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For Immediate Release:

July 15, 1999

Contact: Sharon Otagaki, UH School of Social Work 808-956-6245, sotagaki@hawaii.edu

Frances Brisbane, Dean, School of Social Welfare, SUNY Stony Brook, 516-444-2139

Honolulu will host 13th Annual Conference on Counseling and Treating People of Colour Nov. 6-10

This year's international conference on Counseling and Treating People of Colour takes place Nov. 6-10 at the Hawaiian Regent Hotel in Honolulu. More than 300 participants from around the world are expected for the conference, which has become the leading international forum on cultural diversity in such fields as health and mental health; substance abuse, AIDS and violence prevention and care; and education. Conference attendees include officials and practitioners from private sector, nonprofit and governmental agencies; social workers, psychologists, physical and occupational therapists, nurses and physicians; school and university administrators, teachers and guidance counselors; substance abuse and AIDS counselors; researchers; complementary and alternative health-care practitioners; legal, religious, and civic leaders.

The conference format is always related to the local host culture. This year's program highlights values of native Hawaiian culture and addresses problems and issues through shared culture-based models that are similar to others in the international community. A preliminary list of conference topics and speakers follows this page.

The conference is sponsored by the Health Sciences Center of the State University of New York at Stony Brook and the Human Resources Development Institute of Chicago. This year's major co-sponsors are the University of Hawai'i School of Social Work and Chicanos Por La Causa of Phoenix, AZ.

Program director for the 13th Annual Conference on Counseling and Treating People of Colour is Frances Brisbane, dean of the School of Social Welfare at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. UH School of Social Work Dean Patricia Ewalt serves on the conference committee. All inquiries should be directed to Dean Brisbane at SUNY Stony Brook.

 

Planned conference topics include:

· Native Hawaiian health initiative.

· Culturally competent practice in HIV/AIDS prevention.

· Food, herbs and homeopathic remedies-natural ways to prevent and cure diseases.

· Cultural perspectives for alcohol- and other drug-abuse prevention.

· National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's outreach campaign to increase seatbelt use within communities of color.

· Domestic violence prevention with Hawai'i families.

· Cultural similarities and differences among Native Americans, Native Hawaiians, Micronesians, Chamorros, Asian Americans and American Samoans.

· The MADD initiative with people of color.

· Educating African American and Latino youth who live in at-risk circumstances.

· Promotion of substance-free and violence-free activities through water sports and safety (Wave Riders Against Drugs).

 

Invited speakers include:

· Dean Patricia Ewalt and Prof. Noreen Mokuau, UH School of Social Work.

· Assistant Surgeon General Marilyn H. Gaston, director, and Leonard Epstein, senior adviser, Bureau of Primary Health Care, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD.

· Karolyn V. Nunnallee, national president, Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

· Pua'alaokalani Aiu, research officer, Papa Ola Lo(o,)kahi, Honolulu.

· Carol Odo, Ke Ola Mamo, Honolulu.

· Na'im Akbar, respected author on cultural issues, Florida State University.

· King E. Davis, professor of social work, Virginia Commonwealth University, and 1998-99 William and Camille Cosby Chair at Howard University School of Social Work.

· Peter Garcia, president and CEO, Chicanos Por La Causa.

· Ricardo Martinez, administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

· Carlin Browne, homeopathic physician, acupuncturist and founder of Clinica Misericordia, San Nicolas, Aruba.

· Jane Middelton-Moz, author of Masters of Disguise-Shame and Guilt (1990).

· Peggy J. Lubin, board of directors chair, Human Resources Development Institute.

· Evelyn Lee, executive director of Richmond (CA) Area Multi-Services Inc. and associate clinical professor of psychiatry, UC San Francisco.

· Lavinia T. Dickerson, co-director, Institute for Student Achievement Inc., Manhasset, NY

· Fernando J. Galan, professor and director, University of Texas at El Paso Social Work Program.

· C. West Huddleston, deputy director, National Drug Court Institute, Alexandria, VA.

· Alfred "Coach" Powell, author of Message in a Bottle-40 Oz. Scandal.

· June Gary Hopps, dean and professor, and Robbie Welch Christler Tourse, director of field education, Boston College Graduate School of Social Work.

 

A concurrent Youth Forum will involve teens in their own discussions of topics related to the conference concerns of health promotion, social services delivery and education.

 

-UH-