Albert Einstein Medical School Students Gather
Support at National AMA Conference
Lake Success, N.Y. - June, 2005- Erin Callahan, second year medical student at Albert Einstein Medical College, Bronx, N.Y, and NAMI Queens/Nassau (National Alliance for the Mentally Ill) volunteer presented the resolution titled, “An Initiative to Encourage Mental Health Education in Public Schools” to the medical student’s section of the national American Medical Association (AMA) conference, June 16-19. Initially written by medical students Erin Callahan, Robyn Gartner and Katherine Scott, it was approved by the Albert Einstein Medical College division of the AMA student section last fall. The resolution was amended to include SUNY Buffalo medical student, Lauren Scott’s resolution titled, “Reducing Stigma and Increasing Detection of Mental Illness.”
The amended resolution that passed as policy reads, ”Resolved, that our AMA work with mental health organizations to encourage patients to discuss mental health concerns with their physicians; and be it further Resolved, that our AMA work with the Department of Education and state education boards and encourage them to adopt basic mental health education designed specifically for elementary through high school students.”
The resolution will be forwarded to the “Big House” of the AMA at the 2006 annual meeting and presented to the House of Delegates of the Physicians Section. If adopted as policy, specific funding and lobbyist resources may be designated to promote the adoption of mental health education programs in public schools nationwide.
“Growing up, one of my best friends suffered from bipolar disorder. I watched as her illness caused her to live in shame and secrecy. Knowing she was not her illness and feeling frustrated by my inability to really help her, I vowed to play a part in combating the stigma associated with mental illness and finding a way to help others. This prompted my decision to become a psychiatrist and luckily I came across, “Breaking the Silence” (BTS), teaching packets designed to educate all students about mental illness. I shared BTS with my colleagues at Albert Einstein and from there the resolution was born,” explains Erin Callahan.
“We feel it is imperative that mental illness be taught alongside other important health topics. Just as students learn about cancer, diabetes and AIDS they need to know about diseases of the brain. The fact that these medical students took on the task of approaching the AMA to back mental illness education speaks volumes for the need for mental illness awareness among our young people,” states Janet Susin, BTS Co-Author, Project Director & NAMI Queens/Nassau Co-President.
BTS are user-friendly teaching modules for grades 4-12 designed to separate fact from fiction; combat the stigma of mental illness and promote early treatment.
NAMI is a nationwide, grassroots, self help, support and advocacy organization of people with mental illness and their families and friends.
For further information on this resolution, BTS and NAMI contact NAMI Queens/Nassau at 516 -326-0797, email btslessonplans@aol.com or visit www.btslessonplans.org.
July 20, 2005
