“The Community Mental Health Equity Project (CMHEP) TA Center is supporting the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) in updating Cultural Competency Plan guidance for county behavioral health agencies. You can help inform future recommendations by joining and upcoming virtual listening session, hosted on Zoom.

Help ensure that the voices of behavioral health services consumers and their family members are heard as state agencies, county behavioral health departments, and community-based organizations (CBOs) seek to improve access to and experiences with culturally sensitive behavioral health services. These virtual Listening Sessions will address:

• Experiences of access to culturally responsive and equitable behavioral health services
• Desired changes to service delivery
• Experiences participating in community planning activities related to behavioral health services

Use this link to register for one of the following dates:

• Monday, June 13, 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. PT
• Tuesday, June 14, 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. PT
• Friday, June 17, 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. PT
• Tuesday, June 21, 12:00 – 1:30 p.m. PT
• Thursday, June 23, 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. PT”

After a two-year hiatus, Loma Linda University Behavioral Health Institute’s Stand Up to Stigma 5K walk/run will return May 15. The Sunday event aims to overcome the stigma of mental health issues and to promote treating mental illnesses as other health problems are treated, according to a news release. Registration is $15 for adults and $10 for students and includes a T-shirt, runner’s bib and refreshments for the first 800 paid participants.

The event begins with check-in at 7 a.m. at the Behavioral Health Institute, 1686 Barton Road, Redlands, followed by the walk and run at 8 a.m. and postrace bash with the photo booth and more opening at 8:30 a.m. Information about mental health also will be available at the event.

“Around the country, organizations like ours strive to raise awareness for and educate the public about mental illness and, in doing so, reduce and eliminate stigmas and other misconceptions about mental health,” Edward Field, vice president, and administrator of the Loma Linda University Behavioral Medicine Center, said in the news release.

For information and to register, go to LLUBMC. org/StandUp.