VCU conference to focus on services for patients with chronic and acute illness and their families Nov. 12

By Mike Frontiero
VCU School of Education

RICHMOND, Va. (Oct. 28, 2004) – Virginia Commonwealth University's Family Support and Research Center is sponsoring a conference that will bring together academics, health-care providers and community representatives interested in working together to improve services for patients with chronic and acute illnesses and their families.

"Effective Family Focused Interventions: Chronic and Acute Illnesses" will take place Nov. 12 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the VCU Student Commons, Capital Ballroom, 2nd floor, 907 Floyd Ave.

The one-day program will showcase strategies and family support-and-education programs already at work within the VCU and Richmond communities. Research, quality program development and multicultural needs also will be addressed.

Participants will learn how a patient's cultural background can affect how mental health services and palliative care are provided; how to field questions from families with terminally ill children; and how to help obese adolescents.

The VCU Family Support and Research Center is a collaboration of multi-service organizations, agencies and research initiatives at VCU. Its role is to strengthen the families of people with medical disorders through interdisciplinary research, training and implementation of family support and education programs. Emphasis is placed on meeting the needs of under-served populations.

The conference's co-sponsors - the departments of pediatrics, psychology and social work, along with VCU's Massey Cancer Center and the Center for Psychological Services and Development - represent some of the many disciplines involved. The sponsors also expect faculty, students, and practitioners from psychology, social work, nursing, rehabilitation services, clergy, psychiatry, physical medicine, oncology and other disciplines to take what they learn during the conference and apply it to their work. Continuing education credits will be offered where appropriate.

The conference is the first in a series of programs the Family Support and Research Center will sponsor over the next few years.

To obtain a program schedule and registration form for the conference, go to http://www.has.vcu.edu/psy/cpsd/whats_going_on/family_support.html.  For more information call 804.828.8375 ext. 8.