XXIX Congress on Law and Mental Health
MFP alumnus, Dr. Alice Britt, reports on the XXIX Congress on Law and Mental Health held July 2 – 8, 2005 in Paris, France at the Université René Des Cartes.
Notwithstanding the privilege I was given as an attendee of the XXIXth Congress on Law and Mental Health, the conference in and of itself was a huge success. There was overwhelming feedback of satisfaction with the content of the scientific program.
The International Academy of Law and Mental Health (IALMH) sponsored this seven-day conference held in Paris, France at the Universite’ Rene’ Descartes from July 2, through July 8, 2005. The Congress offered a two-day pre-conference and five days of general sessions. The pre-conference addressed the science of addiction and policy implications. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) co-sponsored the pre-conference. Scientists from various regions in Europe, Canada, and the United States presented extant research on epidemiology of addiction, biomedical aspects of addiction, neurobiology of drug addiction, efficacious treatment of addiction, and the socio-behavioral culture of addicted individuals. Additionally, ethical reflections and policy implications were addressed. Although the conference was heavily weighted with research findings, the pre-conference ended with the unanswered question of how to translate addiction from neurobiology to dollars and cents, which, of course, is what will forecast the future of the study and treatment of addictive disorders.
Scholars and pundits from practically every continent presented at the general sessions. The thrust of the general sessions was the intersection of law and mental health. However, the main theme was the ethical and legal implications circumscribing voluntary versus mandatory treatment. The right to refuse treatment was a topic of furious debate. It was quite interesting to learn that many of the Norwegian countries have strict laws mandating and enforcing treatment for mental health treatment, and addictive disorders in particular.
Sadly, I believe that it comes as no surprise, that of the almost 700 presenters at this conference, less than 10 presenters were minorities, notably blacks. However, conversely, I was offered an opportunity to present at the XXXth IALMH Congress being held in Padua, Italy the summer of 2007; I have graciously accepted this honor.
Submitted by:
Alice Ball Britt
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