The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health’s (LACDMH) Anti-Racism, Inclusion, Solidarity & Empowerment (ARISE) Division hosted its 2026 Mental Health Multicultural Conference at the Intercontinental Hotel in downtown Los Angeles on March 17 and 18. The event was themed, “Healing in a Land of Diversity: A Multicultural Approach to Mental Health,” to honor Los Angeles County’s rich cultural diversity.
Hundreds of attendees from LACDMH and beyond gathered at the downtown conference to learn and grow both personally and professionally. The two-day event focused on examining innovative, comprehensive strategies and treatments tailored to the County community’s diverse behavioral health needs. The conference featured workshops and presentations on antiracism, disability-inclusive mental wellness, LGBTQ+ mental health, culturally inclusive care, and much more.
The conference featured keynote remarks from Wendy Ashley, Psy.D., Chair of California State University Northridge’s Department of Social Work; Kristen Lewis, Director and Co-founder of Measure America; and Mastaneh Moghadam, Executive Director and Co-founder of Cross-Cultural Expressions. Additionally, the event also featured musical entertainment from Project KnuckleHead and Give a Beat.
The Department’s efforts were led by the ARISE Division Managers, Mary Barraza, Senior Deputy Director of Prevention & Child Wellbeing Administration; Robert D. Byrd, Psy.D., Deputy Director of the Prevention Division; and Mirtala Parada Ward, ARISE Division Chief, and the conference planning committee. James Coomes, Program Manager III, served as Master of Ceremonies while Chief Deputy Director Rimmi Hundal and Barraza provided opening remarks and the land acknowledgement. Learn more about the conference on its webpage.
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