7th International Together Against Stigma Conference Location: San Francisco, USA Host: California Mental Health Services Authority (USA)
The 7th International “Together Against Stigma” Conference was held for the first time in the United States in San Francisco February 18-20, 2015 on behalf of the California Mental Health Services Authority, the World Psychiatric Association, the California Institute for Behavioral Health Solutions, and the County Behavioral Health Directors Association of California.
The international character of this conference underscored the fact that stigma associated with mental illness is not exclusive to any one country or culture: it is pervasive, encountered at all levels of society, institutions, among families and within the healthcare profession itself. Stigma – the negative attitudes toward people living with mental health challenges, and the negative behaviors that result – is a major barrier preventing individuals from asking for support and, often, preventing support from being readily available. For many people living with a mental health challenge, the stigma they face is often worse than the illness itself.