Schizophrenia Daily News Blog

NARSAD - Schizophrenia Education Meeting, Sarasota, Florida

Internationally known mental health researchers will travel to Sarasota, Florida for to help physicians, mental health workers, caregivers, patients and their families at the NARSAD 2006 Mental Health Research Symposium on Jan. 7 at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall in Sarasota.

The Sarasota Herald-Tribune spoke with the co-founder of the Florida Chapter of NARSAD, Lee Paterson, who stated "It's very important for people to come and learn about mental illness and the devastating effect it has on the lives of our families and the community,"

Peterson and her husband, Robert, have helped to raise almost $3 million for mental health research since 1998 in honor of their son, who has schizophrenia.

The symposium's panel will be moderated by Dr. Wade Berrettini, M.D., of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. He will also speak about the relationship between nicotine addiction and psychiatric disorders.

Other panel members will be:

* Dr. John Rush, who will speak about "Treatment Algorithms: Implications for Improving Outcomes with Depressed Patients."

* Dr. Joseph Calabrese, professor of psychiatry at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, who will speak about "The Management of Depression and Bipolar Disorder."

* Dr. John O'Reardon, assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania, who will speak about "Vagus Nerve Stimulation -- A Novel Approach to Severe Mood Disorders."

Interested?

What: NARSAD 2006 Mental Health Research Symposium for health-care workers and family members and friends of people who have a mental illness.

When: Jan. 7, 2006; registration opens at 8:30 a.m.

Where: Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, Florida.

Cost: Free. Physicians, mental health counselors, social workers, nurses and pharmacists can earn three continuing education units for a $20 fee.

Registration: To register for CEUs, call Sarasota Memorial Hospital's HealthLine, 917-7777, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Information: For information about NARSAD, call (941) 308-6463 or visit the Web site at www.narsadflorida.org.

For more information on NARSAD - see www.narsad.org