Michael Friedman: Mental Health and the Elderly
Thursday, May 21, 1pm and 7pm on WSKG Public Radio

          Michael B. Friedman, LMSW is the chairman of the Geriatric Mental Health Alliance of New York, and has over thirty-five years experience as a mental health clinician, advocate, administrator, and policy maker in New York City and the Hudson Valley. He has served as Director of Network Development, New York Hospital; Regional Director (Deputy Commissioner), NYS Office of Mental Health; Executive Director MHA of Westchester; and Director of Operations of The Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services. He has also served on numerous advocacy and advisory groups, including The Mental Health Action Network, The Children's Justice Taskforce, the NAMIs (National Alliance for the Mentally Ill) of New York City and of Westchester, The Coalition of Voluntary Mental Health Agencies and The Greater New York Hospital Association.
          Mr. Friedman has spoken at many professional conferences and published numerous articles and opinion essays.  His topics have included geriatric mental health and substance abuse, mental health policy and finance, child mental health, social advocacy, family support, managed care, psychiatric rehabilitation, child welfare, family violence, stigma, and political philosophy.  His recent opinion essays and other material on mental health policy can be found at www.mhawestchester.org/advocates/metcenter.asp or www.mhawestchester.org/advocates/geriatrichome.asp.
          Mr Friedman's speech was recorded by WSKG  September 25, 2008 at an event held at the Binghamton Regency in Binghamton,New York. Raising Hope and Lifting Barriers: A Working Conference on Mental Health and Aging was co-sponsored by The Mental Health Association of the Southern Tier, Aging Futures, Nurse Practitioners Association, and CDPHP.