UW-Green Bay and Mental Health America Lakeshore are partnering to host the first annual Mind the Mind Symposium to be held at the Sheboygan campus location on Thursday, May 18, 2023. The goal of the event is to educate community and business influencers on the importance of mental health awareness, services and public policy.

Nearly 1 in 5 American adults will have a diagnosable mental health condition in any given year. But what is more troubling is the data that indicates Wisconsin students have significant mental health needs. Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction conducted a Youth Risk Survey concluding that Wisconsin students generally reported experiencing significant mental health challenges while having fewer supports at school and at home. More than half of all students surveyed (52.2 percent) self-reported “significant problems with anxiety.”

“We are committed to serving our community, and mental health directly affects our student populations,” said UW-Green Bay Executive Officer of Continuing Education and Community Engagement Jess Lambrecht. “UW-Green Bay exists to forge connections and to serve our communities. This symposium will bring together mental health experts, practitioners and influencers, who can enact change, especially building more supports for both adults and students.”

Recognizing the different needs of adults and students, the Mind the Mind Symposium will offer three learning tracks.

• Youth – relevant to teachers, parents, community leaders and faith leaders
• Workplace – appropriate for employers, team leaders, HR and talent development professionals
• Health and Human Professionals – important for social workers, marriage therapists, family therapists and specialist counselors. Of particular note for this group is the fact that attendance at all sessions in the Health and Human Professionals track will earn continuing education.

A highlight of the symposium will be the keynote speaker poet and advocate Russell Lehmann, who will address all attendees about “The Complex World of Autism and Mental Health.” Named the 2022 Advocate of the Year by the Autism Society of America, Russell currently travels the world spreading hope, awareness and compassion in a raw and dynamic fashion, while also setting his sights on erasing the stigma and stereotypes that come with having a disability. Russell’s passion is to be a voice for the unheard, for he knows how difficult and frustrating it is to go unnoticed.

To learn more about Mind the Mind Symposium including detailed information about sessions for each of the three tracks, visit www.uwgb.edu/mind-the-mind. If you have questions or would like to get involved with the symposium, please contact Program Specialist Melissa Betke at betkem@uwgb.edu or MHA Director of Strategy and Partnerships, Dana Bear at dana@mhalakeshore.org.

If you are interested in supporting this event please visit the sponsorship page.

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