TUESDAY

A Place in the Community & Beyond: The Reality of Recovery, Social Inclusion and Wellness

David Shern, PhD, Chief Executive Officer, Mental Health America, Alexandria, VA

David L. Shern, PhD, is the president and CEO of the National Mental Health Association, the country's oldest and largest nonprofit organization addressing all aspects of mental health and mental illness. With more than 30 years of distinguished service in mental health services research and system reform, Dr. Shern is one of the nation’s leading mental health experts. During his career, he has helped reengineer mental health care systems in Colorado, New York and Florida as well as participated in several national reform and research demonstration efforts. Prior to joining NMHA in 2006, Dr. Shern served as dean of the Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute (FMHI) at the University of South Florida.

Dr. Shern has authored more than 100 publications including papers in Health Affairs, Psychiatric Services, Medical Care, Health Services Research, Behavioral Health Services Research and Administration and the American Journal of Public Health. In 2000, Governor Jeb Bush appointed Dr. Shern to the Florida Commission on Mental Health and Substance Abuse. He was elected Chair of the Commission by his fellow Commissioners and spearheaded an effort to develop a new statewide focus on and governance model for behavioral health across all human service agencies and settings.

WEDNESDAY

Creating A Front Porch For Services: Strategies for Transforming Communities

Mario Hernandez, PhD, Professor and Chair of the Department of Child & Family Studies at the Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL

Mario Hernandez, PhD, is professor and chair of the Department of Child & Family Studies at the Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, University of South Florida. From August 1998 to December 2007, Dr. Hernandez served as director of the Division of Training, Research, Evaluations and Demonstrations (TREaD) within the Department of Child and Family Studies. In this role, he provided management and leadership for a division of 79 professional and support employees. Current responsibilities include fiscal management, personnel management, and research development. In addition, Dr. Hernandez has served as principal Investigator and co-principal Investigator on numerous studies.

Dr. Hernandez is the recipient of a variety of awards and honors, which most recently include serving as a member of the Steward Group of the National Network to Eliminate Disparities in Behavioral Health Care (NNED). NNED's mission is to build and sustain a national network structure to link excellent work conducted around the country and to promote policies, practices, standards and research to eliminate disparities in mental health and substance abuse care for diverse populations. He is also the founder of the first Hispanic Federation of Families chapter at the University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida and received the President's Award for Faculty Excellence, given for achievements and contributions to the University of South Florida. University of South Florida, Tampa.

Dr. Hernandez has recently edited and contributed to a special issue of The Journal of Behavioral Health Services and Research focused on system accountability in children's mental health. In addition, he has edited a book on cultural competence in children's mental health services. In 1998, he was a contributor and consultant to the Surgeon General's First Report on Mental Health. In 2001 he edited and contributed to a book titled Tools, Case Studies and Frameworks for Developing Outcome Accountability in Children's Mental Health, and has also contributed to numerous chapters, articles, technical reports and monographs.

FRIDAY

Walking the Walk: Taking Transformation to Scale

A. Kathryn Power, MEd, Director, Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

 
A. Kathryn Power, MEd, is the director of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS). As director, Ms. Power leads the SAMSA/CMHS staff in addressing both the 21st century challenges and opportunities presented to the Nation’s system of quality mental health care- from developing approaches to reduce disparities in access to services and negotiate the complexity of financing and funding concerns, to transforming wholesale systems across the US.

Prior to her appointment as SAMHSA's CMHS Director, A. Kathryn Power served for over 10 years as the director of the Rhode Island Department of Mental Health, Retardation and Hospitals, a Cabinet position reporting to the Governor, responsible for four systems of care serving individuals with serious disabilities: mental illnesses, substance abuse and addiction, developmental disabilities and long-term medical needs. From 1985 to 1990, Ms. Power served as executive director of the Rhode Island Council of Community Mental Health Centers. Earlier experience includes teaching at both elementary and secondary levels, counseling, leadership and advocacy in rape crisis and domestic violence agencies, and computer systems analysis for the Department of Defense.

She has served as president of the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) and has received many distinguished service awards for her work in mental health, substance use and civic leadership. Ms Power has been recognized locally and nationally for her advocacy work for people with disabilities. In addition, she has served on the boards of directors of more than l00 non-profit agencies, commissions and task forces in both the public and private sectors. Ms. Power received her bachelor’s degree in education from St. Joseph’s College in Maryland, and her master’s degree in education and counseling from Western Maryland College. Ms. Power is a retired Captain serving in the U.S. Navy Reserve.