Registration officially opens Sept. 1 for Rural Mental Health Conference (RMH) in Brooks

September 1 kicks off registration for the Rural Mental Health (RMH) Conference which will help individuals and organizations obtain, retain and improve the skills and resources needed to implement mental health programs and services in rural communities.

Held at the Medicine Hat College Brooks Campus, this is the first conference that will focus specifically on the unique challenges faced by mental health care providers in rural areas.

The RMH Conference will start at 12 p.m. on November 12 and conclude on November 14 at 2 p.m. The program includes a mixture of keynote speakers, breakout sessions and networking opportunities. More details regarding sessions and the conference agenda can be found at www.rmhconference.ca.

“Our organizing committee believes that rural communities must employ exceptional solutions to unique mental health challenges,” says Roberta Rogers, Conference Chairperson. “The RMH Conference will help build capacity and provide implementable programs and resources to rural areas.”

Rogers says the Brooks committee is looking forward to hosting the event and profiling some of the things that are happening in the region.

“I hope you’ll take the opportunity to talk with us other during the conference to learn about what’s happening throughout the province,” says Rogers. “After all, learning from one another and working together to get through hard times is part of a long rural tradition.”

The RMH Conference has the following goals:

1. Celebrate programs being implemented in rural areas.

2. Share ideas/practices and build capacity in rural health care providers.

3. Bring delegates from across the province to Brooks to showcase our programs/facilities.

4. Raise the profile and awareness of rural mental health and form relationships with other communities to advance the practice.

Early bird pricing is available from September 1-30 and the cost is $225. Regular registration is $275 and will be available from October 1-31. Participants can register through the following avenues:

- Eventbrite (https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ruralmental-health-conference-tickets48737498169),

- The conference website (www.rmhconference.ca), or - Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/RuralMentalHealthConfer ence/).