The applicant is the Health Sciences Foundation, Inc., an educational non-profit organization governed by a board of directors, who administers the Coastal Area Health Education Center (Coastal AHEC). Each year, the National Association for Rural Mental Health Board of Directors sponsors a conference for its membership. The 2001 conference will be held in Wilmington, NC and co-sponsored by the Coastal AHEC. The 2001 conference is designed to increase the research-based knowledge of mental health professionals, enhance mental health professional skills and service delivery, and strengthen delivery networks, educational programs and support services offered to rural children, youth and families. Two half-day pre-conference programs will be held on June 23, 2001. The conference will begin at noon on June 24 and end at noon on June 26. The agenda consists of four concurrent tracks covering family and children services, clinical issues, program management, and technology. Each track will begin with a keynote speaker who will present the most recent research on the particular track issue. A second keynote speaker will present training issues/skills related to the particular track. Each track will then have break-out sessions to describe """"""""Best Practice"""""""" models. An additional objective for Coastal AHEC and NARMH is to disseminate the 2001 conference information through audio tapes, printed materials, and the NARMH web site to non-attending members and other rural mental health practitioners and administrators.
