APA President Carol Bernstein, MD, presents Mental Health Kokua Executive Director & CEO Greg Payton with a check at the APA Annual Meeting opening session on May 15, at the Hawai`i Convention Center. Donations continued to be accepted throughout the conference, reaching $7,158 by its close on May 18.
The American Psychiatric Association’s (APA) 164th Annual Meeting raised $7,158 in donations for Hawai`i nonprofit Mental Health Kokua.
The meeting, held May 14-18, drew nearly 10,000 participants who were invited to make a donation as part of this year’s “APA Gives Back Program,” which supports a group in the community hosting APA’s annual meeting. APA also hosted the Hawai`i Aloha Classic 2011 golf tournament in partnership with the Waipahu Aloha Club at the Waikele Country Club on May 13 to assist in raising funds.
This year’s recipient, Mental Health Kokua, helps people with mental illness achieve optimum recovery and the ability to function in their community. APA’s contribution will support the organization’s tele-health program, which provides care to dozens of people across the state, many of whom live in rural areas, who are recovering from mental illness.
This was the second year of the “APA Gives Back Program,” which raised $7,000 for the Mission in New Orleans in 2010.
APA was the Center’s second-largest meeting of the year, following the APEC 2011 Leaders’ Meeting in November. APA last met in Honolulu in 1973.
