PANEL ON MENTAL HEALTH—African-Americans are at high risk for mental illness, but less likely to receive mental health services, diagnosis and treatment, states a 2002 Surgeon General’s report. A panel was formed by Mt. Ararat Baptist Church to discuss and explore the history of mental health issues in the African-American community and provide steps they can take to assist others in their well-being.
|PANEL—Above: Jeannie Hyman, Dr. Charma Dudley, Dr. Nelson Harris, Marguerita Matthew and Dr. Daniel Hall.
The event was held at the August Wilson Center. Panelists included Dr. Charma Dudley, clinical director, Family Resources, who talked about Black youths and mental health; Dr. Daniel Hall who spoke about how physical problems are easier to determine then mental issues for doctors; Dr. Nelson Harris compared past and present mental health treatment in Black community; Jeannie Hyman, sister of Phyllis Hyman, spoke about her personal battle with mental health and her family history with mental health; and Marguerita Matthew, who spoke about mental health of Black youths.