The Chancellor’s Office of California Community Colleges (CCC) is hosting an Introduction to Mental Health webinar next week as part of Mental Health Awareness Week. The virtual event is the kickoff for CCC’s inaugural Mental Health Action Week. Frank Borunda, an L.A. Care licensed behavioral health clinician, will be among the expert panelists on the webinar. The goal of the panel discussion is to normalize conversations around mental health.
Borunda, who is a Licensed Marriage Family Therapist (LFMT), has more than 12 years of experience working in county mental health clinics, schools, group homes and now managed health care. Borunda will explain how person-centered language can help eliminate old stereotypes about mental health and addiction. Person-centered language consists of compassionate, stigma-free words that help in a patient’s recovery. Borunda says despite practitioner intent, clinical language can often focus on the illness and the negative aspects of a patient’s presenting problem, reinforcing old stereotypes. He says using person-centered language puts the patient first and shifts the focus to the patient’s strengths and their capacity for change.
Other panelists include:
- Lennor Johnson, Ed.D., President, Imperial Valley College
- Victor Torres, Acting Vice President of Student Services, Imperial Valley College
- Frank Chong, Ed.D., President/Superintendent, Santa Rosa Junior College
- Iulia Tarasova, Student, Member, CCC Board of Governors
The panel will be moderated by David O’Brien, Vice Chancellor of Governmental Relations for the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office.
The Introduction to Mental Health panel is Monday, May 2, from 9:00-10:00 am. The session is free for all. You can register here.