(Washington, DC)  The Department of Mental Health, along with the State Mental Health Planning Council, is sponsoring the 7th Annual Judge Aubrey E. Robinson, Jr. Memorial Mental Health Conference, entitled “Recovery Through the Ages: Trauma Informed Care”, on September 26, 2007, Renaissance Hotel Auditorium, 999 9th Street, NW.  

The Honorable Vincent Gray, Chairman of the Council of the District of Columbia, is the conference moderator.  Dr. Joan B. Gillece, a nationally known expert on best practice alternatives to seclusion and restraint, is the keynote speaker.  She is Project Director for the National Coordinating Center for the Seclusion and Restraint Reduction Initiative.  In addition, Dr. Gillece advises states on developing innovative institutional and community based systems of care for persons with both mental health and substance abuse disorders involved in the criminal justice system. 

 The day long conference brings together consumers, advocates and clinicians to discuss current issues in the field of mental health.   It is named for the late U.S. District Court Judge whose landmark decision in 1974 gives persons with serious mental illness the right to treatment in the least restrictive environment, i.e., established community based settings. 

“We are very excited about this conference as we will discuss ways to make sure our treatment methods are the most effective and up to date,” said Stephen T. Baron, Director of the Department of Mental Health.