Virtual Symposium

The National Council on Aging is proud to host the 6^th annual Older Adult Mental Health Awareness Day Symposium. This event is co-sponsored with the U.S. Administration for Community Living, the Health Resources and Services Administration, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Registration is free and includes a full day of sessions on how to best meet the mental health needs of older adults.  In partnership with Rush University’s E4 Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health Disparities in Aging, NCOA anticipates offering free continuing education credit for several professions.

Dr. James D. Huysman

Dr. Huysman is a trauma-certified psychologist and licensed clinical social worker specializing in high-conflict relationships. He brings impressive credentials to the table as Chief Compassion Officer of WellMed Medical Management and Advisory Board Member at the CPTSD Foundation and the Polyvagal Institute. Dr. Jamie’s experiences in clinical practice, media, and government affairs have provided him with unique opportunities to develop tools to help burned-out adults at worksites, couples in crisis and alienated families caught in Toxic Abusive Relationships (TAR).

Dr. Jamie said “As a social worker first and foremost, I have come full circle in my professional life”, claims Huysman. “Since leaving the Leeza Gibbons Memory Foundation and being part of a blue ribbon panel to develop the NASW Standards for Social Work Practice with Family Caregivers of Older Adults.  My WellMed experience has taught me that a new approach is necessary to nurture the resiliency of an ever-growing population of caregivers. Adding trauma-informed protocols to educate and energize professional and family caregivers is vital to ensure the quality and desired outcomes of healthcare worldwide.”

This FREE all-day symposium is sponsored by the National Council on Aging, the U.S. Administration for Community Living, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Health Resources and Services Administration, and the E4 Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health Disparities in Aging. Continuing education credits are available.

• Welcome and Keynote Speaker, Montel Williams

• Supporting Caregivers Providing Care to Someone with Mental Illness

• Medication Considerations for Older Adults with Mental Health Conditions

• Traumatic Brain Injury and Mental Illness Among Older Adults

• Spotlight Session: Social Cohesion and Intergenerational Connections to Address Social Isolation

• The Link Between Chronic Pain and Mental Health in Older Adults

• The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Older Adults Mental Health

• Suicide Prevention – Updates on 988

• Panel and Closing: Current State of Behavioral Health Integration in Primary Care