PRECONFERENCE WORKSHOP #1

June 17 – 12:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Effective Treatments for Co-occurring Disorders in Rural and Indigenous Populations: An Ideas in Progress Workshop

Joe Neidhardt, MD, Mary Roessel, MD, and Dan Dickerson, DO and Johnson Dennison

This presentation will provide an overview to explore trends and determine what therapies would be the best options in providing low cost effective treatments to indigenous populations. Suggestions on how to implement such treatments will also be provided looking at psychiatry, family practice, behavioral health and addictions, and indigenous healers. There will be overviews on low cost psychopharmacology; psychotherapy; cognitive behavioral, motivational, insight oriented; indigenous healing practices; alternative therapies, herbal preparations, exercise, meditation and relaxation exercises, Kundilini Yoga and their application; and CRAFT and MATRIX models of care for outpatients and their families.  A discussion by the presenters and the audience will follow to explore ways of providing therapy in rural and indigenous settings. Indigenous healing practices will be allotted more time than the other three subjects to allow time to demonstrate healing practices.

Joe Neidhardt, MD grew up in Shelby, Montana and graduated from the University of Alberta in Medicine.  He lived and practiced in Canada for 20 years, providing services to several tribes in Alberta and British Columbia.  He did research and published on Stress Management prior to moving to New Mexico to complete his residency training in psychiatry.   Since completing his training he has worked for the Tanana Chiefs in Alaska, Regional Office for I.H.S in Albuquerque and was the director for Iina Counseling at the Northern Navajo Medical Center. He currently provides psychiatric services for the Jicarilla Apache, San Felipe Pueblo, and Ramah Navajo. He continues to be involved in training, research, and the provision of direct services.  He lives with his wife and daughters and practices as a Board Certified Psychiatrist in Santa Fe, NM.

Mary Hasbah Roessel is Navajo, born into the Kiiyaanii clan and born for the Bilagaana clan.  Her parents are the late Robert Alfred Roessel, Jr. and Ruth Roessel. Mary Hasbah Roessel was born and raised on the Navajo reservation and graduated high school from Chinle High School in Arizona.  With their hard work and service to the Navajo people, her parents started the Rough Rock Demonstration School, Navajo Community College and introduced public education to the Navajo reservation among other accomplishments.  Receiving her doctor of medicine degree from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis in 1987, Dr. Roessel was the first person from her Navajo community to attend medical school and become a doctor.  She was not the first person in her family to practice the healing arts, however.   Her grandfather was a Navajo healer.  Dr. Roessel became a medical doctor because she wanted to serve her native people in a meaningful way by incorporating her Dine’ traditions with her medical training.  “I felt I could make an impact on relieving emotional and psychological illness in my Native patients, with the Dine’ traditional practices and knowledge complementing my medical training”.  Dr. Roessel has practiced in Alaska and New Mexico, serving her Native people as a Navajo psychiatrist working with Native corporations and the Indian Health Service.

Daniel Dickerson. D.O., M.P.H., Inupiaq, is an Assistant Research Psychiatrist at UCLA, Integrated Substance Abuse Programs (ISAP) and an addiction psychiatrist at United American Indian Involvement, Inc. (UAII) in Los Angeles. Dr. Dickerson received his bachelor’s degree from Berry College in Mount Berry, Georgia, his medical degree from Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, California, and his Master’s of Public Health degree from A.T. Still University. He completed his residency in general psychiatry at Loma Linda University Medical Center and a fellowship in addiction psychiatry and addiction research at Yale University. Dr. Dickerson is the chairperson of the American Psychiatric Association’s Committee of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian Psychiatrists and his research interests include developing and analyzing culturally-tailored substance abuse treatments for American Indians/Alaska Natives.

Johnson Dennison is Navajo, living on the Navajo reservation in Round Rock, Arizona.  Mr. Dennison currently is employed at the Chinle Comprehensive Health Care Center in Chinle, Arizona managing the Office of Native Medicine.  He is a practicing traditional Navajo medicine man who has been practicing for over 20 years.  Mr. Dennison has an M.A. and has been an educational administrator for over 25 years on the Navajo Nation and at Dine’ College.  He is a motivational speaker, lecturer, storyteller and his presentations are based on old Navajo traditional teachings and philosophy.  Some of the presentations he has given are:  Navajo Ceremonies, Navajo Mental Health, and Balancing Dine’ Ceremonies with Western Medicine.    Mr. Dennison has a rich background and is articulate in discussing the various topics from the Navajo cultural perspective and western educational perspective.

PRECONFERENCE WORKSHOP #2

June 17 – 12:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Funding Opportunities for Rural Mental Health Research

 Phuong Kim Pham, Ph.D. Acting Chief, Rural Mental Health Research Program Office for Special Populations National Institute of Mental Health National Institutes of Health
NIMH, HRSA, SAMHSA, AHRQ, USDA, CDC, & US VA

In addition to the National Institute of Mental Health, many funding opportunities supporting rural mental health research are available at various Federal Agencies and private organization.  An overview of funding opportunities at Federal Agencies and private organizations will be discussed.  A summary of mental health research funding sources and contacts at various federal agencies including Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), US Department of Agriculture on Rural and Community Development and US Department of Veterans Affairs  will be provided.   Furthermore, private organizations, which fund rural mental health research such as MacArthur Foundation and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation will also discussed funding opportunities for Rural Mental Health Research at their organizations. (This session is not approved for CME credit.)

PRECONFERENCE TOUR #3 ** CANCELED **

June 14, 15 and 16 (3 days, 2 nights)
Connecting Neighbors:  Rural New Mexico Communities

Tour Guide:  Chris Pederson, MPH, MSS

Experience the magic of Northern New Mexico and learn about its fascinating history as the crossroads of the Southwest. Seven spaces available!  COST: $500 includes two nights lodging, transportation and entrance fees for all three days.  Deadline to register is May 17.

Day 1 -Explore the land of the Jemez canyon and mountains where Indian and Hispanic people have evolved effective partnerships out of a turbulent history. Visit ancient ruins, hot springs, one of the world’s largest calderas and mountain meadows. And understand why New Mexico deserves its monocur, “The Land of Enchantment.”  Meet volunteers involved in the Helping Hands Program which connects neighbors to help one another with a multitude of needs, including behavioral health issues.

Taos.JPG Day 2 - Explore the Taos Pueblo, a world heritage site, and the village of Taos...a true cross-roads where mountain men, hippies and the rich and famous share a passion for the place. Talk with tribal leaders about traditional and western medicine and the role of clans, neighbors and the community.

Day 3 - Travel the High Road south to through charming Spanish villages and sanctuarios. Visit Ojo Sarco and the Picuris Pueblo to learn about the innovative wellness program developed by Carol Miller, director of the National Center for Frontier Communities and NARMH 2006 Howery Award Winner. Continue on to the “City Different” of Santa Fe. Learn more about New Mexico’s unique history and how it has evolved into a state which many still think is part of Mexico! Return to Albuquerque.

Christine Pederson, MPH, MSS, Program Leader, is a five-year NARMH Board Member and the 2002 Conference Chair (Santa Fe).  She is a 25 year resident of New Mexico, an avid traveler and  she loves introducing people to her state.  Christine retired from the University of New Mexico in 2005 after 15 years of developing and coordinating the Rural Psychiatry Program with her colleague, Helene Silverblatt, M.D.