May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Dr. Williams joins other panel members in a discussion about the importance of men’s health, and mental health in communities. The discussion will include talk about stigma, resources, mental health symptoms, access to care, and community and family support, emphasizing Black men and youth.

This event is free and open to all.

Use the following link to join us at 12pm on Wednesday May 25th 2022: https://umich.zoom.us/j/92709782099

Panel Members:

Eric Scott, LMSW, is a clinical social worker and owner of First Step Counseling. He has worked in the behavioral health field for over 15 years with adolescents, adults, and families. He brings both passion and professionalism to the counseling arena. His area of expertise includes Men’s Issues, Stress, Anxiety, Depression, Racial Identity, Coping Skills, Trauma, PTSD, Grief, Addiction, and more.

Michael McElrath, MBA, currently serves as Director of Marketing and Communications for the Children’s Center of Wayne County, a storied community mental health agency that also provides foster care and adoption services. He brings over12 years of communications experience, from community outreach and crisis response to event planning and graphic design direction on a myriad of initiatives to help communities of color at the local and state levels. In his spare time, McElrath volunteers with several community organizations and liberally offers guidance to mentees and prospective young professionals.

Ed-Dee G. Williams, MSW, PhD , is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Michigan School of Social Work and an incoming assistant professor at Boston College School of Social Work. His area of research examines the help-seeking behaviors of and access to mental health support for Black adolescent boys experiencing depression. His work up to this point focused on Black adolescent males in high school and their utilization of available mental health resources in their schools and community, utilizing a socio-ecological lens to guide his work. Currently, Dr. Williams is leveraging his expertise to begin examining the experiences of Black autistic adolescents with depression and improving their ability to access adequate support. Dr. Williams’ research is grounded in the Black community, where he prioritizes accessibility and usability for the community.

Harrison Shelby, is a community organizer, mentor, and servant leader that is committed to working for social justice and improving the quality of life for all. He brings positive energy, a deep passion for community revitalization, a wealth of social change, nonprofit and youth leadership expertise, and a strong desire to serve youth, families, and the community. Harrison has served in several roles, including the Community Youth Engagement Manager at the Detroit Phoenix Center and also served as Community Liaison at The University of Michigan Detroit Center. He is passionate about youth and mental health and is affectionately known as “Mr. Community!”

Derek Ware (Moderator) – is the current Vice President of Operations at Detroit Community Health Connection, the oldest Federally Qualified Health Center in Detroit. In his current role, he plans, directs, coordinates, monitors the competitive landscape, and oversees operations activities in the organization. In addition to this role, he has a passion for serving and has collaborated with numerous agencies in Detroit and Metro Detroit to create health events tailored for men’s health and the overall community, which have reached thousands of individuals.