NCCC to host Mental Health Symposium Oct. 30

Community event will explore rural mental health challenges, resources and access to care

SARANAC LAKE — North Country Community College will bring together local mental and behavioral health experts for a community symposium focused on the challenges rural communities face in accessing care and the resources available to residents of the North Country.

The Mental Health Symposium will take place on Friday, Oct. 30 from 10 a.m. to noon in S-19 Mulholland Hall on the college’s Saranac Lake campus. The event is free and open to the public, and no registration is required. Light refreshments will be available.

The symposium will feature a panel discussion with Dr. Stephen Samuels of Adirondack Health; Suzanne Lavigne, director of Community Services for Franklin County; Lee Rivers, director of Community Connections of Franklin County; and Terri Morse, director of Essex County Mental Health. Kathleen Dowd-Maloney, chair of North Country Community College’s Human Services Department, will moderate the discussion.

The panel will explore some of the unique mental and behavioral health challenges facing rural communities, including barriers to accessing services, while highlighting resources and support currently available to individuals and families throughout the region.

The event is also intended to help broaden the community conversation around mental health and reduce the stigma that can prevent people from seeking help.

“Mental health is a community issue, and we hope this symposium creates an opportunity for people to come together, learn from professionals working in our region, and become more familiar with the resources that are available close to home,” Dowd-Maloney said. “Just as importantly, we want to continue normalizing conversations about mental health and seeking support when it’s needed.”

The symposium is open to community members, health care and clinical service providers, students, educators and anyone interested in learning more about mental and behavioral health in the North Country.

The event will also highlight educational pathways at North Country Community College that prepare students for careers supporting individuals and families in the mental and behavioral health fields.

College organizers hope the Oct. 30 symposium will serve as the beginning of an ongoing conversation about mental and behavioral health needs, resources and services across the region.

EVENT AT A GLANCE

What: Mental Health Symposium
When: Friday, Oct. 30, 10 a.m.-noon
Where: S-19 Mulholland Hall, North Country Community College, Saranac Lake campus
Admission: Free and open to the public; no registration required
Refreshments: Light refreshments will be available