The U.S. Psychiatric and Mental Health Congress, the largest independent mental health conference providing CME in the country, presented MINDS ON THE EDGE at a 2 1/2-hour feature event at the 2009 Congress, which convened in Las Vegas from November 2-5.

More than 500 mental health professionals attended the evening session, which included viewing segments of the program integrated with audience engagement and a panel discussion. FFS staff moderated the session which also featured Dr. Tracey Skale, author Pete Earley, and Dr. Thomas Simpatico. Together the program panelists encouraged mental health professionals to be change agents and play an active role in advocating for systemic change using the project resources and tools. A DVD was provided to everyone attending the screening event.

The Congress provides innovative, evidence-based, and clinically relevant accredited continuing medical education in a collaborative fashion to the healthcare community. This session offered CME credits in accordance with the following learning objectives:

1. Discuss how the system of care for mental health, substance abuse and traumatic brain injury is currently fragmented, resulting in large numbers of afflicted persons becoming incarcerated in jails and prisons.
2. Discuss ways in which the current treatment technology for serious mental illness can more effectively be used to reach more people and prevent avoidable incarcerations and homelessness.
3. Describe instances of barriers to treatment incurred by national, state, and municipal level legislation and the ethical dilemmas circulating these issues.

Learn more about the U.S. Psychiatric Congress.