College hosts 3rd annual Cesar Chavez Behavioral Health Conference

March 09, 2007

Arizona State University’s College of Human Services will host the third annual Cesar Chavez Behavioral Health Conference, Friday, March 30, 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., at the West campus.<separator></separator><separator></separator>The conference is designed to recognize human rights icon Cesar Chavez and raise awareness about issues that impact minorities and disenfranchised populations that receive or are eligible to receive behavioral health services.<separator></separator>"The ability to delivery culturally grounded human services is absolutely essential when we look at the changing demography of our state,” says Michael Shafer, director of ASU’s Center for Applied Behavioral Health Policy, headquartered in the College of Human Services. “Numerous studies have documented the historical trends of racial and ethnic disproportionate representation within criminal justice, behavioral health, and other human service sectors. Other research has documented the relatively low rates of ethnic representation within the human service workforce. <separator></separator>“It is our hope that through hosting this annual event, we can serve as a force of change in promoting greater cultural awareness among the behavioral health workforce of our state, as well as to attract individuals of color who are interested in pursuing a career in the human services through one of our college's many undergraduate and graduate degree offerings" <separator></separator>“Crossing Cultures, Achieving Wellness: Policy, Practice, and Passion in Working with Multicultural Communities” will feature keynote speakers Patricia Arredondo (ASU deputy vice president and university dean of student affairs, professor of counseling and counseling psychology) and Stanley Sue (U.C. Davis Distinguished Professor, psychology).<separator></separator> The sponsor of the conference is Phoenix-based TERROS, a Center for Applied Behavioral Health Policy partner for the past four years. During that time, the Center has helped the agency secure nearly $2 million from grants to be used to improve its behavioral health, prevention, education, and treatment services in the Valley.<separator></separator>

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