Miller to host annual Disability & Mental Health Summit
Registration now open for event; largest of its kind in western PA
Allegheny County Delegation March 25, 2021 | 2:25 PM
PITTSBURGH, March 25 – Every spring for the last seven years, state Rep. Dan Miller, D-Allegheny, has hosted a Disability and Mental Health Summit, the largest event of its kind in western Pennsylvania.
Last year, right before COVID-19, the summit brought together more than 2,300 people and almost 200 organizations to the Pittsburgh Convention Center to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This year, Miller is again planning to hold then event, albeit in a virtual format due to the ongoing pandemic.
“This year will be different, but I still believe these issues are important to discuss,” Miller said. “There is no denying the impact the pandemic has had on mental health and people with disabilities, underscoring the importance of addressing these issues in our commonwealth.”
Spanning April 12 and 13, the two-day event will feature several panels, including one bringing elected leaders together to discuss the latest laws and policy changes impacting people with disabilities and mental health issues, as well as special youth programming for youth 14-26 and free IEP reviews for people who register ahead of time.
It will also feature a keynote address from Carol A. Beatty, secretary of the Maryland Department of Disabilities, who will discuss how the department allows the needs of people with disabilities to be considered and to be integrated into state policies at every step of the process and an update from special guest Erin Dalton, director of the Allegheny County Department of Human Services.
More information, including registration, is available at DisabilitySummit.com. On the site, people can review the schedule and with a few quick clicks, sign up for the sessions that mean most to their family. There is no cost to attend.