TWO DAYS OF HEALING IS THE FOCUS OF SENATOR HUGHES’ SUMMIT

            PHILADELPHIA, November 19 — Pennsylvania State Senator Vincent Hughes, (D-Phila.) will host the fourth Breaking the Silence: A Summit on Behavioral Health within the African American Community (BTS) on December 7 and 8, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center,12^th and Arch Streets, Philadelphia.

“The purpose of BTS is to provide resources and solutions that are readily available for the most fragile members of our community.  If we don’t talk about the problem, we can’t get to the solution,” stated Sen. Vincent Hughes.

            The last BTS Summit attracted over 3,000 participants.  Conference attendees participated in 40 workshops, received valuable resources from 150 service providers and heard insightful presentations from nationally renowned speakers.

            BTS 2007 will offer workshops, resources and informational booths for the entire family. Workshop topics include living beyond boundaries, the power of the faith connection, the male-female relationship dynamic, and managing rage, anger, stress and frustration, among others. This year’s BTS Summit also will introduce special teen and young adult sessions.

“Mental health issues in the African-American family should be viewed as silent disablers that have a major economic and social impact on our communities,” continued Sen. Hughes. “We need to be honest about what we are dealing with and take the necessary steps to heal our families.”

 The 2007 BTS Summit will be held on Friday, December 7, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. and Saturday, December 8, 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.  For more information about the Summit and to register, call (215) 471-0490.