SURREY – A new South Asian mental health society is hosting the inaugural South Asian Mental Health Community Conference at Queen Elizabeth Secondary (SAMHAA) school on Saturday, Oct. 22. SAMHAA is made up of 12 core members who are mostly post-secondary students, in fields such as psychology and public health policy.
While the society recognizes that mental health services are available, the organizers say there are barriers that exist. Language barriers pose a problem, he said, adding that other cultural barriers get in the way, too. Mental-health issues can be an underlying component in many conflicts.
The conference, hosted in partnership with the B.C. Mental Health Foundation, the Surrey school district and Sources Community Resource Centres, will bring together multidisciplinary professionals, agencies and community members.
SAMHAA hopes the event will reduce misconceptions around mental-health issues and facilitate education and discussion.
The day-long event will feature several speakers from various sectors, such as counsellors, psychiatrists, clinicians, professors and more.
Keynote speakers for the day are Dr. G. Shimi Kang, a psychiatrist with B.C. Women’s Hospital and Dr. Gulzar S. Cheema, a family practitioner.
For more information or to register visit samhaa.org.
