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Detroit Central City Chief Executive appointed to state panel eliminating mental health stigma

Detroit, MI – July 21, 2009 – The President and CEO of Detroit Central City Community Mental Health, Inc. has been given the honor of a state level appointment by the Michigan Department of Community Health.
   Irva Faber-Bermudez, DCC’s top executive since 1997, will serve on the Anti-Stigma Campaign Steering Committee, which is charged with finding ways to reduce the stigma associated with developmental disabilities and mental illness. This is a state-wide effort, engaging the services of twenty community mental health professionals and advocates from seventeen areas across Michigan.
   The committee is charged with examining current anti-stigma efforts of various groups and learning about programs in other states and countries in an effort to apply the most effective methods to Michigan communities.
   “I am pleased to be part of this program, as it helps reinforce my own personal goals and the anti-stigma philosophy we have developed here at Detroit Central City,” notes Faber-Bermudez.  “Mental illness is no different than any other disease.  Recovery is possible with effective treatment models, and we can site numerous success stories to document that fact,” she continued.
   DCC is a private non-profit [501(c)(3)] agency that provides ongoing mental health services, substance abuse treatment, housing, and support services to adults in Wayne County.  Located in the empowerment zone, DCC serves people in the Midtown/Downtown areas of Detroit. Services are provided by a staff of over 100 including psychiatrists, nurses, social workers, case managers, housing specialists and other professionals who are dedicated to working with individuals struggling to cope with stressors of illness, poverty, and homelessness. Visit www.dcccmh.org