuable tool for Law Enforcement, Community Groups, Social Workers, Caregivers, and Healthcare Professionals.

There will be two break-out sessions. The first is intended for community members to educate them on Mental Health First Aid (MHFA), what it is, how it's an important tool for individuals in our communities, and how to access classes. The presenter will be Salvatore Gintoli with SMA's Crisis Services.The second break-out session is designed for professionals and is entitled the Xcenda Program: Quality Care Initiatives for Inpatient Psychiatric Hospitals. The presentation will cover: Hospital Readmission Reduction, The Impact on Behavioral Health Facilities, Hospital Quality Programs & the Affordable Care Act, and Payers Tying Value to Reimbursement Incentives. The presenter will be Alberto Vigo, RN, National Speaker/Education Program Presenter.

Event partners will be on site to share information on services available within the community.  Participating organizations include: the Dept. of Veterans Affairs (VA), Epic Behavioral Healthcare, Flagler Hospital - St. Augustine, NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) - Volusia/Flagler/St. Johns, SMA Behavioral Health Services, and St. Johns County.

The event will be held at St. Johns County Health & Human Services Center, 200 San Sebastian View, St. Augustine, FL. Those interested in registering can visit www.smabehavioral.org/mental-health-symposium.

For more information on the event, please call (386) 236-3290 or e-mail cwysong@smabehavioral.org.

The event is made possible through the Jay's Hope Fund and its Who is Jay? mental health awareness campaign. The Who is Jay? campaign was launched as part of Mental Health Month with the goal of sharing hope and resources for individuals and loved ones of those living with mental illness, and to break the stigma associated with it.  For more information on Who is Jay? please check out www.whoisjay.org.

You can support the message of hope through donations to the Jay's Hope Fund and/or purchase of Who is Jay? t-shirts or vehicle window decals, and by spreading the hashtag #whoisjay on social media to increase awareness.  Don't forget to like the Foundation's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/StewartMarchmanActFoundation and SMA Behavioral at https://www.facebook.com/SMABehavioralHealthServices/.

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About Stewart-Marchman-Act Foundation

Stewart-Marchman-Act Foundation is a 501(c)3 corporation and is eligible for tax-exempt contributions by the US Internal Revenue Service. They accept cash donations, stocks and securities, as well as land and property. They can be found online at http://www.smafoundation.com or reached via telephone at 386-254-1136.

Stewart-Marchman-Act Foundationwas founded by Jim Foster at the request of Hal Marchman in 1997. The volunteer board of directors is comprised of leading professionals, business leaders, and citizens from the Volusia/Flagler area. The Foundation's sole mission is to build resources, public awareness, and research to support the programs of Stewart-Marchman-Act Behavioral Healthcare, the leading non-profit behavioral healthcare organization in Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns and Volusia Counties.

About SMA Behavioral

SMA Behavioral Healthcare has been serving the northeast Florida community with mental health and drug treatment services for over 50 years.  SMA provides more than 35 mental health and substance abuse programs, providing prevention, diversion, intervention, and treatment services, delivered to diverse client populations Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns, and Volusia counties.

SMA Behavioral Healthcare's mission is to deliver exceptional and comprehensive behavioral healthcare to individuals and families in our community. SMA's vision is of a community where addiction and mental illness are treated promptly, comprehensively and with respect for all. Contact SMA at 800-539-4228 or online at http://www.smabehavioral.org/ or stay connected on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SMABehavioralHealthServices.