Mental Illness Prevention and Recovery Week

These pictures show some of the activity going on at the Caribbean Healthcare System in San Juan, Puerto Rico on the last day of the Mental Illness Prevention and Recovery Week, our inauguration of a long-term process of internal re education on the concept of recovery. (photos by Recupero Seguro)






Marisel Rios, MD, Eddie Echevarria, PsyD and Carlos Calderon,MSN waiting for visitors to arrive at the information table.












Lions Club and VA Volunteers help together at the coffee and cake table.











Rosa Gonzalez, MSN engages the public in conversation about preventing suicide









Rafaela Nieves, MSN discusses recovering from addictions. She must be celebrating her 37 years in the VA System.









Maritza Grau, MSW teaches the concept of recovery from mental illness










James Hickey, PsyD speaks about recovery and decision-making








Carmen Parrilla, PhD discussed prevention of suicide with Antonio Sanchez, MD Chief of Psychiatry and the audience a the VA Auditorium.

Veterans Hospital celebrates Recovery Week

The VA Hospital in San Juan, Puerto Rico has been celebrating the Mental Illness Prevention and Recovery Week from 10 - 14 September 2007.


Part of the celebration included a luncheon with leaders of self-help groups in the local community. NAMI Puerto Rico and Recovery Inc leaders shared their experiences after many years of efforts to combat mental illnesses and the stigma of mental illness in this hispanic society.

Here are some of the photos taken today at this luncheon.




Left to right: Silvia Arias, NAMI
Santiago Reyes and Carmen Awilda Colon, Recovery Inc



Rosa Gonzalez, MSN,
Antonio Sanchez, MD Chief of Psychiatry
Ilsa Torres, MSN, Nursing supervisor
Juanita Lugo, MSN Nursing Supervisor





Nestor J Galarza, VA Local Recovery Coordinator
Luis Arias from NAMI
Rosa Gonzalez, VA Suicide Prevention Coordinator and
Julio Ribera, VA Chief of Psychology



sitting in the back row:
Marisel Rios, MD Chief Ambulatory Mental Health Services
Ana Torres Martin, MD Director Psychiatric Residency
Nivia Baez, Secretary to the Chief of Psychiatry

coming up: patient group response to Pura's letter