NEWS AND EVENTS
April is Autism Acceptance Month
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurological and developmental disorder that affects how people interact with others, communicate, learn, and behave. ASD is known as a “spectrum” disorder because there is wide variation in the type and severity of symptoms people experience.
This year, NIMH is celebrating Autism Acceptance Month, which focuses on inclusivity and connectedness and honors the unique perspectives of people living with ASD.
Resources for Autism Acceptance Month:
Digital toolkit for Autism Acceptance Month
Suggested social media message:
During #AutismAcceptanceMonth, help NIMH promote acceptance and understanding of autism spectrum disorder by sharing resources and materials based on the latest research. nimh.nih.gov/autism #shareNIMH
Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee Full Committee Meeting (Hybrid)
Date/Time: Wednesday, April 17, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET
Location: In-person at the National Institute of Mental Health or via NIH VideoCast
The purpose of the IACC meeting is to discuss business, agency updates, and issues related to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) research and services activities. The Committee will recognize World Autism Awareness Day and National Autism Acceptance Month, with a focus on global autism efforts. The meeting will be hybrid and open to the public.
Every year, NIMH observes National Minority Health Month to help bring attention to mental health disparities that continue to affect people from racial and ethnic minority groups. Take action by helping educate the public about the importance of improving access to mental health care for racial, ethnic, and other minority populations.
Mental health information in Spanish
Podcast: Hidden Histories: Racial Injustice at St. Elizabeths Mental Hospital
A decade before the end of slavery, Washington D.C.'s St. Elizabeths Hospital began treating Black patients for mental illnesses. As the nation's first integrated, federally funded mental health facility, the concept was groundbreaking, but as history shows us, inclusion did not mean equality.
In this episode, we talk with Boston College Professor of History Dr. Martin Summers, author of "Madness in the City of Magnificent Intentions." We discuss how ideas of false racial differences shaped the inequitable care of the hospital's Black patients and learn how those ideas evolved over time.
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Director’s Innovation Speaker Series: Changing Minds & Advancing Lines: Why We Must Keep Pushing for Mental Health Equity
During his Director's Innovation Speaker Series lecture, Daniel E. Dawes, J.D., explored the crucial link between mental health and systemic health through the lens of equity. He discussed learning from and repairing past issues to achieve mental health equity.
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