Porter honors work of the Indiana Minority Mental Health Professional Association

INDIANAPOLIS – Members of the Indiana House today joined State Representative Gregory W. Porter (D-Indianapolis) in honoring the vast contributions of the Indiana Minority Mental Health Professional Association.

The Indiana Minority Mental Health Professional Association is a nonprofit organization that came together through the efforts of Shelvy Haywood Keglar, Ph.D., clinical psychologist and president of Midwest Psychological Center, Inc.; William Lawson, M.D., chief of psychiatry at Veterans Hospital in Indianapolis and professor of psychiatry at Indiana University Medical Center; and Anita Harden, RN MSN, director of psychiatric services at Community Hospital Indianapolis.

This association is available throughout the state of Indiana and represents the disciplines of psychology, social work, nursing, psychiatry, as well as mental health, addiction, marriage and family counseling.

Its mission is to eliminate disparities in mental health services to minorities, promote positive mental health, and disperse accurate and appropriate information regarding mental health.

Association members advocate and conduct research on the mental health issues and legislation that are impacting the mental health of minority communities. They also address managed care issues affecting Hoosiers in these communities.

“They have been in the forefront of expungement of records and individuals being re-incorporated into society,” Porter said.

“Their work is tireless and never ending but essential to ensuring the well-being and mental health of those in minority communities,” Porter added.