The U.S. faces a mental health crisis, with more than 1 in 20 Americans having a serious mental illness. Join us for a conversation about the urgent need to address this challenge including the importance of access to care, eliminating disparities, innovative treatments, and more.

Moderator

Gretchen C. Wartman
Vice President for Policy and Program
Director, Institute for Equity in Health Policy and Practice
National Minority Quality Forum

Gretchen Clark Wartman is Vice President for Policy and Program of the National Minority Quality Forum (NMQF), and Director of the NMQF Institute for Equity in Health Policy and Practice. Ms. Wartman also directs the NMQF National Alliance for Brain Health and Awareness.

Prior to her tenure with NMQF, Ms. Wartman held positions with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, including serving as the Title V/Maternal and Child Health Director, and Director of the Division of Nutritional Health and Services.

Panelists

Rimal Bera, MD
Chairman
Mental Health Working Group Alliance for Patient Access

Rimal Bera, MD is a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of California, Irvine Department of Psychiatry. Dr. Bera earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology from the University of California, Irvine in 1983 and a medical degree from the University of California, Irvine in 1987. He completed his Psychiatry Residency at the University of California Irvine since 1991. He has been a Full Time Faculty at the University of California, Irvine since 1991.

Dr. Bera is a distinguished life fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. He serves as a Medical Director for Universal Care Behavioral Health for California and as Medical Director at the John Henry Foundation in Santa Ana, a high-level center for the treatment of schizophrenia.

Pamela D. Price, RN
Deputy Director
The Balm In Gilead

Pamela Price is a Texas native with a passion for helping women and girls achieve everything they were created to be. For more than 20 years, she has worked with national and government agencies to develop and implement multifaceted programs to meet the societal and cultural needs of women and underserved communities. As an exemplary leader with an innovative mindset, Pamela provides direction & support to multi-sector organizations in the areas of project design, implementation and evaluation, to strengthen their overall efficiency & capacity to deliver impactful & sustainable programs and services. She is a representative member of national committees, coalitions, and advisory boards, and excels in working with both public & private sector institutions to provide leadership and guidance on health equity, cultural proficiency, and community engagement.

Mrs. Price is a national speaker & educator, routinely sharing information & offering insightful viewpoints on issues ranging from mental health to HIV/AIDS to the psychosocial challenges of women leaders and the importance of building equitable resilient communities. She currently serves as the Deputy Director for The Balm In Gilead managing the various health initiatives of the organization. Under her leadership, the organization provides support to faith-based and public health institutions in areas of program design, implementation, and evaluation, which strengthen their capacity to deliver programs and services that contribute to the elimination of health disparities.

In addition to her role as Deputy Director, she also serves as the Director for The National Brain Health Center for African-Americans.