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17th ANNUAL LATINO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INSTITUTE CONFERENCEPLENARY SPEAKERSWednesday  Henry Acosta, MA, MSW, LSWExecutive Director, National Resource Center for Hispanic Mental Health, and Chair, Alliance for Latino Behavioral Health Workforce Development  Gustavo Loera, EdDDirector of Educational Research and DevelopmentMental Health America of Los AngelesWorkshop Title: "Alliance for Latino Behavioral Health Workforce Development: A National Movement in the Making"  Matthew Mock, PhD Professor of Psychology/Private Practice, John F. Kennedy UniversityWorkshop Title: "Latinos in Film: Mirrors of the Past, Forecasting of the Future" Thursday  Westley Clark, MD, JD, MPH, CAS, FASAMDirector of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (SAMHSA)Workshop Title: "National Substance Abuse Services for Latinos" Friday  Teresa Chapa, PhDSenior Policy Advisor, Mental Health Office of Minority HealthWorkshop Title: "Elimination of Behavioral Health Disparities for Latinos: A Plan for Improving Overall Care and Achieving Health Equity...Or Steps Towards Achieving Equity" Other Speakers |
John Viernes Jr.
John Viernes, Jr.
John Viernes is the Director for the Los Angeles County of Los Angeles, Alcohol and Drug Program Administration with the Department of Public Health (DPH). He has been with the DPH since December 2008. Mr. Viernes was born in Hawaii and lived in the islands until he began his final years in college. He graduated from Brigham Young University in Provo, with a B.S. in Sociology, and from the University of South Carolina, in Columbia, with a Masters in Rehabilitation Counseling. Mr. Viernes is a veteran and served three years in the US Army. Professionally, he has worked in government for 34 years, with developmentally disabled persons, with those with mental health disorders, and over the last 15 years individuals with addiction disorders. Mr. Viernes came to Los Angeles County after serving the last 14 years as the Single State Authority of addiction and as the State Methadone Authority for the Department of Mental Health and Addiction in the State of Indiana. Currently, he resides in Pasadena with his wife of 38 years. They are the proud parents of seven children and 12 grandchildren.