Join the Regional Policy Council Virtual Summer Meeting:
Addressing Mental Health Impacts of COVID-19, Entrenched Inequities, and Police Practices

Given the worsening COVID-19 crisis, MHA decided to combine its two summer RPC meetings into one large virtual meeting. Although we are disappointed not to be able to travel to Orlando in July with the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) or to Indianapolis in August with the National Council of State Legislatures (NCSL), we put together an exciting agenda for the virtual RPC meeting on Wednesday, August 12, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. EST – 4:00 p.m. EST.

The day will kick off as usual by honoring state legislative mental health champions and will be followed by deep dives in today’s most pertinent policy issues including what is working well. Participants will:

  • Learn about the dramatic increases in people taking MHA’s screenings and the alarming rates of severity for depression, anxiety, and self-harm;
  • Hear from nationally and internationally renowned experts speaking to the effects of COVID-19 on mental health;
  • Understand how policy and practices disproportionately impact communities of color and people with mental health conditions;
  • Learn about some of the nation’s best models for crisis and reentry alternatives from experts in peer services.

The programming listed on the agenda is tentative and subject to change.

Regional Policy Council Virtual Summer Meeting

Addressing Mental Health Impacts of COVID-19, Entrenched Inequities, and Police Practices

Innovating Mental Health in the Workplace

Wednesday, August 12, 2020
Wednesday, August 12
11:00am – 11:55am Pre-meeting Legislative Awards honoring State Legislative Mental Health Champions
11:55am – 12:00pm Stretch break
12:00pm – 12:05pm Welcome and Introductions
Debbie Plotnick, MHA Vice President of State and Federal Advocacy
12:05pm – 12:15pm Setting the Stage
Ben Harrington and Shannah Mulvihill, MHA Regional Policy Council Representatives
12:15pm – 12:25pm Framing the Issues: What MHA Screening Shows Us About Those Most Affected In The Time of COVID-19
Maddy Reinert, MHA Program Manager of Population Health
12:25pm – 12:30pm Stretch Break
12:30pm – 1:15pm Keynote
Dr. Arthur Evans, Chief Executive Officer, American Psychological Association
1:15pm – 1:45pm Maternal Mental Health In The Time of COVID-19: Mind The Gap Report, Conclusions
Collen Reilly
1:45pm – 2:15pm  Minneapolis Leading Police Reform
Willie Garrett, President, Minnesota Association of Black Psychologists
2:15pm – 2:50pm Minor Charges with Major Impact
Dr. Jennifer Wood, Department of Criminal Justice, Temple University and Dr. Leah Pope, Vera Institute of Justice
2:50pm – 3:00pm Stretch Break
3:00pm – 3:50pm Panel: Crisis Models with Outstanding Outcomes 

Crisis NOW Model with Paul Gladys, MBA, CPRP, RI International Deputy CEO

Dallas Co-Responder Program with Bonnie Cook, Executive Director MHA Greater Dallas

Peer-Run Diversion and Re-Entry with Kasey Moyer, Executive Director of MHA of Nebraska.
3:50pm – 4:00pm  Wrap-up and Conclusions

Questions may be directed to Choward@mhanational.org or Dplotnick@mhanational.org