Earlier this week, mental health leaders from New Zealand, Canada, New Mexico and Maryland, visited Institute for Community Living (ICL) sites in Brooklyn, the Bronx and Manhattan, met with consumers and staff, and participated in informal panel discussions in a vital global collaborative effort.

ICL was one of 42 International Initiative for Mental Health Leadership (IIMHL) conference sites across the United States and Canada. The 8th annual conference culminated yesterday and today in San Francisco, California, as exchange hosts and delegates meet to share lessons learned and hear from domestic and international experts on topics such as leadership in difficult economic times, trauma and multiple chronic conditions.

Building upon the international theme, “A Different Kind of Leadership,” ICL’s exchange focused on “Austere Times Call for Leadership, Service Integration and Quality Outcomes,” and will be featured on an upcoming SAMHSA YouTube video.

"At ICL, each member of the team is a leader -- regardless of title -- and leadership must be encouraged, supported and expected of all who work with the incredible individuals we are privileged to serve," explains Stella V. Pappas, LCSW-R, ACSW, ICL Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer and co-organizer of ICL’s two-day Leadership participation.

Jefferey Bennett, General Manager, Waikato District Health Board in Hamilton, New Zealand, saw firsthand how that mandate translates into reality, “When we went to the sites, the program staff clearly had expertise and were passionate. Any one of them could portray ICL’s vision. For me that’s a sign that the organization has real capability. The mission is not just seated in the plan but is actually noticeable in daily conversation.” He continues, “We are confronted with a lot of the things that ICL faces. What I’ll take back is ICL’s absolute commitment to facing the issues and the concept of decentralized management.”

As a first time host of the conference, ICL brought a unique perspective to the table. David Kamnitzer, Senior VP, ICL Adult MH Services Brooklyn, and co-organizer of the ICL IIMHL exchange, explains, “Working in New York City is unparalleled as are the social challenges it poses… a paucity of affordable housing, pockets of extreme wealth in close proximity to pockets of extreme poverty which struggle with crime, violence and disenfranchised families. All of these challenges are played out in programs -- what stands out is the consumers’ resilience. That’s inspiring and needs to be shared globally, as well as workable, quality solutions that ICL, as a thriving NYC-based nonprofit, has found most effective.”

Comments

B

i

u

Quote

Code

List

List item

URL

Name *
Email (For verification & Replies)
URL
Code   
ChronoComments by Joomla Professional Solutions

Submit Comment